45 mines to be shut down in 2009

A number of 45 mines will be closed in 2009, for ecological rehabilitation of their respective areas, mines whose activity has already ceased, stated the General Manager of Mineral Resources Department of the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), Sorin Găman. Mr. Găman further added: "The 45 coal, salt, and ore mines will undergo shut down and ecological rehabilitation of the areas. They are presently not operational and have no employees".

According to the prospective schedule approved by the Technical Economic Council of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, in 2009, 45 mines will undergo shutdown and ecological rehabilitation procedures, (for other 30 mines the works have begun in 2008, and for other 15 mines, the contracts have been executed with the works scheduled to begin in 2009). For other 71 mines the necessary steps will be taken to ensure their preservation before beginning the shutdown works.

According to NewsIn, next year activity will continue in the eight stations for the purging of contaminated mine water, in order to ensure retention of the heavy metal ions, so as to reduce to a minimum the environmental impact of the levels of pollutants, announced the Ministry of Economy and Finance. In 2008, work has begun for the eight purging stations for contaminated mine water and operating conditions were ensured.

In 2008, 66 mines entered shutdown and ecological rehabilitation procedures, and the works in question were finalized for 36 of them, while for the 30 remaining mines the works will continue in 2009. For 82 mines the necessary steps were taken for their preservation before beginning the shutdown works.

A grand total of 550 mines were included in the closing program. The works were finalized for 238 mines, leaving 267 mines for which the works haven"t started yet, together with the 45 to be shut down next year.