Course coordinator
Assoc. Prof Laura Sonter
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- The Environment School
As demand for many mineral commodities grows, so too do the environmental impacts of mining and mineral processing. Effectively managing the impacts of historic, current and proposed mine sites is essential to carefully balance stakeholder expectations, regulatory requirements, and financial costs to mining companies. This course provides an introduction to environmental management in mining. Through a combination of lectures, practicals, field trips and exposure to industry, students will obtain a basic understanding of the global mining sector. They will learn how to identify, assess and mitigate potential impacts that emerge throughout the mining life cycle and manage a range of uncertainties (e.g. technology, expenses, stakeholder expectations) when developing management plans. These skills will enable students to work collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams to create effective environmental management plans. Emphasis is placed on case studies to illustrate major themes of the course with real world examples.
This course details major mining and refining processes, their environmental impacts, and practical strategies for impact mitigation. We also cover the influence of regulatory frameworks and industry best practice standards and management strategies. The course has a strong industry focus and uses local and international case studies to illustrate management approaches and emerging opportunities for innovation. Guest lecturers from government, industry and academia will provide first-hand experience in the myriad challenges of environmental management in mining.
Course requirements
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
ENVM7305
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Assoc. Prof Laura Sonter
Tutor
Miss Chloe Dawson
Mr Thomas Lloyd
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Students are required to attend a 2-hour lecture and a 2-hour practical as scheduled in the Learning Activities section. Week 9 field trip will be conducted during sceduled class time. Timetables are available onﾠmySI-net.
Aims and outcomes
This courseﾠexplores environmental impacts of mining, the development and selection of strategies to manage these impacts, and how management strategies may be shaped by various stakeholders, including government regulators, industry groups and local communities. The overall aim of this course is to prepare students for careers in Environmental Management in mining contexts, either in consultant roles, in government agencies or within industry.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Describe and compare key stages of mining and refining processes for major commodities.
LO2.
Identify potential environmental impacts from different types of mining and assess the significance of environmental impacts of mining to various stakeholder groups.
LO3.
Design appropriate management and mitigation strategies to address significant impacts of mining and understand their risks and uncertainties.
LO4.
Work collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams to develop environmental management plans for proposed mining projects.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quiz |
Three online quizzes - multiple choice
|
30% |
Quiz 1 12/08/2024 10:00 am Quiz 2 16/09/2024 10:00 am Quiz 3 21/10/2024 10:00 am |
| Presentation |
Innovation in environmental management in mining
|
30% |
19/08/2024 9:00 am
Presentation slides are due 9am 19/08/2024. In-class presentations will be scheduled for Weeks 5, 6 |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Group impact assessment and management plan
|
40% |
21/10/2024 10:00 am |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Three online quizzes - multiple choice
- Hurdle
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Quiz
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
Quiz 1 12/08/2024 10:00 am
Quiz 2 16/09/2024 10:00 am
Quiz 3 21/10/2024 10:00 am
- Other conditions
- Time limited.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03
Task description
There will be three multiple choice quizzes throughout semester, one on each of the course’s three learning modules (1. Minerals and mining, 2. Assessing environmental impacts of mining, 3. Best practice management and mitigation). Quizzes will cover the lecture content, as well as readings and other learning resources made available to students throughout the semester. The quizzes will be short (~10 questions) and timed (30 minutes). It is the student’s responsibility to ensure they have reliable internet connection and a functioning device to ensure they do not encounter any technical difficulties during the timed quiz.
Hurdle requirements
Students MUST achieve a mark of at least 45% in the online quizzes (Assessment 1) in addition to an overall mark of 50% or greater to pass this course.Submission guidelines
Quizzes are to be completed and submitted via Blackboard
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Late submission
You are required to submit assessment items on time. If you do not meet the submission deadline, then 10% of the available marks will be deducted as a late penalty for every day (or part day) late after the due date and time.
