Life After Mining

What this course is about

Every mine closes. This course helps communities, workers and officials prepare early: understanding what the law requires when a mine shrinks or closes, how closure plans work, and how a place can build a future that does not depend on one mine.

Who it is for

Communities near mines approaching the end of their life, future forum members, mineworkers and their families, local entrepreneurs, municipal planners, and mine closure and community relations staff.

What you will be able to do

1. Explain why closure affects people and local economies, not only the land.
2. Describe what the law and the Social and Labour Plan require when a mine downscales or retrenches.
3. Identify the main legal duties and plans for mine closure.
4. Describe practical options for land and local economies after mining.

Preview: the first two minutes

Module 1 · Introduction · 2 min

Animation (fictional): the last shift leaves the Kopano shaft. The spaza shop owner, the taxi driver and the school principal each count what the mine's closing will cost them.

Modules

1. 

   Module 1 · 18 min

   Closure is a social event

   Explain why closure affects people and local economies, not only the land.

2. 

   Module 2 · 18 min

   Downscaling, future forums and retrenchment

   Describe what the law and the Social and Labour Plan require when a mine downscales or retrenches.

3. 

   Module 3 · 18 min

   Closure law and closure plans

   Identify the main legal duties and plans for mine closure.

4. 

   Module 4 · 18 min

   Land and economies after mining

   Describe practical options for land and local economies after mining.

Go deeper

Optional, outside the 72 minutes.

• ICMM Integrated Mine Closure Good Practice Guide (3rd edition, 2025).
• Mining School Course 5, Social and Labour Plans, for full SLP content.
• Mining School Course 4, Understanding NEMA, Module 5, for dust, water and legacy sites.
• A template for questions to ask about a closure plan.

Sources

• MPRDA Regulations, Regulation 46 (Acts Online)
• Polity: section 52 of the MPRDA and retrenchments
• Mining Weekly: legal requirements for mine closure in South Africa
• ICMM Mining Principles
• ICMM: updated closure guidance (February 2025)
• Centre for Environmental Rights: SAHRC report summary
• IFC Performance Standards (2012)