Overview
Background
Corinne seeks to understand the organizing practices and processes that gradually and invisibly create risks that can worsen over time to become catastrophic. These ‘insidious risks’ were the focus of Corinne’s PhD in the UQ Business School where she identified three ways, on a spectrum of ways these risks are managed: blinkered, law-abiding and attentive. With more than 30 years’ experience in the mining sector, government, consulting and research, Corinne built upon her earth sciences background in mine rehabilitation and closure to become a qualitative researcher through her PhD. This provided a new lens and insights on how organisations manage elongated insidious risks, not only for mine affected water and land disturbance in mining but also during the progressive failure of the insurance market for extreme weather, in her postdoctoral research. In a voluntary capacity Corinne formed and led an ISO standards working group to finalise ISO 24419 Managing Mining Legacies in 2023 providing the first international standard on this topic together with case studies and a bibliography. She represents AusIMM in her standards work. Since 2019 Corinne has been a Board Member of the Victorian Government’s Mine Land Rehabilitation Authority providing oversight for three brown coal mine closures in the Latrobe Valley. Prior to her PhD Corinne developed the field of research in managing abandoned/legacy mines in the Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, SMI following her Churchill Fellowship research in 2009.
Availability
- Dr Corinne Unger is:
- Not available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Diploma of Education & Teaching, Macquarie University
- Bachelor of Earth Sciences, Macquarie University
- Postgraduate Diploma of Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience, Macquarie University
- Doctor of Philosophy of Management Studies, The University of Queensland
Research interests
-
Risk Management
Insidious risks are slow growing inconspicuous risks, socially constructed by networks of people interacting with objects. These risks can grow unseen to become potentially catastrophic. In a mining context, Corinne examined how the insidious risks of land disturbance and mine affected water are managed. This research made visible what was previously hidden so that an audit of organisational activities can detect a catastrophe in the making.
-
Practice theory
Corinne applied Schatzki's practice theory to the social phenomenon of insidious risk management and continues to developed her social science expertise by applying practice and process perspectives in strategy research. Practice theory enables the complexity of social phenomena, and their dynamic and evolving nature to be captured and understood, thereby equipping managers with a means of intervening constructively and strategically.
-
Abandoned /legacy mine management
There are estimated to be in excess of 50,000 abandoned mines in Australia from very small to large polluting sites with more than $2 billion in liability from these legacies in QLD and NT alone. Building upon Corinne's Churchill Fellowship research and experience as an abandoned mine manager for the Queensland government she with colleagues at the Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation developed a jurisdictional maturity model. This model provides guidance on how to successfully manage mining legacies, thus providing an implementation tool for Australia's national policy for managing abandoned mines.
-
Mine rehabilitation and closure
Effective life-of-mine planning ensures there is a vision that is being implemented to achieve the post-mining landscape which is safe, stable, non-polluting and has sustainable land uses. Stakeholder participation is essential if the social connections to, and local knowledge about, mines are to be understood and incorporated into rehabilitation and closure. When regulatory requirements address only the biophysical aspects of transitioning through closure, the social dimensions are overlooked.
-
Beneficial post-mining land use
Many opportunities exist in Australia for environmental and socio-economic regeneration after mining. Mining heritage conservation and its adaptive re-use have rejuvenated communities in Cornwall England and former East Germany when integrated with regenerative planning. The value of some mines in Australia have been extended via secondary mining or tourism uses, while indigenous reconciliation needs to be at the heart of mine rehabilitation and transition where mines did not have free prior and informed consent from the start, such as at the Rum Jungle legacy mine.
Research impacts
Corinne's research developed the phenomenon of insidious risk management that explains and integrates past risk management research of particular features of this type of inconspicuous and slow growing risk, formerly studied as latent, crescive, creeping, incubating and slow-developing catastrophic risk. Her doctoral research makes the less visible, visible and provides a means of detecting a catastrophe in the making so it can be intervened upon, in preference to only learning of the related activities and participants through formal inquiries that retrospectively analyse catastrophes.
