• Mining occurs throughout most regions of Australia, but its direct impacts on biodiversity are relatively limited compared with other major land uses because the areas affected are generally small.
• The greatest potential for biodiversity impacts occurs through cumulative effects of multiple projects in prospective regions, including indirect impacts from regional development; these are best managed by strategic assessments that consider whole-of-region development in the long term.
• In the past, rehabilitation projects following mining simply aimed to establish vegetation cover. Now, projects increasingly seek to develop self-sustaining ecosystems that interact sustainably with the surrounding landscape.
• Unavoidable impacts on biodiversity can be partially compensated for (or ‘offset’) through activities that provide conservation benefits elsewhere. Given the wealth created, there are opportunities for mining to leave a positive legacy for biodiversity conservation in the broader region.

Chapter 11 Mining and biodiversity - download here or book can be downloaded from  http://www.publish.csiro.au/pid/6967.htm