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MINING FOR CLOSURE
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Further, this document has been produced by the
ENVSEC partnership in line with an underlying as-
sumption that there is a clear and unequivocal need
and an interest
from within the subject states in the
promotion of flexible solutions to find other econom-
ic uses or value in abandoned or orphanedmine sites.
However, at no stage has this aimbeen divorced from
the broader perspective presented at the opening of
this document where it was indicated that operation-
al, new and abandoned/orphaned sites would be ap-
proached holistically.
83
Moreover, that it is necessary
to support the ongoing assessment of transboundary
environmental and human safety risks posed by sub-
standard mining operations – both active and aban-
doned; implementation of risk reduction measures
through demonstration at selected sites, evaluation
and testing of possible policy changes and trans-
boundary cooperation mechanisms.
As such, as a part of the ENVSEC Initiative, this
document has a broader context, namely to:
present guidelines for mining policy development,
capacity development and institutional develop-
ment that can yield a sustainable mix of social,
economic, and environmental outcomes in SEE/
TRB,
and to
support the ongoing assessment of transbound-
ary environmental and human safety risks posed
by sub-standard mining operations – both active
and abandoned; implementation of risk reduction
measures through demonstration at selected sites,
evaluation and testing of possible policy changes
and transboundary cooperation mechanisms.
83. The reader is reminded this initiative intends to influence
a) operation of existing and new mining operations in order to
ensure and facilitate cost-effective closure that fulfils acceptable
sustainability requirements; b) re-mining or otherwise valorising
“mining legacy” sites in order to make safe and/or remediate and
close them (including finding other uses/economic value from
sites);and c) closure, making safe and/or remediation of legacy
sites.