Mining for Closure - Policies and guidelines for sustainable mining practice and closure of mines

The Mining For Closure report aims to present a basis for action within South Eastern Europe (SEE) and the Tisza River Basin (TRB) towards the development of corporate practice, regulatory frameworks, governance guidelines and/or financial and insurance markets suitable for the support of a modern mining industry in the region. Further the report seeks to help SEE and jurisdictions in the TRB deal with the legacies of past mining activities.

In particular, the report seeks to present a number of options and ideas that can be applied to address the funding and execution of mine closure and mine rehabilitation while still achieving social and economic conditions suitable for new and ongoing mining activities.
The recommendations and guidance contained in the report supports other initiatives by international bodies that provide guidance to national and international institutions in their role as stakeholders in the mining activities. Further, it seeks to support ongoing national efforts to align legislative frameworks with European legislation, international legislation and best international practice. However, Mining for Closure also provides the foundation for filling an important deficiency in international action namely seeking to deal with abandoned and orphaned mine sites and the serious environmental and social risks associated with them. This issue has particulare relevance for the SEE and the TRB region.

The report comprehensively outlines the challenges and the need for sustainable mining; establishes the rationale for best environmental practice in mining or mining for closure as it will be termed within this document; outlines the important stakeholders in mining and a manner of assessing their relative salience; provides a discussion of the mechanics of mine closure and abandonment; and then presents a summary framework and principles for mining in SEE and the TRB and delineates the next steps forward that need to be taken in the SEE and the TRB regions.