Considering that the mining activity makes a temporary use of the land, at the end of the mining cycle it is necessary to choose the best option to rehabilitate the altered land, which can range from recovery of the previous use to rehabilitation for a new use that can sometimes be more beneficial than the initial use.
To plan the post-mining use of the land occupied by the mining components, we can rely on international guidelines that suggest methodologies based on best practices. Among the information to be taken into account is the infrastructure and services associated with the project, the current mine closure legislation, the sector's regulatory authorities, stakeholders, risks and the capacity to accommodate new activities at the site, it is also important to consider the initial environmental and social inventory without the project or prior to the start-up of the operation, local limitations and capacities, as well as the availability of geo-ecological and financial resources to support the proposal in the long term, it is also necessary to collect information such as the identification of the study area through the climatic and social factors that characterize them.
On the other hand, in order to choose the best alternative for future use, it is necessary to have as a basis an understanding of the integration of the rehabilitated areas with the rest of the physical environment of the site, through an in-depth analysis of the various interrelationships that take place between the elements of the mining project at the end of its life, with the natural and anthropic resources present in the area with possibilities of use.
This paper presents some methodologies to choose alternatives for new uses or future use of mining land in the post-operation stage and additionally presents two case studies applying a combination of the indicated methodologies.
