Mine Closure & Reclamation Plans

Mining is always but a temporary use of land, and an important goal of the operating company is to return the mine site to a natural and stable state, thereby making it available for other uses.

Towards this end, the industry has embraced mine reclamation techniques that consist of removing, relocating or demolishing buildings and physical infrastructure; closing pits and shafts; stabilizing underground workings, soil and slopes; treating tailings and waste water appropriately; and revegetating land.

Reclamation can be carried out at various stages of mining activity — after exploration; after surface or underground mining; or after treatment and processing facilities have been closed.