Industry and business

Mining

The Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts works with all levels of government, the community and industry to minimise the impact of industrial processes on Australia's environment.

The department encourages the use of best practice environment management tools by the minerals industry.

The Office of the Supervising Scientist monitors, audits and supervises uranium mining in the Alligator Rivers Region of the Northern Territory. They achieve this by carrying out tasks such as routine inspections and audits of mine sites and research into the environmental effects of uranium mining in the region.

Any mining activities that are likely to have a significant impact on the environment of Commonwealth land (even if taken outside Commonwealth land), and actions taken by the Australian Government that are likely to have a significant impact on the environment anywhere in the world, may require approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

The Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources is now responsible for the Best Practice in Environmental Management booklets previously managed by the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.