Prior research reveals the dynamic and evolving practice of mine rehabilitation and closure over 40 years in Australia. Corinne's research shows how the practice is shaped by those within the organisation together with external stakeholders. Her retrosepective study also informed the Senate inquiry into 'Rehabilitation of mining and resources projects as it relates to Commonwealth responsibilities' (2019). Unger, C. J., Everingham, J., & Bond, C. J. (2020). Transition or transformation: shifting priorities and stakeholders in Australian mined land rehabilitation and closure. Australasian Journal of Environmental Management, 1-30. doi:10.1080/14486563.2020.1719440
Corinne's Churchill Fellowship research provides guidance on leading practice abandoned mine rehabilitation and post-mining land use that can be applied in Australia. With colleagues Lechner, Kenway, Glenn and Walton at the CMLR at UQ in 2015 Corinne developed a Jurisdictional maturity model for risk management accountability and continual improvement of abandoned mine remediation programs. This model provides an implementation framework for Australian governments to apply Australia's Strategic Framework for managing abandoned mines.
Works
Search Professor Corinne Unger’s works on UQ eSpace
2014
Book Chapter
Environmental constraints on resource to reserve conversion
Ridd, M., Eaglen, P. and Unger, C. (2014). Environmental constraints on resource to reserve conversion. Mineral resource and ore reserve estimation: The AusIMM guide to good practice. (pp. 487-493) Carlton, Vic, Australia: Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
2013
Journal Article
Prevention of negative mining legacies - a mine rehabilitation perspective on legilslative changes in Queensland
Unger, Corinne, Lechner, Alex and Wilson, Ian (2013). Prevention of negative mining legacies - a mine rehabilitation perspective on legilslative changes in Queensland. AusIMM Bulletin (1), 60-64.
2013
Other Outputs
Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines: an overview of current status and AusIMM members' perspectives, written with input from the AuSIMM Sustainability Committee
Unger, C. (2013). Annex to The AusIMM Abandoned Mines policy statement Abandoned Mines: an overview of current status and AusIMM members' perspectives, written with input from the AuSIMM Sustainability Committee. Carlton South, VIC, Australia: AusIMM.
2013
Book
Adapting to climate risks and extreme weather: A guide for mining and minerals industry professionals
Mason, Leah, Unger, Corinne, Lederwasch, Aleta, Rzian, Hala, Wynne, Laura and Giurco, Damien (2013). Adapting to climate risks and extreme weather: A guide for mining and minerals industry professionals. Gold Coast, Australia: NCCARF.
2012
Journal Article
Abandoned mines - responsibility, legacies, and action: results of the member abandoned mines survey
van de Graaff, Shashi, Unger, Corinne and Evans, Robin (2012). Abandoned mines - responsibility, legacies, and action: results of the member abandoned mines survey. AusIMM Bulletin, 3, 76-78.
2012
Other Outputs
AusIMM abandoned mines survey report, February 2012
van de Graaff, Shashi, Unger, Corinne and Evans, Robin (2012). AusIMM abandoned mines survey report, February 2012. Brisbane, Australia: Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining, The University of Queensland, and AusIMM.
2012
Conference Publication
Mapping and prioritising rehabilitation of abandoned mines in Australia
Unger, C., Lechner, A. M., Glenn, V., Edraki, M. and Mulligan, D. (2012). Mapping and prioritising rehabilitation of abandoned mines in Australia. Life of Mine Conference (AusIMM), Brisbane, Australia, 10-12 July 2012. Carlton North, VIC, Australia: The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM).
2011
Journal Article
Conservation of mining heritage to sustain communities after Mining
Unger, C. J. (2011). Conservation of mining heritage to sustain communities after Mining. Trust News of Queensland, 13-13.
2011
Other Outputs
A discussion paper on Abandoned Mine Mangement in Australia on behalf of AusIMM Sustainability Committee
Unger C. J. and Van Krieken, A. (2011). A discussion paper on Abandoned Mine Mangement in Australia on behalf of AusIMM Sustainability Committee. Carlton South, VIC, Australia: AusIMM.
