MRF- Mining Rehabilitation Fund (WA)

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Overview

The Mining Rehabilitation Fund is a pooled fund that WA mining operators contribute to.

The Mining Rehabilitation Fund Act 2012 was enacted in 2012.
It replaced an Unconditional Performance Bond system (that still exists on some tenure) because companies would go into liquidation and then the Government was left with the rehab bill and could not recover any money, e.g. Ellendale Diamond Mine held by Kimberley Diamond Company NL.
Bonds are still imposed or retained where DMIRS considers there is high risk that a tenement holder’s rehabilitation liability may revert to the State.
Reporting is required before 30 June each year.
Tenements with a Rehabilitation Liability below $50,000 are not required to make a payment into the MRF.
Exploration disturbance costs are $2000 per hectare. If the disturbance is kept below 25 hectares per tenement then no payment is required.
Once rehabilitation of exploration has commenced, no payment is required.
Auditing of the MRF reports are done periodically.
It is important to document previous disturbance on a tenement before commencing your own disturbance.

The MRF data is published on the DMIRS What is the MRF web page annually, and shows shows ground disturbance as reported by the tenement holder.