Project: in planning phase

Submitted by / EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 5 Environmental Risks

Mining is one of the world’s most traditional industrial sectors, and continues to provide valuable ores and minerals. A significant waste stream however, is generated by these operations. One of the components of mining waste is mining tailings – such as waste rock and mine water – and this all needs to be stored and handled in tailings management facilities (TMFs). Due to the physical characteristics and chemical nature of substances that can be found in the tailings, TMFs pose risks to both environment and population. Pollution of water bodies and the related risk or damage to environmental resources often has a negative transboundary effect too, and accidents at TMFs may lead to long-term negative and chronic effects. More than 300 TMFs are located in the Danube River Basin (DRB), for which adequate safety conditions and measures have to be put in place. Past accident events dramatically demonstrated how serious impacts on people and water resources TMF failures could have.

Objectives

This project proposal aims to close practical knowledge gaps while raising awareness of TMFs and their hazards in the Danube River Basin and strengthening the technical and management capacity relating to these facilities.

Need and (expected) impact

Respecting a common set of minimum standards and safety requirements in the DRB to reduce accident risks, providing tools and strategies to improve TMF safety, updating and completing the TMF inventory of the DRB, amending an existing hazard assessment method and integrating land use planning aspects into it (risk), further enhancing and completing a previously developed detailed checklist method, providing recommendations for the Danube Region countries on managing TMFs and ensuring sustainability of the results.

Macro-regional dimension

Potentially all Danube Region countries are going to be involved

Stakeholders involved

University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering, Chair of Hydrology and Hydraulic Engineering (Research group), Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests, Directorate for Water Resources Management of Romania, Budapest Firefighter Association, Occupational Safety Research Institute of Czech Republic, Jaroslav Černi Water Institute from Serbia, Umwelt Bundesamt from Germany, University of Miskolc Institute of Geology from Hungary, Ministry of Environmental Protection of Serbia, Research Institute for Sustainability and Disaster Management, Babes-Bolyai University from Romania, Civil Protection Directorate of Republic of Srpska, Hungarian Civil Protection Association, Hungarian Red Cross and I International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (APC-EG)

Universities, ministries, governmental and non-governmental organisations, associations, institutes and agencies.

Budget and Funding

Danube Transnational Programme

Further information

https://environmentalrisks.danube-region.eu/

Contact

László Balatonyi (PAC PA 5), Laszlo.Balatonyi@mfa.gov.hu