key environmental risks arising from operations, rehabilitation and closure of Ranger mine. At its 38th meeting, the ARRTC endorsed the Supervising Scientist’s proposed 2017–18 research program. The minutes of ARRTC meetings are available on the ARRTC website at: Communication with other stakeholders The primary focus of the SSB’s communication team during 2016–17 was to provide stakeholders and the general public with information on the work conducted by the SSB, including the Branch’s input to the rehabilitation process for Ranger mine. This was achieved using different communication media to engage with a range of stakeholders and interested parties, including various reports as well as providing presentations to the wider national and international community (Table 1). 1 1 2016 31 2017 Conference (no. Papers) Climate Adaptation Conference Adelaide, Australia, 5–7 July 2016 (1 Presentation) The 14th Biennial Conference of the Pacific Environmental Radioactivity Association Indonesia, 7–9 September 2016 (3 presentations) The 20th Australasian Weeds Conference Perth, Australia, 11–15 September 2016 (1 Presentation) GEOBIA 2016: 6th International Conference on Geographic Object-based Image Analysis Enschede, Netherlands, 14–16 September 2016 (1 presentation) Uranium Mine Remediation Exchange Group Meeting Colorado, USA, 26–30 September 2016 (1 presentation) Life of Mine Conference 2016 Brisbane, Australia, 28–30 September 2016 (3 presentations) The 4th Society of Environmental Toxicology And Chemistry – Australasia Conference Hobart, Australia, 4–7 October 2016 (4 presentations) The AusIMM International Uranium Conference 2017 Adelaide, Australia, 6-7 June 2017 (1 presentation) Interim meeting of Working Group 1 of the International Atomic Energy (IAEA) Agency Modelling and Data for Radiological Impact Assessments (MODARIA II) scientific programme Brussels, Belgium, 26–30 June 2017 (working participation) The SSB has participated in a number of community activities throughout 2016–17, including the 2016 Mahbilil festival in September 2016, and World Wetlands Day in February 2017. The SSB provided information stalls for these events, enabling the SSB’s staff to engage with JUNE
22 2017 Project No. Project title RES-2005-003 Use of analogue communities as a guide to revegetation and associated monitoring of the post-mine landform at Ranger RES-2008-002 Development and implementation of a remote sensing framework for environmental monitoring within the Alligator Rivers Region (focus on the Magela Floodplain) RES-2008-006 The direct effects of suspended sediment on tropical freshwater biota RES-2009-002 The toxicity of uranium to sediment of Gulungul Billabong RES-2009-003 Turbidity closure criteria for off-site billabongs and streams RES-2009-009 Geological province of fine suspended sediment within the Magela catchment RES-2010-007 Assessing the geomorphic stability of the Ranger landform RES-2012-014 Optimisation of cladoceran diet for toxicity testing RES-2013-009 Radionuclide fluxes from the landform RES-2013-012 Demonstrating the utility of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for monitoring rehabilitation and revegetation of the Ranger minesite RES-2014-006 East Alligator Slackwater deposits. RES-2014-009 Spectral investigation of Ranger RES-2015-015 Characterising and mapping salt efflorescences using remotely sensed data Currently, the draft rehabilitation standards are in various stages of development (Table 23). Drafts for radiation (for humans and wildlife), and uranium, manganese and magnesium in surface waters are essentially complete, while advanced drafts exist for others including ammonia in surface waters, sulfate in surface waters (for acid sulfate soils), landform stability and erosion, and flora. For others, further work is underway or being scoped, to provide the necessary information to complete them.
Progress against plan A test method has almost been completed with some refinements to the feeding method required to enhance growth Acceptability criteria for initial fish size and also growth rate have been established. Two toxicity tests have been performed using ammonia and three using uranium. Testing is currently underway applying the new method for Direct Toxicity Assessments (DTAs) of minesite water. The 7-d test will be compared with a 28-d test in Magela Creek water to determine whether the longer exposure time is more sensitive. Key findings A chronic sub-lethal toxicity test method has been successfully developed for M. mogurnda. The sensitivity of this method will be compared to a revised version of the 28-d method developed by Cheng et al. (2010). Workplan for 2017–18 Final testing and report writing is expected in 2017-18. Planned project outputs and associated outcomes The primary outputs for the project are: A routine chronic sub-lethal toxicity test for the fish, M mogurnda. An Internal Report and subsequent peer-reviewed journal paper describing the new methodology. The outcomes of this project will be an improved toxicity testing program for assessing the effects of contaminants on local aquatic biota and, hence, improved site-specific water quality guideline values. Planned communication activities The primary communication activities for the project are: Presentation at the annual SETAC Australasia conference A peer reviewed journal article Reports/presentations to key stakeholders as appropriate Project publications to date (if applicable) No publications to date.
