Mineral exploration, like any activity that affects the environment, requires a planned response for the restoration of impacted areas. The Degraded Areas Recovery Plan (PRAD) is the main legal instrument that formalizes this obligation. Its function is not limited to mitigating damage, but to ensure that the soil and ecosystem return to a state of use compatible with a previously established land-use plan.
The submission of the PRAD is mandatory and must occur during the environmental licensing phase, accompanied by the Environmental Impact Study (EIA) and its corresponding Environmental Impact Report (RIMA). This makes it a crucial condition for your project to remain viable.
This legal requirement, which dates back to 1989 decrees, applies to all mineral resource exploitation projects.
The PRAD
The objective of rehabilitation is to re-establish the properties of the environment, such as soil quality and the productive capacity of natural resources, in order to achieve a state of ecosystem stability.
NRM-21
The Mining Regulatory Standards (NRM-21) detail the scope of the rehabilitation project. The plan must cover all affected areas, from those used in geological exploration to those directly impacted by exploitation and support structures, such as overburden piles and access roads. The scope of the PRAD demonstrates that the miner’s responsibility is not limited to the tenement area but extends to the entire perimeter of the operation’s influence.
After the PRAD Submission
The approval of the PRAD by the environmental competent authority is a requirement for the advancement of the project phases. This technical validation ensures that the proposed measures are adequate for the area’s recovery. The interaction between the Development Plan, approved by the National Mining Agency (ANM), and the PRAD, approved by the environmental authority, creates an integrated control system. The ANM monitors compliance with the mining title document, while the environmental authority oversees the fulfillment of the rehabilitation goals.
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