Valorizing Mining Waste and Revitalizing Closed Mines

On April 3, 2024, the Bucharest-Ilfov Regional Development Agency hosted virtually a workshop on “Best Practices for Valorizing Mining Waste and Revitalizing Closed Mines” as part of the Interreg Europe RAW4RES project, gathering 42 representatives from public institutions, academia, research, civil society, and the private sector across partner countries.

The workshop featured insightful presentations on the significance of mining waste recovery and the rejuvenation of closed mines, showcasing exemplary practices and case studies in this realm. Interactive discussions centered around key topics such as regulations and legislative initiatives, financial support programs for mine revitalization, the economic and environmental advantages of Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) reprocessing, and the vital role of civil society in mine revitalization processes.

Highlighting good practices from Romania, two presentations were delivered by academia representatives. PhD Petre Bădică from the National Institute of Materials’ Physics shared insights into the utilization of waste from metallurgy as secondary raw materials, focusing on the intricate process of complex characterization and subsequent processing to unlock new functionalities. Additionally, Engineer Andrei-Lucian Timiş from Politehnica University of Bucharest presented an innovative integrated solution for steel slag recycling, emphasizing a 'ZERO waste' approach for maximum sustainability.

Moving forward, ADRBI will distill the discussions of the workshop into a comprehensive summary report, encapsulating invaluable lessons learned and best practices identified.

We extend our gratitude to all participants for their active engagement and contributions, which have undoubtedly enriched our collective understanding and progress in this vital, for our project, domain.