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Promoting good practice in post-mining regeneration
The mining industry supplies essential raw materials for our modern lives. A mining operation has enormous potential to contribute to the sustainable development of a region. The real challenge comes when the mine closes and the local community is faced with potentially large environmental liabilities and possible socio-economic collapse. Until recently mine decommissioning and closure activities were not obligatory in most countries. Centuries of inadequate and non-existent mine closure practice have left a huge legacy of derelict mine sites and often impoverished communities. This legacy affects the reputation of the entire mining industry, arguably stifling debate and progress on other aspects of its environmental and social performance.
The Post-Mining Alliance aims to promote good practice in post-mining regeneration by becoming a centre of excellence and repository of knowledge on post-mining regeneration projects. Real action, though, will require progress on a number of fronts:
Unconventional partnerships – involving industry, local communities and public authorities, and embracing players who are not usually viewed as being engaged in post-mining regeneration;
Creative financial mechanisms – to release the significant funds that will be required from diverse sources;
New legal instruments – to overcome the historical stumbling blocks; and
Innovative technological solutions – both engineering and biological.
Case Studies
