Highlights
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Mining in German School Education – Status and Developments
In fact, schools are not enviable – a large number of studies indicates a continuous criticism. The comments range i. e. from a poor performance in basic subjects such as mathematics to an inadequate preparation of school leavers for vocational training and suitability for STEM-subjects. Thus, this article follows a further…
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Comparative Survey of International Repository Projects
In 2011 the Federal Republic of Germany decided that it would completely phase out nuclear power by the end of 2022. However, nuclear energy continues to be developed at international level and this means the ongoing generation of radioactive waste. While many different disposal and storage solutions have been implemented…
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Deep Borehole Disposal of High-Level Radioactive Waste – Results of the Project CREATIEF
Currently, more than 30 countries throughout the world use nuclear energy to generate electricity. Almost all countries contemplate how to safely store and dispose of radioactive waste in the long term. Repositories for low- and intermediate-level waste of various designs have been in operation throughout the world for decades. In…
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Continuing Liability and Distribution of Responsibility for Radioactive Waste – and after Coal Phase-Out
Final disposal site mining is mainly characterised by the transfer of the responsibility for the disposal to the Disposal Fund. But apart from that, the energy companies remain responsible – without any option of being released from liability. This continuing responsibility is laid down in the German Continuing Liability Act…
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What is High Performance Mining? A Discussion
Fluctuating commodity prices, high upfront investment costs, long development periods, the high variability due to the uniqueness of each deposit, and the imperfection and uncertainty of information about mineral reserves even after mining commences, have always been challenges for the mining industry. However, in addition to those inherent challenges, today’s…
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Protecting Aquifers from Rising Mine Waters: Managing Mine Water in the Durham Coalfield (UK) and a Comparison with Methods used in Lorraine (France)
When a coalfield finally ceases production there will no longer be any operational requirement to continue with the mine pumping and dewatering operations. Switching off the pumps generally results in an increase in mine-water levels. This process can take place very quickly or may even last several years or decades.…
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Understanding of Hydrogeochemical Systems – Findings on Inflow Systems of Opencast Ore Mines and on the Recovery of Valuable Elements from -Tailings or Mine Waters
Mining is not possible without consideration of the component water. This is coupled to a variety of questions. These include, e. g., dewatering in underground and open-cast/pit mining, the post-mining flooding of open-cast/pit residual holes, the remediation of acidic post-mining lakes, general management and treatment of such acid waters (Acid Mine…
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Economic Evaluation of Deep-Sea Mining
In view of increasing import dependencies and decreasing ore grades in conventional mining, societies with large resource needs such as those of the EU are looking for new potential sources of mineral supplies. Seabed areas in international waters host considerable amounts of mineral resources that contain various elements, among them…
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Underground Farming
Mine closure is a topic that is being discussed frequently as illustrated by the closure ceremonies of the last two German deep coal mines in December 2018. Besides the commemoration of the miners, the main question is what is to be done with the underground infrastructure of the abandoned mines?…
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Studying Mining Engineering in Germany: General Conditions, Locations and Study Programmes
Mining education in Germany has undergone significant changes and development over the past decade. On the one hand, this is due to the changing framework conditions and requirements of industry, science and society. On the other hand, this process has been accelerated by the introduction of a European study reform,…
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