CCC/216 ISBN 978-92-9029-536-5
February 2013
copyright © IEA Clean Coal Centre
Abstract
Coal mine sites can have significant effects on local environments. In addition to the physical
disruption of land forms and ecosystems, mining can also leave behind a legacy of secondary
detrimental effects due to leaching of acid and trace elements from discarded materials. This report
looks at the remediation of both deep mine and opencast mine sites, covering reclamation methods,
back-filling issues, drainage and restoration. Examples of national variations in the applicable
legislation and in the definition of rehabilitation are compared.
Ultimately, mine site rehabilitation should return sites to conditions where land forms, soils,
hydrology, and flora and fauna are self-sustaining and compatible with surrounding land uses. Case
studies are given to show what can be achieved and how some landscapes can actually be improved as
a result of mining activity.
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