The framework has been developed by the research team (Landcare Research [as Contract Report LC0910/114], CRL Energy [CRL Report 10-41100], Universities of Canterbury and Otago) in conjunction with end-users including the Department of Conservation, the West Coast Regional Council, Environment Southland, Solid Energy, OceanaGold, Pike River Coal, Francis Mining, and a number of consultants.

During formulation of this framework the research team held several workshops and we thank the participants at Mine Drainage workshops held in Invercargill (2009), Greymouth (2008), and Westport (2006) for helping shape the framework. Paul Weber (Solid Energy), Ivan Liddell (Pike River Coal), Matthew Morgan (Solid Energy), Tim Mulliner (URS), Kris Hemlein (Golder Associates), Collin Dall (West Coast Regional Council), Jo Stratford and Craig Jones (Department of Conservation), and Amanda Black (Lincoln University) provided comments on earlier drafts.

This project was funded by the New Zealand Foundation for Research, Science and Technology.