Innovation in environmental management in mining
- In-person
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
19/08/2024 9:00 am
Presentation slides are due 9am 19/08/2024. In-class presentations will be scheduled for Weeks 5, 6
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03
Task description
Students are to give an 8-minute presentation (plus 2 minutes for questions) on an innovative or best practice approach to managing one environmental impact of mining. The impact may emerge from any stage of the mining life cycle (exploration to mine closure) and affect any environmental value (e.g. land, water, biodiversity, cultural heritage). The innovative approach may include efforts to minimise impacts (e.g. through applying new technologies to extract minerals, or modification of processing conditions to produce benign tailings) or to overcome impacts post-mining (e.g. development of seed germination techniques for rehabilitation). As it is a short presentation, you can be quite specific and narrow in focus, but you should give a clear description of the scientific principles involved and the evidence for the efficacy of this novel management approach.
Here are some suggestions on key things to include in your presentation:
- Describe the innovative approach to assessing or managing the impact, along with how, where and why it was developed and how successful has it been.
- Describe the environmental impact your approach seeks to address, describing where and how it occurs, and why assessing and managing it is a challenge.
- Evaluate its potential for broader application of this innovative approach (e.g. is it easy to implement, data intensive, expensive?) and give recommendations on how to address any remaining challenges.
Choose a topic that interests you. In the third practical of semester (Week 3) run your proposed topic by one of the demonstrators so that we can limit overlap in topics among students and ensure your chosen topic is specific enough to meet all assessment criteria.
The presentation will be judged on the breadth and quality of literature reviewed (be explicit about any knowledge gaps that limit understanding of the impact and its management) and the structure and content of PowerPoint slides. Please be sure to include references where appropriate and use reputable sources (journal articles, government and industry reports) rather than websites.
Submission guidelines
PowerPoint presentation slides should be uploaded to Blackboard by the assignment due date and a timetable for in-class presentations (during Weeks 5 and 6) will be made available early in semester. This is an individual assignment.
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Late submission
You are required to submit assessment items on time. If you do not meet the submission deadline, then 10% of the available marks will be deducted as a late penalty for every day (or part day) late after the due date and time.
Group impact assessment and management plan
- Team or group-based
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
21/10/2024 10:00 am
- Other conditions
- Peer assessment factor.
- Learning outcomes
- L02, L03, L04
Task description
Using background information on a hypothetical mining development (to be provided during semester), students will work in interdisciplinary groups to propose a plan to assess and manage significant environmental impacts. The assessment should cover all potential environmental impacts, including those to the atmosphere, waterways, soils, fauna, flora, visual amenity and cultural heritage. It should outline a detailed methodology for assessing the significance of these impacts for key stakeholder groups and propose a suitable management plan that could be developed pending the outcome of the impact assessment.
The final report should be clearly structured (making use of sections, subsections, figures, tables and supplementary materials) and demonstrate familiarity with current literature and research methods relevant to identifying, assessing and managing environmental impacts of mining. Appropriate references must be used to support the proposed methodology and reasoning. There is no word limit, but the proposal should be no longer than 50 pages (30 pages is a rough recommended length). Marks will be distributed among group members based on a peer assessment process.
Submission guidelines
Submit online via TurnItIn through the course Blackboard site by the due date.
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Late submission
You are required to submit assessment items on time. If you do not meet the submission deadline, then 10% of the available marks will be deducted as a late penalty for every day (or part day) late after the due date and time.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 0% |
| 2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 30% |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 45% |
| 4 (Pass) |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 50% |
| 5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 65% |
| 6 (Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 75% |
| 7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The minimum percentage required for this grade is: 85% |
Additional course grading information
Students MUST achieve a mark of at least 45% in the online quizzes (Assessmentﾠ1) in addition to an overall mark of 50% or greaterﾠto pass this course.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Supplementary assessment is available
Courses graded 1-7
Should you fail a course with a grade of 3, you may be eligible for supplementary assessment. Refer to my.UQ for information on supplementary assessment and how to apply.
Supplementary assessment provides an additional opportunity to demonstrate you have achieved all the required learning outcomes for a course.
If you apply and are granted supplementary assessment, the type of supplementary assessment set will consider which learning outcome(s) have not been met.
Supplementary assessment can take any form (such as a written report, oral presentation, examination or other appropriate assessment) and may test specific learning outcomes tailored to the individual student, or all learning outcomes.