Rehabilitation 1 Closure Criteria theme: Overarching 2 Closure Criteria theme: Water and sediment 3 Closure Criteria theme: Landform 4 Closure Criteria theme: Radiation 5 Closure Criteria theme: Flora and fauna Closure Criteria theme: Groundwater Ranger – Rehabilitation CC theme: Overarching (1 project) Project details Project title Cumulative risk assessment for Ranger minesite rehabilitation and closure - Phase 1 (on-site risks) SSB function Research Site Ranger Project category Rehabilitation - overarching Project status Active What business need does this project inform? This project informs the need to determine the integration and potential cumulative impacts of risks identified through the risk screening component of the ecological risk assessment. The focus in this phase of the project is on-site risks. Closure criteria theme (if applicable) Overarching Project Priority Relevance 1 1 Importance 1 Time buffer A Project number (if already commenced) RES-2016-014 Project commencement date 2/2/2017 Estimated completion date 11/12/2017
Project category Developing closure criteria Project status Completed What business need does this project inform? Protection of aquatic ecosystems from contaminants arsing from the mine site or processes occurring due to mining-related activities, during both operations and after rehabilitation. Closure criteria theme (if applicable) Water and Sediment Project Priority Relevance 1 1 Importance 1 Time buffer A Project number (if already commenced) RES-2016-010 Project commencement date 30/3/2017 Estimated completion date 30/6/2017 Project duration (months) 3 Date required 31/7/2017 In-house or outsourced External Actual completion date 30/6/2017 Lead team WASQ Reason for project delay (where applicable) N/A Supporting team(s) Rivers & Wetlands Project manager Trenfield, Melanie Project total estimated internal resources (person weeks) 1 Project sponsor Harford, Andrew Project total estimated collaborator resources (person weeks) 12 Aims Task 1 – Review of ERA’s Ranger ASS investigation reports, SSB’s dry season Magela Creek water quality report and long-term water quality datasets for Coonjimba Billabong and Retention Pond 1 (RP1). Task 2 – Review of, and assistance with, SSB’s Rehabilitation Standard for sulfate. Background is a need to develop a Rehabilitation Standard for sulfate in the context of ongoing issues associated with ‘mine-generated’ acid sulfate soils (ASS). Drafting of such a document has commenced, but requires specialist ASS expertise to be completed. SSB does not have such expertise and this project will inform the rehabilitation standard. Moroever, is a need to review ERA’s recent studies on ASS in Coonjimba Billabong, where significant acid events have been occurring in the early wet season since 2012.
Project title Assessing the ecological of mine water contaminants in the dry season, subsurface waters of Magela sand channel SSB function Research Site Ranger Project category Developing closure criteria Project status Active What business need does this project inform? Contributes to assessing and understanding the risks of groundwater contaminant pathways to Magela Creek sand channel post-decommissioning. Closure criteria theme (if applicable) and Sediment Project Priority Relevance 1 1 Importance 1 Time buffer A Project number (if already commenced) RES-2016-012 Project commencement date 31/3/2017 Estimated completion date 31/3/2020 Project duration (months) 36 Date required 30/6/2020 In-house or outsourced Collaboration Actual completion date N/A Lead team WASQ Reason for project delay (where applicable) N/A Supporting team(s) Jenny Davis (CDU); Grant Hose (Macquarie Uni) Project manager Chandler, Lisa Project total estimated internal resources (person weeks) 87 Project sponsor Humphrey, Chris Project total estimated collaborator resources (person weeks) 114 Aims To characterise the hyporheic and groundwater communities and associated habitat and water quality in Magela Creek. To assess the sensitivity of these communities to contaminants of potential concern arising from Ranger minesite. To investigate the implications for ecological functions with regard to subsurface water in Magela Creek of elevated contaminants of potential concern arising from Ranger mine site.
Planned communication activities Journal manuscript Conference presentations in 2017 and 2018 Discussions with key stakeholders as appropriate Project publications to date (if applicable) No project publications to date. Project details Project title Monitoring billabong turbidity a Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) SSB function Research Site Ranger Project category Monitoring of closure criteria Project status Completed What business need does this project inform? Monitoring closure criteria Closure criteria theme (if applicable) Water and Sediment Project Priority Relevance 3 3 Importance 4 Time buffer D Project number (if already commenced) RES-2014-007 Project commencement date 22/9/2014 Estimated completion date 4/7/2016 Project duration (months) 18 Date required 13/10/2016 or outsourced Collaboration Actual completion date 13/10/2016 Lead team R&L Reason for project delay (where applicable) Thesis submission delayed Supporting team(s) Charles Darwin University Project manager Bartolo, Renee Project total estimated internal resources (person weeks) 8 Project sponsor Van Dam, Rick Project total estimated collaborator resources (person weeks) 36
Closure criteria (if applicable) Landform Project Priority Relevance 3 1/ongoing Importance 3 Time buffer A Project number (if already commenced) RES-2015-017 Project commencement date 1/7/2015 Estimated completion date 1/12/2017 Project duration (months) 6 Date required 1/12/2017 In-house or outsourced Collaboration Actual completion date N/A Lead team R&L Reason for project delay (where applicable) Collaborator from CDU left, providing first draft only. Additional modelling simulations were required to complete the work. Supporting team(s) CDU - Professor Ken Evans and Dr Monishka Narayan Project manager Lowry, John Project total estimated internal resources (person weeks) 3 Project sponsor Van Dam, Rick Project total estimated collaborator resources (person weeks) 8 Aims To assess the geomorphic stability of a pre-mine landform for a simulated period of 10,000 years. To better understand the range of parameters and variables that should be employed in the CAESAR-Lisflood model for landform modelling purposes. Background The project aims to the geomorphic and erosional stability of a pre-mine landform of the Ranger environment for a period of 10,000 years. The simulations will be used to visually assess how the landscape may evolve without the presence of the mine. As much as practically possible, the same parameters and inputs will be used in the simulations of the pre-mine landform as will be used in the simulations of the rehabilitated landform. For example, it is expected that the rainfall dataset developed for 10,000 years will be used as input for simulations in this project to enable the same climate and rainfall scenarios to be modelled. As with the assessment of the rehabilitated landform, both the CAESAR-Lisflood and SIBERIA landform evolution models will be used.
