Mining for Closure: Policies, practises and guidelines for sustainable mining and closure of mines

executive summary This document aims to present a basis for action within South Eastern Europe (SEE) and within the Tisza River Basin (TRB) towards the development of corporate practice, regulatory frameworks, gov- ernance guidelines and/or financial and insur- ance markets suitable for the support of a mod- ern mining industry. In particular, this document wishes to present a number of options and ideas that can be applied to address the funding and execution of mine closure and mine rehabilita- tion while still achieving conditions suitable for new and ongoing mining activities. Further, the document provides details of many important in- formation sources and is intended to constitute a reference source. The draft document was launched at the Sub-re- gional Conference on “Reducing Environment and Security Risks from Mining in South Eastern Europe and the Tisza River Basin (TRB)” conducted in Cluj- Napoca, Romania, 11-14 May 2005.

The sub-regional conference drew high-level partici- pation of Mr. Klaus Toepfer, UNEP Executive Direc- tor, Mrs. Sulfina Barbu, Minister of Environment and Water Management of Romania, and Mr. Miklos Per- sanyi, Minister of Environment and Water of Hunga- ry. It was attended by representatives from a range of countries and jurisdictions including: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, The former Yu- goslav Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro and Kosovo (territory under UN adminis- tration), Romania, the Slovak Republic, and Hungary. The objective of the Conference was to draw up an action programme to reduce environment and security risks from mining in the region, includ- ing further assessment and pilot projects at high- risk sites, and endorse guidelines for sustainable mining practice and closure of mines. The event concluded with the signing of Declaration of the High-Level Panel of the Sub-regional Conference included as Appendix A to this report.

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MINING FOR CLOSURE