Disused Mines and Shafts
Disused mines and shafts can be a major problem in many parts of Ireland. In the past, a common practice was to close mining sites, with little consideration given to the need to make these sites fully safe. With better regulation and the existence of the Environmental Protection Agency it is hoped that this practice is a thing of the past.
Old mining sites or abandoned mines which have not been reclaimed when operations ceased can pose risks to the general public and lead to serious land degradation and environmental pollution.
The risks posed can also increase with time as large abandoned tailings facilities, rock dumps, shafts and underground workings gradually deteriorate and where no consideration is given to long-term maintenance and aftercare of the closed mines. As disused mines are generally not places of work, they will not fall within the remit of the H.S.A. They are however dealt with by other agencies.
State Agencies Dealing with Disused Mines
A Joint Project by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Geological Survey of Ireland and the Exploration and Mining Division (Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources) has been established with the following objectives:
- To develop a systematic and consistent approach to the documentation, inventory development and risk categorisation of historic mine sites in Ireland in compliance with current and upcoming national and EU legislation
- To review and document the potential impacts of historic mine sites in Ireland on the environment and human and animal health, and human safety
- To draw up a list of priority sites for investigation based on existing information
- To review existing sampling protocols and to select or develop as appropriate, a sampling protocol which will be used at each site to ensure reliability and replication at each site for a range of sampling media (e.g. soil, water, sediment, mine wastes, vegetation etc.)
- To carry out site investigation and characterisation on the priority sites identified, including an inventory of all extant surface and underground mine workings and associated features
- Following best international practice, to develop a methodology for risk categorising historic mine sites which provides a robust scientific basis for making decisions about actions that need to be taken to minimise or manage risks associated with such sites
- To categorise the sites investigated according to the system developed, and
- To present the findings of the work in interim and final reports and to compile all information and analytical results obtained during the project in a GIS (Geographic Information System) framework. (Visit GIS here)