Western Australia
Professional Projects Group provides independent mine closure planning, decommissioning advisory and demolition consulting for mining and mineral-processing assets in Western Australia — supporting asset owners through the regulatory, commercial and physical requirements of closure under WA's Work Health and Safety framework and DMIRS guidelines.
What we do in WA
Mine closure in Western Australia is governed by a layered regulatory framework. The Work Health and Safety (General) Regulations 2022 (WA) impose specific obligations on principal contractors and mine operators in relation to hazardous work, plant decommissioning and site safety during closure. The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) administers the Mining Act 1978 (WA) and associated regulations, including requirements for mine closure plans, rehabilitation bonds and progressive rehabilitation.
Professional Projects Group provides independent advisory on the physical asset side of mine closure in Western Australia — decommissioning of processing plant and infrastructure, demolition planning, cost estimation and delivery strategy. We work alongside environmental, geotechnical, rehabilitation and statutory specialists rather than replacing them, and we understand how the physical closure scope interacts with WA's regulatory obligations.
Regulatory context
01
The WHS (General) Regulations 2022 apply to demolition and decommissioning work on mine sites in Western Australia. They impose obligations on principal contractors in relation to hazardous work, plant isolation and decontamination, asbestos and hazardous materials management, and the management of structural and mechanical risks during decommissioning. Closure planning must account for these obligations from the outset.
02
The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) requires mine operators to prepare and maintain mine closure plans under the Mining Act 1978 (WA) and the Mining Rehabilitation Fund Act 2012 (WA). Closure plans must address rehabilitation objectives, progressive rehabilitation milestones, post-closure land use and the financial assurance (bond) required to cover the estimated cost of closure. Professional Projects supports the physical asset cost and scope components of these plans.
03
Western Australian mine operators are required to contribute to the Mining Rehabilitation Fund (MRF) based on an annual disturbance liability assessment. The MRF levy is calculated against the estimated cost of rehabilitating the disturbed area. Independent, delivery-grounded cost estimates for the physical closure scope — decommissioning, demolition, waste removal and site clearing — are essential to ensuring the bond and levy accurately reflect the actual cost of closure.
04
Western Australian mine sites — particularly those with infrastructure constructed before the 1990s — commonly contain asbestos-containing materials (ACM), lead-based paint, hydrocarbon-contaminated plant and other hazardous materials. The WHS (General) Regulations 2022 and the Code of Practice for the Management and Control of Asbestos in Workplaces impose specific obligations on how these materials are identified, managed and removed during decommissioning and demolition.
Our services in WA
01
Independent closure studies for WA mining and mineral-processing assets — defining the physical end state, scoping decommissioning and demolition work, estimating costs and programme, and identifying the key risks and information gaps before commitments are made.
02
Detailed decommissioning plans for WA processing plants and mine infrastructure — covering isolation and decontamination methodology, hazardous materials management, sequencing, contractor interface management and compliance with WHS (General) Regulations 2022 obligations.
03
Independent scope development and cost estimation for demolition of WA mine infrastructure — including processing plant, tailings storage facilities, accommodation camps, haul roads, utilities and associated structures. Cost estimates prepared to support DMIRS closure plans, MRF bond assessments and investment decisions.
04
Advising on procurement strategy for WA mine closure work — how to package decommissioning and demolition contracts, what risk allocation suits the WA contractor market, and how to run a competitive tender process that achieves sound commercial outcomes.
05
Independent client-side advisory during closure execution — representing the asset owner's interests, monitoring contractor performance, managing scope and cost, and ensuring the physical closure work is delivered in accordance with the plan and the regulatory requirements.
Why it matters
Mine closure in Western Australia involves significant financial, regulatory and reputational risk for asset owners. The cost of physical closure — decommissioning, demolition, hazardous materials removal, waste disposal and site clearing — is consistently underestimated when closure plans are prepared without delivery experience.
Professional Projects Group provides independent advice — we have no financial interest in the delivery of the work and no relationship with the contractors who will execute it. Our role is to give the asset owner a clear, accurate and defensible basis for the closure decision, the regulatory submission and the procurement process.
We have experience on major industrial and mining closure projects across Western Australia and nationally — including oil refineries, chemical plants, mineral-processing facilities and Defence assets. We understand the WA contractor market, the regulatory environment and the practical constraints of remote and regional project delivery.
Common questions
Mine closure in Western Australia is primarily governed by the Mining Act 1978 (WA), the Mining Rehabilitation Fund Act 2012 (WA) and the Work Health and Safety (General) Regulations 2022 (WA). DMIRS administers the mining legislation and requires mine operators to maintain current closure plans and meet progressive rehabilitation obligations. The WHS (General) Regulations 2022 impose obligations on principal contractors and mine operators in relation to hazardous work, plant decommissioning and asbestos management during closure.
The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) is the primary regulator for mine closure in Western Australia. DMIRS requires mine operators to prepare and maintain mine closure plans, meet progressive rehabilitation milestones, contribute to the Mining Rehabilitation Fund (MRF) and obtain approval for closure and rehabilitation activities. DMIRS inspectors assess compliance with closure plan obligations and can require remediation of non-compliant sites.
The Mining Rehabilitation Fund (MRF) requires WA mine operators to pay an annual levy based on their estimated disturbance liability. The levy is calculated against the estimated cost of rehabilitating the disturbed area, which includes the physical closure cost — decommissioning, demolition, waste removal and site clearing. An accurate, independently prepared cost estimate for the physical closure scope is essential to ensuring the MRF levy and any required bond accurately reflect the actual cost of closure.
Yes. We support mine closure projects across Western Australia, including remote and regional locations in the Pilbara, Goldfields, Kimberley and Mid West regions. Site attendance is agreed to suit the project — we can work effectively from document review and remote advisory through to on-site engagement depending on the stage and the owner's needs.
We work on gold, iron ore, nickel, lithium, copper and other mineral-processing facilities, as well as associated mine infrastructure including processing plants, tailings storage facilities, accommodation camps, haul roads, utilities and port facilities. We also have experience on oil and gas, chemical and industrial assets in Western Australia.
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Professional Projects Group provides independent mine closure advisory, decommissioning planning and demolition consulting for WA mining and industrial assets. Contact us to discuss your project.