Lowry, JBC, Coulthard, TJ & Hancock GR. 2013. Assessing the long-term geomorphic stability of a rehabilitated landform using the CAESAR-Lisflood landscape evolution model, in Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Mine Closure, M Tibbett, AB Fourie and C Digby (eds), 18–20 September 2013, Cornwall, United Kingdom, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 611–624. Lowry, JBC, Hancock GR & Coulthard TJ 2015a. Assessing the evolution of a post-mining landscape using landform evolution models at millennial time scales. In Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Mine Closure, AB Fourie, M Tibbett, L Sawatsky and D vanZyl (eds) , 1-3 June 2015, Vancouver Canada, Infomine Inc. pp. 207-220. Lowry J, Erskine W, Pickup G, Coulthard T & Hancock G 2015b. Future Directions for Application of Landform Modelling by the Supervising Scientist: Response to the Review of the application of the CAESAR-Lisflood model by the ERISS Hydrologic, Geomorphic and Chemical Processes program. Supervising Scientist Report 210, Supervising Scientist, Darwin NT. Lowry JBC, Verdon-Kidd D, Hancock GR, Saynor MJ & Coulthard TJ 2016. Application of synthetic rainfall data to long term modelling of a rehabilitated landform. In Proceedings of the Life-of-Mine 2016 Conference, 28-30 September, Brisbane Australia, The Australiasian Instititute of Mining and Metallurgy, pp. 75-79. Project details Project title Impact of rip lines on runoff and erosion SSB function Research Site Ranger Project category Demonstrating achievement of closure criteria Project status Active What business need does this project inform? Assess impact of rip lines on a landform surface, through modelling amounts of erosion resulting from comparable ripped and non-ripped surfaces Closure criteria theme (if applicable) Landform Project Priority Relevance 2 2 Importance 2 Time buffer A Project number (if already commenced) RES-2015-016 Project commencement date 1/7/2015 Estimated completion date 1/12/2016 Project duration (months) 6 Date required 1/12/2016 In-house or outsourced Internal Actual completion date N/A
Project category Demonstrating achievement of closure criteria Project status Active What business need does this project inform? Protecting the health of Aboriginals and other members of the regional community. Protecting the environment of the Alligator Rivers Region from the effects of uranium mining. Closure criteria theme (if applicable) Radiation Project Priority Relevance 2 1 Importance 2 Time buffer A Project number (if already commenced) RES-2015-014 Project commencement date 1/2/2015 Estimated completion date 1/2/2021 Project duration (months) 72 Date required 1/2/2021 In-house or outsourced Collaboration Actual completion date N/A Lead team ENRAD Reason for project (where applicable) N/A Supporting team(s) ANU Project manager Medley, Peter Project total estimated internal resources (person weeks) 180 Project sponsor Van Dam, Rick Project estimated collaborator resources (person weeks) 24 Aims The aims of this project are to: Develop methods to prepare and measure environmental samples for actinium-227 and protactinium-231. Measure actinium-227 and protactinium-231 in environmental samples and determine concentration ratios. Estimate radiation dose contributions to people and non-human biota from actinium-227 and protactinium-231. Background Although a significant body of research has been undertaken on the behaviour of radionuclides of the uranium series in the environment, there is very little information for actinium series radionuclides, in particular actinium-227, partly because techniques for measurement of two key isotopes in the actinium series – protactinium-231 and actinium-227 – are limited and prone to technical difficulties (particularly in the chemical separation steps). It is also argued that the
1 Research 2 Monitoring sites Monitoring (1 project) Project details Project title Radiation monitoring at the El Sherana containment facility SSB function Monitoring Site South Alligator Valley Project category Other Project status Active What business need does this project inform? Protecting the health of Aboriginals and members of the regional community Closure criteria (if applicable) N/A Project Priority Relevance 2 1/ongoing Importance 2 Time buffer A Project number (if already commenced) MON-2013-006 Project commencement date 1/7/2012 Estimated completion date 30/6/2026 Project duration (months) 168 Date required 1/7/2026 In-house or outsourced Internal Actual completion date N/A Lead team