Publication Name

MINING FOR CLOSURE

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.

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

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

By benchmarking good practice, developing demon-

stration models and by disseminating experiences.

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).