Comparison of Government Rules for Remediation of Abandoned Mine Sites

As governments around the world pursue policies to incentivize the construction of new mining projects, they need to recognize that private industry today is not pursuing opportunities at abandoned old mines. Government leadership could increase remediation of old mines by changing the rules, a move that would require coordination across diverse stakeholders. Fixing these old problems could help reduce unresolved sources of pollution and public perception that mining is environmentally irresponsible. This paper discusses fundamental aspects of abandoned mines and compares government policies by examining two small Canadian mining exploration companies advancing remediation projects in Italy and Canada.