Description

The project referred to the provision of technical assistance and the conduction of a feasibility study under the BG9904-04-02-01 project (Rehabilitation Plans for non-Uranium mines in the Arda and Struma river Basins). The objectives were to:

• assess of the environmental status of the mining sites;
• prepare rehabilitation plans and mitigation measures to reduce the risks to an acceptable level;
• design reliable remedial measures for the elimination of the mechanical contamination in result of subsequent removal of rocky pieces from the waste dumps to the nearby lands;
• design reliable remedial measures for the limitation of the water and wind erosion;
• design reliable remedial measures for the adaptation of the lands to the surrounding landscape and to the forest and agriculture fund;
• design reliable remedial measures for the reduction of the contamination of the waters in conformity with the requirements for the limit values.

The mining areas under concern were Laki, Madan, Enjovtche, Ardino, Saje and Madjarovo, in the southern part of Bulgaria. The project consisted of the following stages:

1. Identification and description of the present technical and environmental status;
2. Prioritisation of the environmental problems on site by site basis;
3. Establishment of remedial scenarios to alleviate the environmental problems;
4. Evaluation of existing remediation measures at each mining site;
5. Development and evaluation of rehabilitation options for each mining site;
6. Prioritisation of individual projects.