Mine Site Rehabilitation And Restoration

The mining industry, like the general population, wants to avoid abandoned mine sites. Furthermore: it has supported the measure making mining companies responsible for 100% in costs of site restoration and requiring them to deposit 100% of the financial guarantee needed to cover these costs. As of now, a mining company is legally responsible for rehabilitating and restoring its mine site.

In addition, before receiving a mining lease that allows extraction, a mining company must have had its mine rehabilitation and restoration plan approved by the Québec department of sustainable development, the environment and the fight against climate change (Ministère du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et de la Lutte aux changements climatiques, or MDDELCC). In other words, before beginning operations, the company must already have planned the closure of the site once the mine reaches the end of its lifespan. Throughout the mine’s lifecycle, the mining company reassesses its needs and updates its plan every five years to ensure that the restoration plan is still valid and represents the reality of the ongoing work at the mine.

The Québec Mining Association, along with some of its members and other players in the mining sector, provides financial support for Fonds Restor-Action Nunavik for the restoration of abandoned mine sites in northern Québec.