We are expecting mining activity to increase significantly in the coming years. And it must if we hope to reliably source the critical minerals and metals we need for the future. After all, critical minerals are important aspects of national security for countries like Canada and the United States.
Why? They are used in the production of modern technologies such as electronics, semiconductors, medical equipment, renewable energy systems, batteries, and more.
But developing a new mining project is no easy feat. Mining companies must undertake rigorous planning to map out the entire life cycle of a mine before they can even begin extracting ore, including one of the most important aspects of a mine’s journey … the end.
Can the land be left in a better state than it was when we started? And how do we transition the land to a beneficial use once we’ve finished mining activities?
That’s why we consider mine closure plans at the very beginning of each project. We need to understand how we’re going to transition the land to the post-mining land use (PMLU) identified early in the project and advanced throughout operations.
Nature-based solutions—leveraging the benefits of natural systems in conjunction with traditional engineering—are increasingly being incorporated into mine closure plans. The aim is to build resiliency and achieve success in mine closure and they can come in the form of forests, grasslands, rivers, streams, wetlands, and more.
In The Intelligent Miner, Phillip Crouse and Amanda Ludlow explore how we can implement nature-based solutions to reclaim the land, restore natural habitats, and protect water systems.
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