Climate changes at mine closure: a systematic review

Abstract

This systematic review addresses the implications of climate change on mine closure processes, aiming to identify, analyze, and synthesize recent literature on how climate change influences the rehabilitation of mined areas, environmental risks, the safety of remaining structures, and the long-term sustainability of closure projects. Through a methodology of selecting scientific articles, articles published between 2020 and 2024 found in the Capes/CAfe database were analyzed. The analysis covered the climatic impacts on increasing temperatures and changes in precipitation patterns in relation to soil erosion, water management, and revegetation in mine closure processes. The results highlight challenges and opportunities arising from extreme weather events, which compromise the stability of mine structures, and the noted absence of Emergency Action Plans for dealing with extreme events, which hinders decision-making and the implementation of control measures. Recommendations include the development of adaptive practices and the incorporation of advanced environmental monitoring to mitigate risks and promote sustainability in mine closure, as well as being essential to increase environmental resilience.