Similar to the previous years, the Route of Mines and Points of Interest in Mining and Geology in Portugal (Roteiro de Minas e Pontos de Interesse Mineiro e Geológico em Portugal), promotes the offer of different partners and regions, where educational services and activities directed for schools, are of particular relevance.

These are also granted in the several platforms on which the “Route” is currently present.

For this purpose, the 2019 – 2020 school year activities for student and teachers can be consulted and/or downloaded at:

http://www.roteirodeminas.pt/listagem-de-registos/newslist-pt/servicos-educativos-e-visitas-escolares-ano-lectivo-2019-2020.aspx

EDM – Empresa de Desenvolvimento Mineiro, S.A., has provided and guaranteed all the access conditions to the Santa Bárbara well, located in the Urgeiriça Mine, as a test site for the robotic platform developed under the UNEXMIN project.

UNEXMIN project is funded by the European Union “Horizonte 2020” program, which brings together 12 institutions from 7 countries, including Portugal.

The project includes the development of three robots which can perform 3D mapping, thus obtaining geological data that could not be achieved in any other way without elevated costs or other associated risks, such as using divers for research. As a result, these robots allow the characterization of flooded mine galleries.

In Portugal, the Institute of Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science (INESC TEC) and EDM became partners in this project, since its importance for the stablished mining work.

The first prototype and the technology have already been tested at the Kaatiala Mine (Finland) in June 2018, Idrija Mine (Slovenia) in September of the same year, and at the Urgeiriça Mine (Portugal) in March and April 2019, with positive results. The UX-1 robot is operational and was able to map the flooded areas.

The UNEXMIN platform project will open new scenarios for the prospection of minerals which are essential for industry development. As an example, the platform will contribute for decision-making regarding the reopening of mines previously closed due to the costs of operation at the time, when compared to the number of existent ore. Therefore, the current available technology could allow the reopening of some of these mines at low cost. With UNEXMIN, a strategic opportunity is created to reopen flooded mines in Europe, many of which still contain significant critical raw mineral materials, that can be exploited, benefiting the Portuguese and European economies in a more sustainable way.

Since January 2018 and following the request for institutional collaboration by the General Directorate of Energy and Geology (DGEG) and the Municipality of Castelo de Paiva, EDM-Empresa de Desenvolvimento Mineiro, S.A. (EDM), has been developing actions to extinguish fires in the Pejão-Germunde Old Coal mining heaps.

The heaps began to burn slowly as a result of the severe forest fires from October 2017, which devastated the country, yet had a major incidence in the municipality of Castelo de Paiva. Since then, the combustion of carbonaceous materials has spread slowly in the underground.

As a result of the event, which required urgent, relevant and immediate intervention, in order to minimize exposure and risk to human health, to the environment and to the population living in the burning areas vicinity, EDM started the work to mobilize and extinguish the fires in February 2018.

After the applicable tender procedures, EDM started implementing a technical solution validated in an extended meeting held in January 2018 at the Municipality of Castelo de Paiva. Beside EDM, there were present the municipality representatives, DGEG, the National Laboratory of Energy and Geology (LNEG), the Coordination and Regional Development Commission of the North (CCDR-N), the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) and the Civil Protection of Aveiro.

The technical solution consists of partially mobilizing the heaps, gaining access to the burning materials, and proceeding to the extinction and provisional compaction of the adjacent platforms. The characterization made, led to the conclusion that the 4 fire sources, designated by A1, A2, A3 and A4, were located in different areas and limited to the materials type that form part of the heaps, suggesting no evidence that there was propagation to coal deposits that were not exploited in the underground.

Since the beginning, EDM has continuously developed actions identified as suitable for extinguishing the fires, carrying out the technical means adjusted to the nature and complexity of these operations. At the same time, it has been promoting adequate monitoring of air quality, which results are transmitted to the competent authorities, that have followed the work under the scope of its powers.

With the extinction of outbreaks A1, A2 and A4, EDM is currently quelling the outbreak A3, which has greater dimensions and presents bigger complexity. Nevertheless, all the technical and human means necessary for its mobilization and extinction have been mobilized, and the procedure is expected to be concluded in April 2019. Again, adequate monitoring of air quality has been made.

The new Route of Mines and Points of Interest in Mining and Geology in Portugal (Roteiro de Minas e Pontos de Interesse Mineiro e Geológico em Portugal), promotes the offer of different partners and regions, where educational services and activities directed for schools, are of particular relevance.

These are also granted in the several platforms on which the “Route” is currently present.

For this purpose, the 2018 – 2019 school year activities for student and teachers can be consulted and/or downloaded HERE or in the PDF file.

