Ecological-economic evaluation of effect of Ural region coal mines and open-casts closing

摘要

Since 1994 a phased shutdown of the most unprofitable mines including mines and open pits of the Urals region has begun. During this time 188 coal mines and 15 strip mines were liquidated, in 202 of them technical work was completed. Mine closure gave some positive environmental outcome: land amortization for rock dumps, surface tapping, etc. However, the predicted environmental effect was not achieved because of the slow pace of implementation of environmentally-oriented activities under the projects of liquidation of enterprises.