Hlobane Colliery, located in the Vryheid Coalfields of South Africa, is to close down its operations after more than a century of mining activities. This paper presents a review of the assessments that were undertaken in order to determine the long-term water quality risks after mine closure and evaluate the effects of various water management actions thereon. An integrated assessment approach was adopted that incorporated hydrological, hydrogeological, mineralogical and geochemical assessment, and modelling techniques to predict the volumes and qualities of water discharging from various points on the mine for the base case situation where no water management options were implemented. Various water management options were identified that are primarily aimed at preventing the contamination of clean water, and the effects of these strategies were predicted and compared with the base case situation in order to provide a rational basis for the selection of the most appropriate strategies.

Historically, mining companies needed to be good at one thing-mining. The end goal was also clear-mine the ore and walk away. However, as societal perspectives have shifted and communities have started to demand (and expect) functional post-mining landscapes with manageable residual liabilities, this linear business approach has needed to adapt. Industry knowledge of the importance of the post-mining land use goal driving land rehabilitation objectives is becoming well understood. However, the capabilities of the rehabilitated land-ecologically, socially and economically, as well as stakeholder involvement in decision-making on what the rehabilitated land could supply, are considered a major challenge in mine closure planning. To edge closer to relinquishment, 'walk away' has turned into 'resilient substitute landscapes'. This paper will discuss the fundamental need for integration of mine site rehabilitation into wider regional landscape planning, towards being able to create opportunities for restoring and regenerating mine-disturbed landscapes. A global perspective on current existing post-mining land uses will be provided, as well as key considerations for selection of these land uses. The importance of integrating site-specific rehabilitation plans within overarching regional land planning frameworks will also be discussed.