On the 24th July, EDM – Empresa de Desenvolvimento Mineiro, S.A. presented the rehabilitation project of the former mining area of São Domingos, at a joint session held with Mértola City Council.

During the session, EDM accepted the completed work form the first phase of the environmental rehabilitation of the mining area. It was also decided to start the proceedings for the Public Tender opening, signing the second phase of environmental rehabilitation of the former mining area.

The Minister for Economic Affairs closed the event.

The 9th Meeting of the Guide of the Portuguese Geological and Mines Sites was held in Idanha a Nova on 7 and 8 June, organised by Naturtejo, GeoPark and the local council.

The Meeting was attended by EDM and DGEG, as sponsors of the Guide of the Portuguese Geological and Mines Sites, along with other partners. Our thanks to all the entities present for the commitment and active participation shown in sharing their experiences.

The closing session was chaired by the Secretary of State for Energy.

Photos: GeoPark Naturtejo

EDM was invited to participate in the technical meeting organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) about “Remediation of Groundwater in Uranium Mining Operations“, held from 14 to 18 May 2018 in Prague, Czech Republic. The objective of the meeting was to obtain input and lessons learned from representatives of several IAEA Member States with their own experience in groundwater management in uranium mining operations for the preparation of a new IAEA Nuclear Energy Series report, which addresses, among other issues, the environmental remediation strategies that can be implemented.

The meeting included a visit to the state-owned DIAMO company responsible for eliminating the consequences of mining activities in the Czech Republic, including the development of environmental remediation interventions. The field visit to one of the most significant environmental impacts in the Czech Republic was carried out, following uranium exploration through in-situ leaching, in the Straz pod Ralskem area, which provided the knowledge of the environmental remediation strategy in course.

EDM presented its experience and case studies on the rehabilitation of abandoned mines in Portugal and the work carried regarding the water resources monitoring plan and the active mine water treatment systems and, more recently, the passive mine water treatment systems already implemented.

On 25 May 2018, EDM registered its commitment to the implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), through a “AWARENESS” session to all its employees, including via Skype ®, to the localized ones in Urgeiriça.

The Privacy Policy and Cookies is available in the “Statutes and Rules” section.

EDM participated in the 2nd PhytoSUDOE Stakeholder Workshop, which was held on 17 April 2018 at the School of Biotechnology of the Portuguese Catholic University, in Porto.

The PhytoSUDOE – “Demonstration of the improvement in soil biodiversity, functionality and ecosystem services through phytomanagement in contaminated and degraded soils within the Interreg Sudoe area” project, in which EDM participates as stakeholder, has as its main objective the management of contaminated and/or degraded sites and their recovery through the application of phytoremediation technologies that improve biodiversity and ecosystem functionality and promote the sustainable use of resources.

EDM presented its experience and case studies relating to the rehabilitation of abandoned mines in Portugal, and some works carried out in the field of land restoration.

EDM was present at the Portugal Smart Cities Summit 2018 which was held at the Lisbon Congress Centre on 11, 12 and 13 April with the Green Business Week subscription.

Once again, EDM, together with entities related to Energy, Municipalities, companies, startups, academics and individual agents, participated in the discussion on the future of smart cities, sharing its sustainable, innovative and experienced approach in the sector of the mining resources of the Country, as well as of the increasingly important reclamation and environmental recovery of the old degraded mining areas.

On the 12th, Sharing Cities, the Smart Mobility Summit and the Energy Summit took place. The latter was attended by the Minister for Economic Affairs and the Secretary of State for Energy, in which topics were debated such as mobility and digital transformation of energy, and low-voltage concessions: Challenges of Low Voltage Network and Smart Cities and Energy 4.0: The Digitization of Energy and the Impact on the Network, Consumers and Society.

EDM participated in the Workshop “Scientific Technical and Legal Challenges of Deep Sea Mining – A Vision for Portugal” held on 16 April 2018 at the António de Almeida Foundation in Porto, under the WP-Legal project CORAL – Sustainable Ocean Exploitation: Tools and Sensors, a collaborative project by the INESC-TEC and CIIMAR.

The workshop was attended by national and international experts, policy makers and stakeholders from the most representative sectors and promoted a broad debate on current scientific and technological knowledge of prospection and exploitation of deep water mineral resources, potential environmental impacts and legislative context.

EDM joined the discussion panel on “Scientific and Technical Challenges of Deep Sea Mining – A Vision for Portugal”.

World Tree or Forest Day is celebrated annually on 21 March.

Partners in this initiative and in the context of the environmental restoration works of the former mining area of Castelejo, which contributed to the renaturation of previously degraded areas, several tree plantations were carried out on this day.