Establishment of Trust Fund

A Trust Fund was established to fund rehabilitation of land affected by former mining or exploration activities and is defined in the Mineral Resources Development Act 1995 as:

(a) any money appropriated by Parliament for the purposes of this Part; and

(b) any money received from the sale of any building, machinery or property vested in the Crown under section 105(4); and

(c) any security deposit or part of a security forfeited by the Minister under section 198; and

(d) any other money received for the purpose of this Part; and

(e) any money the Treasurer directs to be paid into the Rehabilitation Trust Fund.

The Minister for Mines may: (Mineral Resources Development Act 1995, Section 180.)

(a) cause any abandoned mining land or land affected by former exploration activities to be rehabilitated; and

(b) enter into any contract relating to the environmental rehabilitation of any abandoned mining land or land affected by former exploration activities.

The fund was established after agreement with the Mining Industry to an increase in royalties, the proceeds of which would be used to repair abandoned mining lands.