A former gold mine pit in Queensland, Australia held excess water that prevented a renewable energy provider from safely progressing its pumped-hydro development. The project relied on clear access to underground workings, yet rising pit levels restricted entry, constrained construction sequencing and delayed the transition of the site into a functional energy-storage asset

Rainfall, runoff and process water can accumulate faster than facilities managing large red-mud ponds can safely store or redirect. At this refinery, rising levels began to compromise embankment integrity and day-to-day operational safety, pushing the site toward compliance risk and potential production limits.