Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety’s Post

This is a story of ‘epic mismanagement’ of the last opencast mining site in Wales. A site that has not delivered on promises to renew the old coal and slag tips above Penydarren, Merthyr Tydfil. That has local residents concerned about its safety. And has now been part of an investigation by the Senedd Climate Committee. The Ffos y Fran Land Reclamation Scheme was a significant project. Money generated from coal extraction was intended to redevelop the area for local residents once the site closed. But this hasn’t happened. Despite making profits, the company operating the site hasn’t provided the agreed restoration funds. Estimates for restoring the site now range from £50 million to £120 million. And it seems the site operator has no plans to restore the site as promised. The Senedd Climate Committee says the local council is in a difficult position. Because of financial burdens, they may have little choice but to accept what the site operator offers. All of which means that the local community is now looking at a permanent scar across its countryside. While Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council strives to see the land restored as much as possible. All of these factors were considered during the inquiry by the Senedd Climate Committee into opencast mining sites. Along with information provided by local residents, campaign groups and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. Regarding the Ffos-y-Fran site, the Committee has called for: ➡️ Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council to make sure that reworked restoration plans achieve the objectives of the original plan, as a minimum. ➡️ Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council to ask local residents for their opinions on the new restoration plans for the Ffos-y-Fran site. ➡️ The Welsh Government to make changes to prevent similar problems in the future, including those related to coal-tip reclamation sites. Explore all the recommendations from the inquiry into the restoration of opencast mining sites 👉 https://lnkd.in/eJj9NVV4

The 30-day public comment period for the Coyote Creek Mine Supplemental Environmental Assessment (EA) closes on January 5, 2024. All emailed and mailed comments must be received or postmarked by January 5, 2023 to be considered. Comments may be emailed to: OSM-nepa-nd@OSMRE.gov with the subject line "ATTN: OSMRE, Coyote Creek SEA". Comments may be mailed to: ATTN: OSMRE, Coyote Creek SEA C/O: Logan Sholar, OSMRE Western Region P.O. Box 25065 Lakewood, CO 80225-5065 Please note that comments made on social media are not considered official records. Coyote Creek Mining Company owns and operates the Coyote Creek Mine in Mercer County, North Dakota. The Coyote Creek Mine uses standard surface strip-mining procedures to mine private and Federal coal resources. Coal is currently mined from two permit areas: NACC-1302. The proposed Federal mining plan under consideration would mine coal in Federal lease NDM-110277 within the existing boundaries of North Dakota Public Service Commission Permits NACC-1302. If approved, the proposed Federal mining plan would allow the mining of 5.2 million tons of Federal coal within approximately 320 acres. The EA and the unsigned Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) are available for review as of December 7, 2023. To review the planning documents and find more Coyote Creek Mine information, please visit: https://lnkd.in/eMz98FtT Photo Courtesy of Coyote Creek Mine.

The cleanup cost for British Columbia’s Elk Valley river, polluted by toxic materials from Teck Resources Limited’ coal mining activities, could amount to at least C$6.4 billion ($4.7 billion), as indicated by a report from the not-for-profit group Wildsight. The report commissioned by the Kootenay-based environmental organization underscores a substantial disparity between the $1.9 billion required by the province for Teck to reserve for emergency shutdowns and mine reclamation, and the projected expenses of the company’s initiatives to combat selenium pollution resulting from coal mining in B.C.’s Elk Valley. Selenium, a naturally occurring element toxic to fish in high concentrations, has been seeping for decades from waste rock piles surrounding Canadian miner Teck’s coal mines. #mining #coal #Canada

New recommendations on mining from a Biden administration working group would prioritize projects with “free, prior and informed consent” from tribal nations. This would be an important step in ensuring clean #EV supply chains, but we still need Congress and the Biden administration to act on these recommendations and strengthen our laws and regulations to modernize US mining.

