Innovative techniques for Facies Weald and Utrillas mine restoration | LIFE

Mining is an important economic activity in Europe, supplying raw materials to strategic development sectors such as construction, infrastructure and ceramics and tiles. But this activity has a serious social and environmental impact: extracting minerals affects soil quality, biodiversity, water resources and the landscape.

Regional, national and European legislation regulates liability for the restoration of mine-affected areas. The EU has introduced several directives that ensure that mining activities do not pose a risk to the environment, human health or safety – namely, Directive 2004/35/EC that focuses on the prevention and remedying of environmental damage, which has been extended to cover extractive waste from mines and quarries, as well as Directive 2006/21/EC on the management of waste from extractive industries.

In the Valencia region, 85% of the mines are found in forests. The restoration activities implemented so far have shown that traditional techniques are not sufficiently effective. Severe erosion problems and subsequent sedimentation in riverbeds, negative landscape impact and low forestry biodiversity after the implementation of mine restoration projects emphasises the need for new approaches. The situation is especially serious in Mediterranean areas due to marked seasonal weather changes. Moreover, there is a need for technical tools to support public administrations and professionals to better select efficient techniques and thus develop sustainable solutions for mine-affected areas.

Reference: LIFE16 ENV/ES/000159
Acronym: LIFE TECMINE
Start Date: 01/11/2017
End Date: 01/05/2022
Total Eligible Budget: 1,577,068 €
EU Contribution: 942,456 €
Coordinating Beneficiary: Generalitat Valenciana. Conselleria de Agricultura, Medio Ambiente, Cambio Climático y Desarrollo Rural.