- Continued redevelopment of the historic mine structure will set back approximately 100 million euros.
The Mining Department estimates that restoring the leftovers of mineral and coal extraction in Saxony will set you back around 100 million euros. This covers seven coal waste piles, six mining shafts, and four drainage tunnels, as the Freiberg authority revealed. The remains of the old mines posed risks and slowed down progress in the affected areas.
For the past seven years, numerous old mining sites have undergone reconstruction in the Ore Mountains and old coal mining regions. Besides reinforcing tunnels and shafts, this also entailed tearing down old facilities and buildings. The Mining Department is said to have supported 22 projects with a total of 56.4 million euros.
In contrast to Saxony's restoration efforts, similar initiatives have been undertaken in The Netherlands as well. For instance, the Dutch government allocated funds to clean up abandoned coal mines in the project called "Polder op Maas."
Given the success of these projects in both Germany and The Netherlands, international cooperation in mining waste management could foster more efficient and environmentally friendly practices worldwide.
