---
title: "Check a mining development and closure proposal before lodgement"
url: "https://ailawframework.com/practice/energy-resources-and-mining/check-a-mining-development-and-closure-proposal-before-lodgement"
type: "task"
site: "AI Law Framework"
id: "A13-PU20261022-18"
practice_area: "Energy, Resources & Mining"
tier: "yellow"
lawyer_review: "required"
last_reviewed: "2026-10-22"
---

# Check a mining development and closure proposal before lodgement

> From the draft proposal and the lodgement record, list whether another proposal for the same mining environmental group is still open, whether the tenements are live, and whether the draft addresses mining operations,…

Canonical page: https://ailawframework.com/practice/energy-resources-and-mining/check-a-mining-development-and-closure-proposal-before-lodgement  
Last reviewed: 2026-10-22

Site index for agents: https://ailawframework.com/llms.txt

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Practice area | [Energy, Resources & Mining](https://ailawframework.com/practice/energy-resources-and-mining.md) |
| Human involvement | Yellow: Lawyer and AI draft together |
| How AI is used | From the draft proposal and the lodgement record, list whether another proposal for the same mining environmental group is still open, whether the tenements are live, and whether the draft addresses mining operations, decommissioning, rehabilitation and closure outcomes. List the date 9 September 2025 against the date of lodgement. Do not write the proposal. |
| What the lawyer must review | The lawyer settles the proposal and decides whether it can be lodged. The Department of Mines, Petroleum and Exploration frequently asked questions state that the mining development and closure proposal and approvals statement framework commences on 9 September 2025, when the Mining Amendment Act 2022 comes into effect. A proposal lodged before that date was a mining proposal, including a mine closure plan, under the guidelines then in force. Section 103AN(3)(d) of the Mining Act 1978 requires a proposal to include detailed information on the mining operations, decommissioning, rehabilitation and closure outcomes, and any prescribed information. The page says a proposal that follows the old mining proposal and mine closure plan guidelines will be declined. The prescribed detail is in the Mining Regulations 1981 and in the department's guideline. That guideline was not opened, so the lawyer checks it before lodgement. Only one proposal for a mining environmental group can be open at a time. An approvals statement is issued only for live tenements. Tenement holders do not need to submit a proposal to seek approval for existing activities, and an existing operation can continue under its existing Mining Act approvals. A proposal can cover only new mining activities or changes, and the approvals statement then relates to those activities. Whether a spatial extension should describe the whole feature is decided case by case, and the page generally recommends that the activity details relate to the whole feature. The page states a department target that 80 per cent of proposals are finalised within 30 business days. That is stated as a target, not as a statutory time limit. The lawyer does not draft the proposal in the tool's words. |
| Written for / versions | 1 jurisdiction versions below |

## Checking plan

**Source-by-source verification**

Trace relied-on content to the file and leave the decision to the lawyer.

- What the AI does: From the draft proposal and the lodgement record, list whether another proposal for the same mining environmental group is still open, whether the tenements are live, and whether the draft addresses mining operations, decommissioning, rehabilitation and closure outcomes. List the date 9 September 2025 against the date of lodgement. Do not write the proposal.
- What the lawyer does: The lawyer settles the proposal and decides whether it can be lodged. The Department of Mines, Petroleum and Exploration frequently asked questions state that the mining development and closure proposal and approvals statement framework commences on 9 September 2025, when the Mining Amendment Act 2022 comes into effect. A proposal lodged before that date was a mining proposal, including a mine closure plan, under the guidelines then in force. Section 103AN(3)(d) of the Mining Act 1978 requires a proposal to include detailed information on the mining operations, decommissioning, rehabilitation and closure outcomes, and any prescribed information. The page says a proposal that follows the old mining proposal and mine closure plan guidelines will be declined. The prescribed detail is in the Mining Regulations 1981 and in the department's guideline. That guideline was not opened, so the lawyer checks it before lodgement. Only one proposal for a mining environmental group can be open at a time. An approvals statement is issued only for live tenements. An existing operation does not need a proposal for activities already approved. New activities can be an amendment proposal rather than a proposal for the whole site. The page states a department target that 80 per cent of proposals are finalised within 30 business days. That is stated as a target, not as a statutory time limit. The lawyer does not draft the proposal in the tool's words.
- Who reviews: Responsible lawyer with competence in the matter
- Basis: Practical workflow informed by the linked primary sources; the traffic light and working checks are editorial guidance, not a court classification.
- Why: The level reflects what the work is, the consequence of an error, and how much of the output the lawyer must independently re-derive.

## Checks the lawyer makes

1. Confirm the lodgement is on or after 9 September 2025, or record that an earlier document was a mining proposal under the previous guidelines.
2. Check there is not already an open proposal for the same mining environmental group, and that an approvals statement is expected only for live tenements.
3. Treat 30 business days as the department's target, and confirm the proposal text is the lawyer's.

## Notes

- These are suggested working checks. Confirm the required checking with the responsible lawyer before work starts; the checking approach does not establish permission to use AI.

## Sources

- [Department of Mines, Petroleum and Exploration, mining development and closure proposal frequently asked questions](https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-mines-petroleum-and-exploration/mining-development-and-closure-proposal-and-approvals-statement-framework-faqs) (checked 2026-10-22)

## Jurisdiction versions

| Jurisdiction | Level |
| --- | --- |
| [United States](https://ailawframework.com/practice/energy-resources-and-mining/check-a-mining-development-and-closure-proposal-before-lodgement/united-states.md) | Yellow |

*Practice guidance for planning and review. Confirm current primary sources and the requirements of the actual matter. This is general information, not legal advice.*