The Tasmanian Parliament has passed a bill that paves the way for a potential restart of the historic Mt Lyell copper mine on the state’s West Coast.
The Mt Lyell Acid Drainage Reduction (Repeal) Bill 2025, clears a major regulatory barrier towards the potential reopening of the mine.
Located near Queenstown, Mt Lyell is one of Australia’s oldest and most significant copper mines, having operated continuously for over a century from 1894.
Operations were suspended in 2014 when the site was placed on care and maintenance following three tragic worker fatalities in separate underground incidents, alongside subsequent operational rockfalls.
The decade-long closure dealt a heavy blow to the regional economy while leaving legacy environmental challenges, including ongoing acid rock drainage into local river systems.
The Tasmanian government maintains that repealing the redundant legislation provides the best pathway for environmental remediation, allowing active treatment under Environment Protection Authority (EPA) oversight.
Minister for Environment and Climate Change Guy Barnett said restarting the mine offers superior long-term ecological outcomes for the region compared to static inactivity.
“The best environmental outcome for Mt Lyell and the West Coast is a safe, modern operating mine, enabling active management and rehabilitation rather than long-term inactivity,” Barnett said.
“Reopening the mine would provide the opportunity for active treatment and management of legacy acid drainage under strict regulatory oversight by the Environment Protection Authority.”
Minister for Business, Industry and Resources Felix Ellis highlighted the economic importance of the site to the state’s industrial heritage and regional workforce.
“A return to operations would create jobs, strengthen the West Coast economy and deliver long-term benefits for Tasmania,” Ellis said.
As part of its 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future, the state government has delivered a AU$9.5 million package for preliminary works and committed a further AU$25 million assistance package to support the recommencement of mining operations, subject to due diligence.
The state government continues to work closely with site owner Sibanye-Stillwater as final assessments for the project progress.
