Borrow Pit

A surface excavation from which material such as soil, gravel, sand, or rock is extracted for use in construction of infrastructure including roads, dams, embankments, tailings storage facility walls, and rehabilitation landforms. In mining, borrow pits supply fill material for mine infrastructure construction and are managed as minor disturbances subject to environmental approvals. After use, borrow pits are rehabilitated by reshaping, topsoil replacement, and revegetation. Location and design of borrow pits minimise impacts on vegetation, hydrology, and land capability.