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

are growing desires to preserve land areas as a re- pository for valuable biological assets, for natural environmental services and for aesthetic appeal. how can these issues be pro- gressed? Firstly and most importantly – by inventorying and prioritizing amongst abandoned and orphaned sites in order to ensure the best use of public and private funds. The process of prioritization will unavoidably require scientific assessment of key physical and geochemical parameters and broad risk assessments. By exploring potential partnerships for remediation of orphan and abandoned mining sites that focus on the creation of future economic and social values in the context of a healthy environment, rather than simply aiming to “clean up”. Such partnerships could involve both the public and private sectors, and may well embrace players who are not usually engaged in post-mining regeneration. It is vital that partnerships include communities of interest. By exploring the actions expected of, and desired by, communities and NGOs thoroughly, in order to allow them to contribute to the formulation of solutions. By encouraging the current industrial actors to pro- vide expertise, equipment, supplies and personnel to support government funding in addressing lega- cies while concomitantly creating innovative, flex- ible and forgiving frameworks for indemnification against potential liabilities. By encouraging – where and if appropriate with economic incentives or liability relief – new explo- ration activity on old sites and engaging the current industries to re-mine and rehabilitate. By creating new legal and financial instruments and by encouraging innovation for the develop- ment of engineering and biological technological solutions

Physical and chemical erosion of mine pit walls at a copper mine – Romania Photograph by Philip Peck

and/or where large quantities of physically and chemically unstable, and/or poorly contained mine wastes are stored. There are a considerable number of sites of this kind in the region and while the most significant regional risks are related to the mass re- lease of tailings wastes to waterways, there are oth- er less serious, local, national and transboundary pollution types of varying degrees of severity. Costs due to pollution and loss of natural/ecologi- cal service are real and ongoing. Such costs are di- rect and indirect, tangible and intangible. Damage to natural and anthropological systems (particularly in SEE/TRB) is ongoing and increas- ing in many instances.

Transboundary pollution is ongoing and has the po- tential to undermine transboundary relationships.

By benchmarking good practice, developing demon- stration models and by disseminating experiences.

Stakeholder related expectations are rising. These include inter alia : expectations for environmental protection; rising demands for reduced human health risks; increasing competition for land; and increasing perceptions of the value of the natural environment as recreational space. Moreover, there

By seeking to be innovative and flexible in order to protect the public and the environment from the risks posed by mining legacies (within the significant constraints imposed by limited fiscal resources).

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MINING FOR CLOSURE