Raw materials are essential to our modern lifestyle, they are used in a wide range of applications from building materials to food industries, clean energy or electronics. In 2008, the European Commission adopted the Raw Materials Initiative, which is targeted at the secure access to raw materials both within the EU and globally. It identified a range of objectives and actions, inter alia, conducting resource efficient exploration securing the access to domestic mineral reserves and promoting streamlined permitting.
Non-energy extractive industries (NEEI) extraction sites, if not properly designed and managed, may have significant impacts on the environment. These effects depend, inter alia, on the type of mineral, extraction methodology, substances used in mineral treatment, extractive waste characteristics, site-specific environmental conditions and the way extractive waste is managed.
The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive provides a framework in order to avoid, prevent or reduce and, if possible, offset likely significant adverse effects on the environment at the earliest possible stage in the technical planning and decision-making for certain public and private projects.
This study may assist the sector in achieving a fluent approval of the EIA report and a streamlined environmental permitting. It is a concise document for developers, competent authorities, the public, and the “public concerned” encompassing with all the relevant Community legislation. It provides a review of the key environmental factors and some impact assessment elements along the mining life cycle phases, in addition to a few good practice cases. It also reviews the risk assessment methodologies, environmental monitoring, mitigation measures and assessment of alternatives, as well as environmental liability and information management issues.
Hamor, T., Vidal Legaz, B., Zampori, L., Eynard, U. and Pennington, D., A review of European Union legal provisions on the environmental impact assessment of non-energy minerals extraction projects, EUR 30743 EN, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2021, ISBN 978-92-76-38988-0, doi:10.2760/705726, JRC125111.
2021-06-28
Publications Office of the European Union
JRC125111
978-92-76-38988-0 (online)
1831-9424 (online)
EUR 30743 EN , OP KJ-NA-30743-EN-N (online)
