Care and maintenance is a term used in the
mining industry
Mining is the extraction of valuable geological materials and minerals from the surface of the Earth. Mining is required to obtain most materials that cannot be grown through agricultural processes, or feasibly created artificially in a la ...
to describe processes and conditions on a closed mine site at which there is the potential to recommence operations at a later date. During the care and maintenance phase, production is stopped but the site is managed to ensure it remains in a safe and stable condition.
Causes
The mine might be considered to be temporarily unviable, due to current economic conditions or unfavourable resource prices, which are expected to improve at a later date.
Declining ore grades at some mines can also be a reason for care and maintenance announcements.
In some cases controlling interest companies decide not to provide further funding for subsidiary operations.
During closure
While the mine is closed, a care and maintenance program will manage environmental risks associated with
tailings
In mining, tailings or tails are the materials left over after the process of separating the valuable fraction from the uneconomic fraction (gangue) of an ore. Tailings are different from overburden, which is the waste rock or other material ...
dumps, hazardous materials and open and underground pits. Care of idle plant and machinery will also be included in the program. Public health and safety considerations and emergency response plans continue during the care and maintenance phase.
Some countries have legislative frameworks to ensure care and maintenance programs are in place before granting mine "closure certificates".
Care and Maintenance
Western Australia Department of Mines and Petroleum
A later decision to permanently close the mine may result in mine reclamation
Mine reclamation is the process of modifying land that has been mined to restore it to an ecologically functional or economically usable state. Although the process of mine reclamation occurs once mining is complete, the planning of mine recl ...
.
See also
* Mine closure
* Mine closure planning
References
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Mining and the environment
Environmental impact of mining