• Hodgkinson, Jane H.
• Crimp, Steve
• Woolford, Cecilia

Abstract

On 20th June, 2014, CSIRO and the Outback Communities Authority (OCA) ran a workshop for mining industry participants to explore climate related impacts and adaptation in their industry in the Far North region of South Australia, extending into part of the Eyre Peninsula Region. The workshop builds on previous work performed by CSIRO with the Australian mining industry to explore climate impacts and the needs, drivers and barriers for adaptation that will identify and optimise opportunities, and reduce vulnerability to extreme weather events and climate change (for example Moffat, 2009, Loechel et al., 2010, Hodgkinson et al., 2010, Loechel et al., 2011, Loechel et al., 2013, Hodgkinson et al., 2014, Loechel and Hodgkinson, 2014).Climate change poses a potential range of threats and opportunities for mining regions in Australia. Although the industry has proven to be adaptive and partially resilient in the past, the increased frequency or severity of extreme events that mines are now exposed to will likely cause longer annual downtime, disruption to production, processing and other components of the supply chain, reduced productivity, more expensive repairs and increased risk to reputation and stakeholder confidence. The industry is therefore becoming more engaged in activities that may inform the adaptation process.This workshop was one of a suite of workshops held in the mining regions across Australia (Loechel et al., 2010, Loechel et al., 2011, Loechel et al., 2013) for informing industry and research in mining adaptation needs and experiences. The key purpose of this workshop was to explore the key risks, impacts, vulnerabilities and opportunities of the Far North region of South Australia, in addition to discussing adaptation capacity and activities in the region. Invitations were also extended to participants in the Eyre Peninsula Region who also had mining industry interests connected with the Far North region.Participants represented almost all nodes of the mining supply chain including extraction (mines), exploration, energy, ports, local government groups, investors, environment, transport and research. Using this mining supply chain approach is valuable because it helps focus on the linkages between different nodes of the chain and takes account of upstream and downstream events when action or impacts occur at a particular node.The process aims to provide an integrated understanding of how the region as a mining system works, and how it will be affected by climate extremes and change.The methodology used included: desktop research and data gathering; a workshop to present the findings of a range of stakeholders already engaged in adaptation in mining and related industries; and discussion groups at the workshop to collate the views and experiences from stakeholders. During the workshop, participants were provided with a selection of high-importance messages from industry, research and government presenters, and then provided input into sectoral and cross-sectoral discussions.One of the key messages from participants was that there is an interest in adapting to climate impacts in order to retain market share, and whilst government policy may eventually play a part in the process, any immediate action will need to be affected by internal industry partnerships and cross-sectoral drive.Many impacts were seen by participants to already affect cross-sectoral boundaries, and therefore that adaptation could be beneficial to multiple users if driven and managed collectively.The South Australian climate is expected to continue warming and drying, with greater incidence and severity of extremely hot days, and a continued decline in winter rainfall, whilst frequency and intensity of heavy rainfall events are expected to increase flooding events. These trends pose threats to mining related activities in South Australia, particularly profitability, productivity, reliability and safety.Continued mining growth

Topics

• impedance spectroscopy
• extraction
• drying