Management of Mining Waste

Project description and aims

Mining activity has always been a source of raw materials for man but at the same time has generated many environmental problems. Huge quantities of extractive waste, often abandoned, are sources of pollution and areas of geotechnical and hydrogeological instability. Nowadays, after numerous accidents involving mining activities, the European Commission adopted the Directive 2006/21/EC on the management of waste from extractive industries (known as Mining Directive) that amended Directive 2004/35/EC.

The Mining Directive provides measures, procedures and guidance to prevent or reduce as far as possible any adverse effects on the environment, in particular to water, air, soil, fauna and flora and landscape, and any resultant risks to human health. Subsequently, each Member State shall ensure that the mining companies design a waste management plan for the minimization, treatment, recovery and disposal of extractive waste, considering the principle of sustainable development.

This project is aiming to compare the transposition of the Directive by different Member States (MS) in order to evaluate common guidelines for better management of extractive waste and to get a view of each MS conversion/recovery of mining waste according to the European concept of circular economy.

Expected outcomes:

• Report about the mining waste management assessment based on the different experiences of the project partners and, eventually, include proposals for recycle/reuse of this type of waste.
• Build a community in order to continue the dialogue and strengthen the knowledge on this constantly evolving topic, particularly on the essential raw material field.