To receive a passing grade of 3S4, you must obtain a mark of 50% or more on the supplementary assessment.
Additional assessment information
Applications for Extensions
Information on applying for an extension can be found here - my.UQ Applying for an extension
Extension applications must be received by the assessment due date and time.
If you are unable to provide documentation to support your application by the due date and time you must still submit your application on time and attach a Word document outlining why you cannot provide the documentation and upload the documentation to the portal within 24 hours.
Please note: While your extension request is being considered, you should work towards completing and submitting your assessment as soon as possible.
If you have been ill or unable to attend class for more than 4 weeks in a semester, we advise you to carefully consider whether you are capable of successfully completing your courses. You might need to consider applying for removal of course. We strongly recommend you seek advice from the Faculty that administers your program.
Extensions with Student Access Plans (SAP)
For extensions up to 7 days, your SAP is all that is required as documentation to support your application. However, extension requests longer than 7 days (for any one assessment item) will require the submission of additional supporting documentation e.g., a medical certificate. A maximum of two applications may be submitted for any one assessment item, unless exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated. All extension requests must be received by the assessment due date and time.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
The assessment tasks in this course evaluate students’ abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students are advised that the use of AI technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Turnitin
By submitting work through Turnitin you are deemed to have accepted the following declaration “I certify that this assignment is my own work and has not been submitted, either previously or concurrently, in whole or in part, to this University or any other educational institution, for marking or assessment.”
All students must ensure they receive their Turnitin receipt on submission of any assessments. A valid Turnitin receipt will be the only evidence accepted if assessments are missing. Without evidence, the assessment will receive the standard late penalty, or after five days, will receive zero.
In the case of a Blackboard outage, please contact the Course Coordinator as soon as possible to confirm the outage with ITS.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Additional learning resources, including academic papers and industry guidance documents, will be provided each week ahead of lectures.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Practical |
Week 1 Course overview; Introduction to A1 (quiz); Life of Mine exercise Learning outcomes: L01 |
|
Lecture |
Week 1 Introduction to mining and refining; Case study minerals 1 (copper) Learning outcomes: L01 |
|
Practical |
Week 2 Introduction to A2 (presentation); Best practice approaches to management Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Lecture |
Week 2 Case study minerals 2 (gold, aluminium, REEs) Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Practical |
Week 3 Presentation and research skills; Students to confirm topic for A2 Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Lecture |
Week 3 Case study minerals 3 (nickel, coal/fossil fuels) Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Practical |
Week 4 Stakeholder engagement; Stakeholder debate Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04 |
|
Lecture |
Week 4 Environmental Impact Assessment; Environmental Regulation in Australia Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
|
Workshop |
Week 5 Student presentations (A2) Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
|
Workshop |
Week 6 Student presentations (A2) Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
|
Practical |
Week 7 Feedback on A2; Introduction to A3 (group report); Basic elements of an EMP (for A3) Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
|
Lecture |
Week 7 Environmental management in new frontiers: deep sea mining Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
|
Practical |
Week 8 Group work (for A3) Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04 |
|
Lecture |
Week 8 Cultural heritage and Indigenous values Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
|
Fieldwork |
Week 9 Fieldtrip to mine site Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
|
Lecture |
Mid-Semester Break (No Classes) |
|
Practical |
Week 10 GIS Practical Learning outcomes: L03 |
|
Lecture |
Week 10 Mitigation Hierarchy (avoid, minimise, restore, offset) Learning outcomes: L03 |
|
Practical |
Week 11 No scheduled class (public holiday) Learning outcomes: L03, L04 |
|
Lecture |
Week 11 No scheduled class (public holiday) Learning outcomes: L03, L04 |
|
Practical |
Week 12 Guest lecture (lessons from the field); Group work on A3 Learning outcomes: L03, L04 |
|
Lecture |
Week 12 Rehabilitation and mine closure planning Learning outcomes: L03, L04 |
|
Practical |
Week 13 Course summary; Optional drop-in session for further information, career advice, etc. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Lecture |
Week 13 Mining & Sustainable Development Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.