Implementing the EU’s Raw Materials Initiative across Europe Best practices in minerals planning Corina Hebestreit Athens, 29 February 2012

European association for mining industries, metal ores and industrial minerals Why Mineral Planning? The importance of the mineral planning policies are clearly based on the fact that Europe is a major consumer of extracted materials, and there is an increasing need for minerals to enable growth, even in a service orientated society.

European association for mining industries, metal ores and industrial minerals Source: RMSG, Stockholm, 2012

European association for mining industries, metal ores and industrial minerals Source: RMSG, Stockholm, 2012

European association for mining industries, metal ores and industrial minerals Source: RMSG, Stockholm, 2012

European association for mining industries, metal ores and industrial minerals The challenge: the Land use Planning Policies The mineral planning policies and practices are an important issue across the whole Europe and in particular in highly populated areas. Modern economies need an important range of minerals for a vast number of applications Compatibility with communities, biodiversity protection, tourism and many other priorities. These are together with many others, the basic ingredients to the national mineral planning policies where the competent authorities try to define the right balance between the interests of all stakeholders involved.

European association for mining industries, metal ores and industrial minerals Suggested methodology for considering minerals in LUP in 4 steps Step One: A comprehensive geological appraisal is conducted by a mineral resource expert based on available data. This should provide an informed and independent assessment of the mineral resource value in a manner that can be used by decision makers in the land use planning process. The geological appraisal should be made available to all stakeholders involved in the land use planning process. Further mineral resource information is obtained where possible by consulting mineral stakeholders, such as: The department of mines /natural resources; National geological departments or geological survey; National registrar of mineral right holders, the mineral exploration licensing authority; Mineral right holders - exploration and mining companies; National or regional chambers of mines; and Artisanal miners and their communities.

European association for mining industries, metal ores and industrial minerals Suggested methodology in 4 steps Step 2: After consultation with mineral stakeholders, criteria for the identification of the mineral resources of importance in the planning target area are established. These criteria might include such things as value, rarity, unique properties and strategic interest. Applying these criteria to the mineral resources in the area, sites of high mineral importance - if there are any - are identified and mapped.

European association for mining industries, metal ores and industrial minerals Suggested methodology in 4 steps Step 3: The potential mineral resource extraction of these sites is then evaluated. If necessary, modelling is carried out with the appropriate specialised inputs and rigorous methodology. It is usually the role of an economic operator to assess the economic potential of a deposit which is usually included in the social/environmental impact assessment study. Step 4: Land use options, including sequential and concurrent land use alternatives are mapped out and decided according to LUP processes. If there is a decision to keep the option of potential mineral extraction at sites of high mineral potential, interim land use options are decided accordingly. If mineral extraction does take place, careful management of activities that may cause long term impacts must be enforced to ensure that future land use options are not compromised.

European association for mining industries, metal ores and industrial minerals R&D - preliminary findings