Reminder of the ongoing public comment period for the Coyote Creek Mine Supplemental Environmental Assessment (EA)! The public comment period opened on December 7, 2023, and will close on January 5, 2024. Coyote Creek Mining Company owns and operates the Coyote Creek Mine in Mercer County, North Dakota. The Coyote Creek Mine uses standard surface strip-mining procedures to mine private and Federal coal resources. Coal is currently mined from two permit areas: NACC-1302. The proposed Federal mining plan under consideration would mine coal in Federal lease NDM-110277 within the existing boundaries of North Dakota Public Service Commission Permits NACC-1302. If approved, the proposed Federal mining plan would allow the mining of 5.2 million tons of Federal coal within approximately 320 acres. The EA and the unsigned Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) are available for review at: https://lnkd.in/eMz98FtT All emailed and mailed comments must be received or postmarked by January 5, 2023 to be considered. Comments may be emailed to: OSM-nepa-nd@OSMRE.gov with the subject line "ATTN: OSMRE, Coyote Creek SEA". Comments may be mailed to: ATTN: OSMRE, Coyote Creek SEA C/O: Logan Sholar, OSMRE Western Region P.O. Box 25065 Lakewood, CO 80225-5065 Please note that comments made on social media are not considered official records. 📷: Courtesy of Coyote Creek Mine

Sad times for mining ⛏️ in the Yukon. I feel like this and other issues have been a failure of the Yukon Government and the mining industry. It’s easy to point the finger at the government for not holding us as mining companies accountable but as reputable companies with huge stakes in the industry we as a whole should do better. Instead of just following our water licences and land use regulations, we should be holding ourselves to an almost impossible standard. And accountability should be held down the line. Employers should have much better training on how their actions affect the environment. And what the long-term effects will be. And if I step out of these near to impossible guidelines (even as an operator) I should be held accountable. As a mill Operation employee working in the Yukon, BC and The North Wester Territories since 2003 I’ve seen a lot of positive changes come to the mining industry. But we still have a lot of room to grow. The new companies that are up and coming have a uphill challenge to overcome things like this unfortunate situation at the Eagle Gold Mine. But if we as mining companies get ahead of this and do more then what the world expects of us, we can make a world of difference. https://lnkd.in/gtMhhkYY

Draft Guide Lines for Off - Shore Mining : Government of India releases draft guidelines for 'responsible and sustainable' mining: 3 min read Last Updated : Jul 09 2024 | 9:07 PM IST In a bid to kick-start offshore mineral auctions, the Centre has released the Draft Offshore Areas Mineral Conservation and Development Rules 2024. These rules provide a framework for preparation and approval of exploration and production plans. The comprehensive regulations also include guidelines for operating mines, covering mineral deposit development, safety measures, and pollution control protocols. The rules come on the backdrop of the Ministry of Mines' proposed launch of offshore mineral auctions by July. These new regulations aim to ensure that all mining activities within India’s territorial waters, continental shelf, exclusive economic zone, and other maritime zones are “conducted responsibly and sustainably,” the draft said. The draft rules mandate that holders of operating rights must take extensive precautions to minimise environmental impact during exploration, production, and beneficiation activities. Licence holders are required to follow stringent guidelines to monitor their operations and submit annual self-assessment reports in line with a star-rating system developed by the Indian Bureau of Mines. To promote transparency and accountability in offshore mining activities allows verification through inspections by bureau of mines officials. Additionally, the proposed rules emphasise the importance of controlling turbidity and sedimentation to protect marine ecosystems. Operators must ensure that disturbances to the seabed are minimised and that water quality parameters remain within the limits set by the central government. Air pollution control is also a major focus, with provisions requiring operators to keep emissions of smoke, gases, and particulate matter within permissible limits during all phases of mining operations. This is crucial to prevent harmful impacts on marine and coastal environments. A preferred bidder will have to submit an exploration plan within a period of 90 days from the date of letter of intent. The submitted plan should outline a tentative timeline for exploration operations. Rules ensure minimal disturbance to the seabed and maintenance of turbidity within permissible limits. Air pollution from smoke and emissions during exploration, production or beneficiation must also be kept within allowable limits. The ministry has sought suggestions from stakeholders within 30 days. Further, the Offshore Areas Mineral (Auction) Rules, 2024 and the Offshore Areas Operating Right Rules, 2024 are under finalisation after consultations. To start the auction of mines, the Ministry of Mines also is in the process of framing rules for implementing provisions of the amended OAMDR Act. Compiled by : Dr Om Prakash Gupta Global Advisor - Mining and Metals New Delhi India E mail address: opg2729@gmail.com

