Panorama do fechamento de mina em minas gerais, Brasil

Abstract

Despite closure regulations being recent in Brazil, many mining companies are attempting to adopt best practice and are facing the challenge of closing their mines properly instead of simply complying with current legislation or abandoning the mine site. This paper summarizes mine closure according to both the Brazilian legislation and the "Deliberação Normativa" COPAM N° 127, that establishes the directives and procedures for environmental assessment at the mine closure stage. Even with the lack of laws and regulations addressing mine closure, the Brazilian mining industry today is at the forefront of environmental impact minimisation techniques. Some case studies in Minas Gerais State, two of them located in the Iron Quadrangle, provide excellent evidence of the industry's rehabilitation expertise. This paper presents an overview of mine closure legislation in Brazil and in the State of Minas Gerais and gives some examples of mine closure programmes in effect. It is intended to highlight the changes on mine closure requirements as well as the best practices on mine closure in the State.