Glückauf!

By highlighting the theme of “Social Licence to Operate (SLO)” the present edition of Mining Report Glückauf is picking up on a subject that impacts on all kind of sectors worldwide, and not just the mining industry – though of course it too is affected by it. The Gabler Dictionary of Economics defines SLO as “the ongoing social acceptance of companies”. This is based on the intersubjective perception of members of society and is something that cannot be formally acquired or measured, it being closely linked to the principles of sustainability. The SLO refers to the acceptance by employees, shareholders and the public at large of the business practices …Read more
With my best regards // Mit freundlichem Glückauf
Dipl.-Ing. Andreas-Peter Sitte
Chief Editor Mining Report Glückauf, Essen

ISSUE 04/2020

To the Acceptance of Mining

In our society there is a lack of acceptance for domestic mining. From the former glorification of technical skills, today an environmental hype has developed which condemns any intervention in nature, regardless of whether it is necessary or not. Measures for mining, for the environment and for the preservation or creation of good living conditions are therefore required. The solution is for mining and the environment to think together without any ifs and buts.

Author/Autor: Dr.-Ing. Martin Wedig, Geschäftsführer der Vereinigung Rohstoffe und Bergbau (VRB) e. V. sowie der Fachvereinigung Auslandsbergbau (FAB), Berlin

The Importance of “Social Licence to Operate” for the Mining Life Cycle

Fig. 1. Life cycle of a mine (according to 25). // Bild 1. Lebenszyklus eines Bergwerks (nach 25).

At the Annual Conference of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME) in February 2020 in Phoenix, Arizona/USA, the debate on the term “Social Licence to Operate” was a focus. The title of the keynote session of the annual conference was: “The Executive’s Role in Tailings Management: Preserving our Social Licence to Operate”. In view of the recent accidents at mine tailings dams, the mining industry itself must revisit its “Social Licence to Operate” or, in other words, its responsibility as an operator and public acceptance of its business.

Authors/Autoren: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Peter Goerke-Mallet, Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Tobias Rudolph, Prof. Dr. rer. pol. Jürgen Kretschmann, Technische Hochschule Georg Agricola (THGA), Bochum, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jürgen F. Brune, Colorado School of Mines (CSM), Golden, Colorado/USA

Fig. 1. Demonstration in Weisswasser for the retention of lignite-fired power generation in Germany. // Bild 1. Demonstration in Weißwasser für den Erhalt der Stromerzeugung aus Braunkohle in Deutschland. Photo/Foto: LEAG

Projects for the extraction of raw materials are often at the focus of public attention. This does not (any longer) concern solely the large opencast lignite mines, but is more and more true as well of other opencast mines such as larger and smaller wet gravel pits or quarries and even small dry mining projects. The “power of public opinion”, often exploited by the opponents of a project, can prompt approval authorities or specialist authorities, e. g., nature conservation authorities, to issue especially high requirements for documentation during the approval process and demand particularly thorough and elaborate expert assessments to secure their position vis-à-vis opponents of the project and to protect themselves from possible lawsuits.

Author/Autor: RA Dr. jur. Steffen Kautz, STKautz Rechtsanwälte, München

Fig. 2. A temporary water body of approximately 100 m² before establishment of vegetation – habitat for pioneer species.// Bild 2. Ein ca. 100 m² großes temporäres Gewässer vor Beginn der Vegetationsentwicklung – Lebensraum für Pionierarten wie Kreuzkröte und Flussregenpfeifer. Photo/Foto: Beak

Nature and species conservation play an increasingly important role in approval procedures for mining developments and their acceptance by the public. This has led to an increasing amount of technical statements in approval procedures led by the -mining authorities. In contrast to other development projects, mining creates a succession of special – usually short-term – habitats, starting without vegetation and moving through a series of highly specialised vegetation landscapes. These plots are an important retreat within the intensively used (agri-)cultural landscape. Thus, an opencast mine attracts rare species that later lead to conflicts …