2011
Conference Publication
Development of national abandoned mines inventory for risk modelling
Lechner A M, Unger C J, Edraki M, Fletcher A and Mulligan D (2011). Development of national abandoned mines inventory for risk modelling. Acid Mine Drainage Workshop, Darwin, June 2011. JK Tech, University of Queensland.
2010
Journal Article
Mining of Prime Agricultural Land
Unger, C. J. (2010). Mining of Prime Agricultural Land. AusIMM Bulletin, 2010 (5), 72-73.
2010
Journal Article
What does sustainable development mean in the context of the minerals industry in Australia?
Evans. R. and Unger, C. J. (2010). What does sustainable development mean in the context of the minerals industry in Australia?. AusIMM Bulletin (3), 45-48.
2010
Journal Article
Abandoned mine rehabilitation and post-mining land use – everyone’s responsibility
Unger, C. J. (2010). Abandoned mine rehabilitation and post-mining land use – everyone’s responsibility. AusIMM Bulletin (3).
2010
Journal Article
Abandoned mine management in Australia
Unger, C. J. (2010). Abandoned mine management in Australia. Science Alert.
2009
Other Outputs
Leading practice abandoned mine rehabilitation and post-mining land use projects in Austria, Germany, England and Canada - the James Love Churchill Fellowship
Unger, C. J. (2009). Leading practice abandoned mine rehabilitation and post-mining land use projects in Austria, Germany, England and Canada - the James Love Churchill Fellowship. Canberra, ACT Australia: James Love Churchill Fellowship.
2008
Journal Article
International roundtable forum on legacy sites, 2-3 March 2008, Toronto Canada
Unger, C. J. (2008). International roundtable forum on legacy sites, 2-3 March 2008, Toronto Canada. AusIMM Bulletin, 3 (May/June), 88-90.
2008
Conference Publication
Integration of Ethno-botany with Mine Rehabilitation at RTA Gove Bauxite Mine
Stokes, C., Meers, T., Unger, C. J., Davis-Hall, S. and Montgomery, E. (2008). Integration of Ethno-botany with Mine Rehabilitation at RTA Gove Bauxite Mine. MCA SD08 - Minerals council of Australia Sustainable Development conference 2008, Darwin, Australia, 15-19 September 2008.
2008
Conference Publication
The discovery of a critically endangered plant; lessons learnt at Rio Tinto Alcan Gove mine
Meers, T., Stokes, C., Unger, C. J. and Dunbar, C. (2008). The discovery of a critically endangered plant; lessons learnt at Rio Tinto Alcan Gove mine. MCA SD08 - Minerals council of Australia Sustainable Development conference 2008, Darwin, Australia, 15-19 September 2008.
2004
Conference Publication
Rehabilitation planning for a large historic abandoned mine: Mount Morgan Mine, Central Queensland
Unger, C., Laurencont, T. and Keliher, L. (2004). Rehabilitation planning for a large historic abandoned mine: Mount Morgan Mine, Central Queensland. Workshop on on Management and Remediation of Abandoned Mines: held during Sustainable Development Conference 2003, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 14 November, 2003. Kenmore, QLD, Australia: Australian Centre for Mining Environmental Research (ACMER).
2003
Conference Publication
Rehabilitation Planning for a large historic abandoned mine, Mount Morgan Mine Central Queensland, Minerals Council of Australia (MCA/ACMER), Workshop on the Management and Remediation of Abandoned Mines 14 November.
Unger C J, Laurencont T and Keliher L M (2003). Rehabilitation Planning for a large historic abandoned mine, Mount Morgan Mine Central Queensland, Minerals Council of Australia (MCA/ACMER), Workshop on the Management and Remediation of Abandoned Mines 14 November.. Workshop on the Management and Remediation of Abandoned Mines 14 November, Brisbane, 14 November 2003. Australian Centre for Mining Environmental Research (ACMER) (and Minerals Council of Australia?).
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Corinne Unger directly for media enquiries about:
- insidious risk management
- ISO standard writing
- managing mining legacies
- mine rehabilitation and closure
- qualitative research
Need help?
For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team: