Broadening the scope of mine water environmental impact assessment: a UK perspective

Mine water pollution is one of the most severe forms of aquatic pollution in the UK, and it is a widespread problem internationally. The impacts of mine waters and current methodologies for quantifying these impacts are detailed. Current EIA methods take little account of the socioeconomic effects of these discharges, which can be severe. Local public interest and concern may constitute a major driving force towards remedial action. A number of benefits are associated with involving local communities in mine water EIA and remediation. Thus, some provision for incorporating these issues into mine water EIA is recommended. There is also a pressing need to develop predictive EIA strategies for future mine water discharges. While predictions of the pollution risks associated with a cessation of deep mining are now possible, the accuracy and precision of the latest techniques still falls short of what is needed to allow rational cost–benefit analysis of future environmental management options for redundant mine workings.