ICMM - International Council on Mining & Metals

PROJECTS

Mine Closure and Legacy

Mining operations are finite. If the industry is to act responsibly the closure of sites must be planned as carefully as their opening.

What happens at a site after it is closed is what ultimately defines its long-term environmental impact and contribution to an area’s social, economic and institutional development.

What is ICMM doing?

ICMM has focussed on two related areas to help drive performance on mine closure:

• Better planning for closure and
• Financial assurance.

In addition, it has worked with a variety of partners to address issues surrounding legacy.

Better planning for closure

An integrated approach to closure is one which takes the environmental and social considerations into account from an early stage and continues throughout a site’s lifetime.

In 2006 ICMM carried out a survey on integrated mine closure planning practices across the sector. The study found that there are numerous examples of leading practice, but that further improvement and more consistent implementation of good practices are needed (see summary of the scoping study and literature review).

In 2007-2008, ICMM developed a toolkit on integrated mine closure planning. The toolkit is designed primarily for people who manage and implement mine closure. It covers the entire mine life cycle and brings together existing tools (e.g. the ICMM Community Development Toolkit) and new ones. It is also available in Spanish and, thanks to the support of IBRAM, in Portuguese.

Improved implementation of closure planning makes more sense when considered in a regional context. In 2009, ICMM hosted a mine closure workshop in Arequipa, Peru, as part of the PeruMin conference. The report in Spanish is available on site, while video of the presentations are part of ICMM’s YouTube Channel.

Supporting regional dialogue on mine closure will be a continued area of focus in 2010.

Financial Assurance

Environmental financial assurance is also a key component for better mine closure. It provides a level of certainty to governments and communities that the resources to meet closure requirements will be available. However, there is a need to ensure that it is applied in a way that is efficient, fair, consistent and transparent.

ICMM published a guidance paper on Financial Assurance for Mine Closure and Reclamation in March 2006. The paper provides general recommendations for actions by both operators and governments and is aimed at improving standards of practice.

This guidance paper is based on a report published in February 2005 which examines financial assurance policies and practices in key mining jurisdictions and outlines issues from the perspectives of mine operators, governments and financial institutions.

Legacy

In 2008, a multi-stakeholder Roundtable on the Restoration of Legacy Sites was hosted by ICMM, IUCN- the World Conservation Union - and the Post-Mining Alliance in Toronto, Canada.

Over 45 participants from civil society, government, industry, academia, and international organisations gathered to discuss the issues of mining legacy at abandoned and orphaned sites. 

The discussion focused on the key themes: funding and financing, regulation and legislation, partnership approaches and local community participation, and knowledge sharing. 

Recognising the range of stakeholders involved in addressing legacy, the recognized the need for dialogue towards action through an independent multi-stakeholder process.

The range of stakeholders involved in addressing legacy highlights the report's recognition of the need for dialogue towards action through an independent multi-stakeholder process.