Environmental Rehabilitation of Abandoned Mining Areas

A more integrated perspective in the exploitation of mineral resources emerged in the late 80's of last century with the need for environmental rehabilitation of mining operations to be an obligation of the concessionaires. Thus, Decree-Law No. 90/90 and the respective regulations contained in Decree-Law No. 88/90 constituted such a legal obligation and the landscape recovery should be ensured within the scope of the mining plan of the concessions.

However, the country was confronted with negative environmental impacts resulting from the activity that had occurred up to that date, with uraniferous exploitations being of particular importance. As a consequence, following this new legal framework, legislation was published in the present century to address this environmental impact, Decree-Law No. 198-A/2001.

It is therefore in this context that the following areas are considered "degraded mining areas":

• Abandoned areas located in the area of influence of former mining concessions, whose concessionaires cannot be held responsible for the environmental consequences resulting from that activity, because the respective concessions have already reverted to the State or because these companies have been dissolved due to bankruptcy;

• Mining areas started before the entry into force of Decree-Law no. 90/90, of March 16, and already deactivated by that date, regardless of current exploitation concessions for that purpose;

• Mining areas, namely those of radioactive minerals, for which the public interest of State intervention is recognized.

Concession contract for environmental recovery of abandoned mining areas	Concessioned mining Areas