Sinclair Knight Merz, working with International Mining Consultants and for the European Union Phare Programme, carried out an assessment of the Romanian lignite sector to produce a model specification for mine closure.
Romania is undergoing major restructuring of its mining sector where rapid closure of large mines is in progress or imminent. The lignite sector has already prepared closure plans under Romanian mine closure legislation, which was also in change. European Union funding was made available to provide a model specification based on two lignite mines – one underground and one open pit.
Drawing on experience of rapid mine closures in the UK coal sector in the 1980s, the team reviewed existing closure plans, produced new closure plans and a manual for model closure.
Conservation issues, soil restoration and effects on local ecology were also assessed and the closure plans emphasised the need for economical and environmentally viable solutions for a sector with limited funds for closure.
This project was one of a series in the Romanian mining sector undertaken by Sinclair Knight Merz staff between 1994 and 1999.