When new mineral assets are discovered, the mining process begins. Promising geologic formations or random discoveries show the possibility of a new mining opportunity. Permits and further exploration take place, including drilling cores to determine the size and purity of the find. The mine is designed, engineered, and permitted, working with local agencies to figure out exactly how the mining operation will take place. Construction begins, providing the necessary infrastructure, transportation, and buildings to carry out the operation. Then, the mine is opened.
However, what about when the drift has been worked and is petering out? At this point, the reclamation and rehabilitation process starts. As the mine is closed and decommissioned, the mining company can begin to plan the strategy and tasks of reclaiming and rehabilitating the land. The equipment and some or all of the structures are removed, along with hazardous wastes, chemicals, and reagents used in the mining process. Remediation is undertaken to clean up any hazardous substances that were released into the environment. Grading is done to create a neater appearance and slope to help reduce erosion and improve drainage. Finally, the land is rehabilitated with new plant life, while any possible problem areas are continuously monitored for any leaks, seepage, or leaching of potentially hazardous materials that have had to remain in place.
To make these plans and strategies, you'll need to keep an eye on four objectives that are vital to the success of your project. You'll need to ensure that public safety and health are protected from the effects of the mining operation, even after it's closed down. You'll need to take steps to eliminate or at least alleviate any environmental damage that took place during the mining operation. You'll want to try to create productive use of the land, rehabilitate it back to the highest practical level, or return it as close to its original condition as possible. As much as is achievable, you'll need to provide sustainable socio-economic benefits from the mine's operations and development.
These plans should be made in such a way that the post-mining use of the land is strategized to be acceptable to the local government, the community, and the stakeholders. This can include creating a public recreation area, stocked lakes or ponds, historical sites, geothermal energy production, underground farms, stadiums, laboratories, spas, and a wide range of other purposes limited only by the imagination. Consider whether workers at your mine could be put to work in these enterprises to help ensure their continued economic stability.
However, the process isn't complete yet. There is a range of issues that can arise after a mine has been closed, such as harmful chemicals leaching. This requires regular monitoring of the area to check for these types of hazards, to help ensure public safety and health not only at the time of closing but long into the future. This monitoring can be minimized by using appropriate materials to encase and contain any hazards, or to create a base for waterways being used by the public so that the water doesn't become contaminated.
Progressive Mining Reclamation and Rehabilitation
As our world moves forward, the mining industry as a whole has shifted from figuring out reclamation and rehabilitation as the mine was closing down to making it an essential part of the entire mining process, from start to finish. Progressive mining involves looking at the end of operations throughout the mining process. This can help you prevent excessive contamination and damage to the mining site that can be mitigated during the process, making it easier to handle the cleanup process later on.
During the initial permitting process, the mine's reclamation and rehabilitation process is planned and detailed, improving the likelihood of the operation being approved. With today's society focused on not only the temporary benefits of a mining operation but the long-term impact on the area, it's important to make smart decisions and consider the community and what the reclamation and rehabilitation process can bring to it. A region that has poor recreational facilities may benefit from a park, while a community with several parks may prefer a stadium, lake, or another facility to help improve the public resources.
While the mine is in operation, mitigation and reclamation can still roll forward. As one part of the mine is in operation, take care to mitigate the impact of land disturbance, which will make it much easier to return the land to its final state. At the same time, parts of the mine that have been worked out can be reclaimed even as operations continue in other areas of the mine. To keep in compliance with regulations and prevent erosion, you'll need to have proper water treatment facilities in place to process both water from your mine as well as surface waters that have become contaminated during operations. This can then become part of your continuous monitoring process of water, earth, ore, and materials.
As the closing process starts, you can begin returning the property to its natural state while preparing it for other uses post-closure. Your closure, reclamation, and rehabilitation activities will need to consider the condition of the local environment. You need to remove as much evidence of mining operations as is possible. This process will require you to keep up relationships with the land, the community, and the people who will be impacted by the closure. Take local knowledge into account when working with the community, including traditions of indigenous peoples. You can then take that information and combine it with modern practices to restore the property in ways that benefit the community as a whole, such as geothermal heating, agriculture, renewable energy production, recreational lands, and tourism. Thus, providing opportunities for the community past the closing of the mine.
Closing your mining operation can be difficult, leaving you with an environmental mess to contain. BTL Liners provide geomembranes that give you impeccable performance, minimizing seepage on mine sites as much as possible. Whether you're undertaking progressive reclamation or are concerned about water contamination after rehabilitation, our liners provide solid water loss control to protect your company from liability and bad press.
