EU Raw Materials Information System and Raw Materials Scoreboard: addressing the data needs in support of the EU policies – an example for water use in mining

In order to count on a sound and continuously updated knowledge base for the support of the EU raw materials policy, the European Commission is developing the Raw Materials Information System and the Raw Materials Scoreboard. Sustainability aspects such as the social and environmental performance of production are also core elements. Among the latter, water is a resource and an environmental compartment of paramount importance in the operation and sustainability of mining activities in multiple ways. Mining might also have negative impacts on surface and groundwater quality. Therefore, there is a need for sound data to monitor the EU sector water performance from a quantitative and qualitative point of view. Despite this need, official records are limited and accessible water accounting by the industry is poor. This study assessed available water-related data for the RMIS and the Raw Materials Scoreboard in order to improve the EU policy knowledge base. Data provided at national or sub-national level; covering EU countries; and both use-related and pollution-related data was surveyed. The scope, beyond mining operation, and in line with the EU raw materials policy, covered the extraction of non-food, non-energy raw materials. Valuable data sources were found, yet limited in terms of country and sector coverage and comparability, which illustrate some of the challenges faced to provide sound data to some policy making areas.

VIDAL LEGAZ Beatriz;  LATUNUSSA Cynthia;  BLENGINI Giovanni;  HAMOR Tamas;  MANFREDI Simone;  PENNINGTON David; 

2018-01-18

Lappeenranta University of Technology

JRC106640

978-952-335-065-6 (print),    978-952-335-066-3,   

2243-3376,   

http://imwa.info/docs/imwa_2017/IMWA_2017_Volume_2.pdf,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC106640,