Authors/Autoren: Dr. rer.nat. Reinhard Reißmann, Dr.-Ing. Frank Schmidt, Beak Consultants GmbH, Freiberg

Problems and Prospects of Using Ash and Slag Waste in Russia, Taking into Account European Experience

Taking into account the energy balance trends, there is an urgent need for ecologization of coal-fired generation. The paper discusses the development of legal frame base in the field of ash and slag waste management. The main provisions of the program “Energy Efficiency and Development of Energy”, contemporary challenges and threats to the environmental safety of the Russian Federation according to the “Strategy for the Environmental Safety of the Russian Federation for the Period until 2025” and the current situation in the field of generation and processing of ash and slag waste have been analyzed and compared with the world praxis …

Authors/Autoren: Valeriy Grishin, Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation, Moscow/Russia, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Konstantin Kolikov and Natalia Udalova, National University of Science and Technology (MISiS), Moscow/Russia, Natalia Lubenska, Schauenburg Maschinen- und Anlagenbau GmbH, Mülheim-Ruhr/Germany

Fig. 1. Risk management plan for abandoned mining infrastructure. // Bild 1. Risikomanagement Altbergbau. Source/Quelle: GD NRW

As part of its Risk Management Plan for Abandoned Mining Infrastructure Arnsberg District Government, through its Department for Mining and Energy in North Rhine-Westphalia (Mining Authority of NRW), Dortmund/Germany, is responsible for conducting searches and surveys of disused mine shafts, with support and repair work then being carried out where necessary. This Risk Management Plan is now proposing to include near-surface cavities and water-bearing tunnels and adits as part of this programme. In order to develop its “Risk management strategy for near-surface mining cavities” in the Ruhr coalfield the Mining Authority of NRW requires the best possible information on the outcrop …

Authors/Autoren: BVAR a.D. Dipl.-Ing. Rainer Fimpler, AdM OBVR Martin Isaac M. Sc. und BVAR Dipl.-Ing. Stefan Mengede, Abteilung 6, Bezirksregierung Arnsberg, Dortmund, OGR Dipl.-Geol. Bernd Linder, Geologischer Dienst NRW, Krefeld/Germany

Fig. 1. The role of lignite in Germany‘s energy economy 2019; position: March 2020. // Bild 1. Die Rolle der Braunkohle in der Energiewirtschaft Deutschlands im Jahr 2019. Source/Quelle: Arbeitsgemeinschaft Energiebilanzen und BDEW; Stand: März 2020

Germany’s domestic lignite output decreased by 34.9 Mt, which equals 21.0 %, from 166.3 Mt to 131.3 Mt between 2018 and 2019. In 2019 extracted lignite had a net calorific value of 40.6 Mtce. Almost 88 %, or 115.0 Mt, of that output were used in utility power plants supplying the general public. This translates into a decrease of 22.4 % compared to the previous year. The sharp decline in power generation from lignite was primarily caused by the transfer of additional power plant units into a secure and reliable standby mode for backup purposes, the substantial increase in power generation from wind energy and natural gas, the production shortfall in the open-pit mine Hambach as well as …

Authors/Autoren: Dipl.-Volkswirt Uwe Maaßen, Geschäftsführer Statistik der Kohlenwirtschaft e. V., Bergheim, Dr. rer. pol. Hans-Wilhelm Schiffer, Member of the Studies Committee, World Energy Council, London/UK und Lehrbeauftragter für Energiewirtschaft an der RWTH Aachen, Aachen/Germany

MINING REPORT

Glückauf!

To the Acceptance of Mining

The Importance of “Social Licence to Operate” for the Mining Life Cycle

Approval Procedures Under Mining Law – Legal Framework and Practical Challenges

Aspects of Nature and Species Conservation to Enhance Public Acceptability of Approval Procedures for Opencast Mines

Problems and Prospects of Using Ash and Slag Waste in Russia, Taking into Account European Experience

Risk Management Plan for Abandoned Mining Infrastructure

The German Lignite Industry in 2019