Workshop for improving regulatory approaches to mine closure and rehabilitation in Mongolia

In September 2014, IM4DC co-hosted a workshop in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia focused on Improving regulatory approaches to mine closure and rehabilitation with the General Agency for Specialised Inspection (GASI) and BGR (German Mineral Resources Agency).

The workshop was aimed at supporting the Mongolian government in its efforts to establish national unified mine rehabilitation and closure regulations through collective approaches with industry, academic and non-governmental professional organisations.

The objectives of the workshop were to:

  • Facilitate discussions among Mongolian government specialists, academia, environmental officers from mining companies and environmental professionals on the current regulation on mine rehabilitation and closure
  • Receive consultative feedback from the distinguished international experts in this field
  • Identify gaps and challenges in the existing regulations on mine rehabilitation and closure in the presence of multiple stakeholders and document the feedback from the participants, which will be used as a baseline for further approval on the guideline.

Day one of the workshop consisted of presenters from government, industry and academia provided insights of their current role and involvement in formulating regulations and its implementation in mine rehabilitation and closure in Mongolia, Australia and worldwide.

During day two, groups of participants discussed a mine closure and mined land rehabilitation regulation and rehabilitation guideline. Group leaders presented the summary of reviews by the team, initiated discussions and received feedback from the expert panel. The collective feedback by the participants will be summarised in a written document to provide feedback on creating national mine rehabilitation and closure regulations in Mongolia.

The workshop included the following topics:

  • Mine rehabilitation and closure – regulatory approaches
  • Why do mines close and examples of leading practice regulatory environments
  • Current approaches: Mine closure and rehabilitation regulation
  • Current approaches: Guidelines on technical and biological rehabilitation
  • Mine rehabilitation and closure – implementation and compliance
  • Challenges in implementation of current regulations
  • Challenges in compliance of current regulations
  • Mine rehabilitation and closure – perspective of academia and professionals
  • From principles to practice – some Australian examples
  • Research achievements and challenges on mine closure in Mongolia.