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MINING FOR CLOSURE 7
introduced here (as Best Practice Environmental
Management was in the preceding text section).
In this instance a huge body of work has been per-
formed internationally. As one prominent example,
the Canadian MEND programme and its techni-
cal literature outputs are highlighted as a source of
prominence.15 In response to the projected high li-
abilities facing the Canadian mining industry from
acidic drainage from the oxidation of sulphide min-
erals,16 the Canadian mining industry, the Canadian
federal government and eight provincial govern-
ments joined forces in 1989 to form the Mine En-
vironment Neutral Drainage (MEND) programme.17
Acidic drainage is recognized as the largest environ-
mental liability facing the mining industry and, to a
lesser extent, the public through abandoned mines.
MEND was implemented to develop and apply new
technologies to prevent and control acidic drainage
and tremendous progress has been made. The target
is for newmines to open without long-term concerns
about acidic drainage upon closure. The MEND
manual in particular, summarizes the work complet-
ed by MEND in a format that provides practitioners
in Canadian industry and government – and in other
interested jurisdictions – with a manageable single
reference document. The document is not a “How
to” manual. It is a set of comprehensive working ref-
erences for the sampling and analyses, prediction,
prevention, control, treatment and monitoring of
acidic drainage. The document provides information
on chemistry, engineering, economics, case studies
and scientific data for mine and mill operators, engi-
neering design and environmental staff, consulting
engineers, universities and governments.
Explanations and definitions for other terms uti-
lized within the mining and minerals industry that
are also utilized within this report or its references,
are included at the end of this document.
15. MEND has over 200 technical documents available. Techni-
cal reports published under the auspices of MEND are available
both in electronic and print formats - see
mms/canmet-mtb/mmsl-lmsm/mend/mendpubs-e.htm
16. In 1999, this phenomena was recognized as the largest envi-
ronmental liability, estimated to be between $2 billion and $5 bil-
lion, facing the Canadian mining industry (Tremblay, 1999).
17. See
rnet/indart-e.htm and
mtb/mmsl-lmsm/mend/default_e.htm
Tributary bearing acidic effluent contaminated
with heavy metals – Abrud River, Romania
Photograph by Philip Peck