At the Annual Conference of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME) in February 2020 in Phoenix, Arizona, the debate on the term "social license to operate" was a focus. The title of the keynote session of the annual conference was: "The Executive's Role in Tailings Manage-ment: Preserving our Social License to Operate”. In view of the recent accidents at mine tailings dams, the mining industry itself must revisit its "social license to operate" or, in other words, its responsibility as an operator and public ac-ceptance of its business. A recent tailings dam breach occurred in January 2019 near the Brazilian city of Brumadinho. The massive tailings spill from the Córrego do Feijão iron ore open-cast mine claimed more than 270 victims, polluting the downstream environment with a sludge volume of almost 12 million cubic meters. Extensive examination of this disaster, along with many similar incidents in recent history, made clear that mining companies must urgently address the safe operation of tailings ponds at the top executive levels. Those responsible must recognize that "business as usual" is no longer an option. Simply relying on a government issued mining permit covers the technical aspects of mining and processing no longer suffices, as the mine operator must consider a wider range of stakeholder inputs and concerns to obtain social license. This paper examines how mines can operate sustainably in the broadest sense and which efforts are required to ensure public acceptance throughout the mine life cycle. Results show that so-cially responsible operation requires that mining processes must be fully disclosed, including the results of long-term geomonitoring.

Das Forschungszentrum Nachbergbau (FZN) der Technischen Hochschule Georg Agricola (THGA) in Bochum hat seit 2019/2020 sein Forschungsspektrum deutlich erweitert. Teil dieses Spektrums ist nunmehr auch der neue Forschungsbereich „Reaktivierung und Transition“. Schwerpunkte des Forschungsinteresses bilden hier die Themen Flächenentwicklung und Regionalpolitik, sozioökonomische Aspekte sowie Governance des Nachbergbaus. Hier stehen also weniger natur-, geo- und -ingenieurwissenschaftliche Fragen im Mittelpunkt, als vielmehr – wenngleich im Forschungszentrum interdisziplinär mit den vorgenannten Disziplinen verbunden – wirtschaftswissenschaftliche und -geografische, raumplanerische und politische Fragen im Zusammenhang mit dem Nachbergbau. Der nachfolgende Beitrag gibt einen Überblick zu den aktuellen Arbeiten in diesem Forschungsbereich sowie den absehbaren künftigen Stoßrichtungen der Forschung.

Raw-materials policy has taken on growing significance against a backdrop of megatrends such as decarbonisation and digitisation. However, as well as safeguarding raw-material supplies the focus for today and the future must be on meeting the obligations and aspirations for effective sustainability. And this can only be done when post-mining issues are fully incorporated into this policy making process. Here we find that the current policy guidelines are continuing to prove deficient at a national and European level. The reuse of mining facilities - whose closure was all part of the original plan -, which is central to post-mining research, has in particular remained very much underdeveloped. Global investigations currently under way reveal how, and to what extent, disused mining infrastructure is being reused, or on the other hand is not being used at all.

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. A recent tailings dam breach occurred in January 2019 near the Brazilian city of Brumadinho. The massive tailings spill from the Córrego do Feijão iron ore open-cast mine claimed more than 270 victims, polluting the downstream environment with a sludge volume of almost 12 Mm3. Extensive examination of this disaster, along with many similar incidents in recent history, made clear that mining companies must urgently address the safe operation of tailings ponds at the top executive levels. Those responsible must recognize that “business as usual” is no longer an option. Simply relying on a government issued mining permit covers the technical aspects of mining and processing no longer suffices, as the mine operator must consider a wider range of stakeholder inputs and concerns to obtain social licence. This paper examines how mines can operate sustainably in the broadest sense and which efforts are required to ensure public acceptance throughout the mine life cycle. Results show that socially responsible operation requires that mining processes must be fully disclosed, including the results of long-term geomonitoring.

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 proces can take place very quickly or may even last several years or decades.