To help fuel domestic #mining and #mineralprocessing for the #energytransition, it would be great to see action on the Interagency Working Group's recommendation to develop something like the Western Solar Plan for mining on federal lands. Working with various stakeholders, BLM and USFS should put together a plan identifying "priority areas" where proposed projects would be subject to a streamlined #permitting process because there is high development potential with minimal conflicts with #localcommunities, #wildlife, and #plants. Proactive conflict identification and mitigation can help us ramp up production to meet the demands of the #energytransition while not sacrificing #tribal and local #communityengagement and #biodiversityconservation. Great background and additional recommendations contained in the report: https://lnkd.in/eYbMBfq2 "Conflicts over mining and ancillary uses are more likely to arise when mineral-rich areas also contain other highly valuable resources. The IWG believes that much more can be done to identify, avoid, minimize, and mitigate environmental impacts and development conflicts by better integrating land management planning and mineral exploration and development efforts. The IWG encourages the BLM and USFS to identify areas possessing high critical mineral resource development potential and where mineral development is less likely to result in unacceptable impacts to known competing resources. This effort can be modeled after programmatic planning efforts identifying priority areas for wind and solar development, provided additional data is collected in the location of potential mineral resources."

Major Reforms made in #Draft #Mining Plan #Guidelines 2024 issued by Ministry of Coal. Key reforms introduced in the revised draft Mining Plan & Mine Closure Guidelines include: - Enhanced flexibility for minor modifications in Mining Plans, with major changes requiring approval from the Coal Controller Organization (CCO). - Provision for calendar plan flexibility to accommodate increased annual coal production beyond scheduled targets. - Mandatory reporting of other commercially valuable minerals found within leasehold areas to State Governments. - Preference for blast-free and continuous coal-cutting technologies in mining methods. - Implementation of comprehensive Safety Management Plans as per Coal Mines Regulations, 2017, including mandatory safety audits. - Integration of fly ash filling protocols into mining plans to address related environmental concerns. - Requirement for drone surveys and processed outputs for comprehensive five-year compliance reports of Mining Plans. - Inclusion of sand for stowing in mines within revised guidelines. - Provision for extraction of barrier coal in adjacent mines to conserve coal reserves. - Facilitation of mine amalgamation for safer and more efficient operations, including the use of decoaled voids for overburden dumping. - Permission for project proponents to exclude non-viable areas within allocated blocks with detailed justifications. - Guidelines for dumping overburden in areas outside coal blocks. - Certification of project boundaries based on DGPS surveys for coal blocks allocated through auction or allotment. - Standardization of Heavy Earth Moving Machinery (HEMM) specifications to ensure safety, efficiency, and interoperability in coal mining operations. - Mandatory adoption of conveyor belts or railway transport for coal evacuation, promoting environmental sustainability. - Requirement for mechanized loading to optimize coal movement from siding to end-users, enhancing operational efficiency and environmental protection. - Mandatory preparation of Temporary and Final Mine Closure Plans for abandoned or discontinued mines post-2009. These guidelines are now under stakeholder consultation to facilitate an inclusive and comprehensive review process, ensuring that all relevant perspectives are considered. The stakeholders are requested to submit their comments by 1st July 2024.

In 2024, certain changes may be implemented to the legislation regulating the permitting process of mining operations. In March 2023, investigator Inge Karlström submitted a ministerial memorandum to the Swedish Government with proposals for legislative changes regarding the assessment of mining operations. In the report, it is proposed that the assessment of Natura 2000 permits should no longer take place in connection with the application for an exploitation concession under the Minerals Act, but instead in connection with the assessment of permit under the Environmental Code. The amendments in question are proposed to be effective as of 1 July 2024. Read Tove Skärblom & Andréas Åhlund article below.