Slavko V. Šolar

Report of Working Group IV

This report summarizes the discussions of the Working Group on Resource Policy and East-West Relationships that were held as part of the NATO Advance Study Institute on “Deposit and Geoenvironmental Models for Resource Exploitation and Environmental Security.” The Working Group was made up of experts representing 13 countries and whose expertise included the geosciences, natural resources, and economics. The discussions focused on developing a framework for resource policy, East-West relations, and proposals for future research projects. These included a proposal for developing a certification program for mines managed according to predetermined standards, and a second proposal addressing environmental hazards associated with uranium wastes. The Working Group stressed the importance of a commitment to sustainable development and the development of strategies to satisfy human needs and improve the quality of life today, while protecting those resources that will be needed in the future.

Raw Materials Initiative: A Contribution to the European Minerals Policy Framework

The European Union, which started out as the European Coal and Steel Community in 1958, put raw materials issues back at the centre of the public’s and industry’s attention at the end of first decade of the 21st century. This action, backed up by different policies at regional, national and EU level, was needed due to the major changes in supply.

Report of Working Group V

This report summarizes the discussions of the Working Group on Natural Aggregate Resources (The A Group) that were held as part of the NATO Advanced Study Institute on “Deposit and Geoenvironmental Models for Resource Exploitation and Environmental Security.” The working group formed spontaneously at the NATO ASI conference because many of the researchers there recognized that there are numerous international issues that relate to the identification, characterization, and development of aggregate resources; the reclamation of mined-out lands; and the environmental issues surrounding these resources. The working group was made up of 26 experts that represented 18 countries. Many of the representatives were experts in other fields and were not experts in the field of natural aggregate. However, all recognized that natural aggregate is an important resource for developing and developed countries, and shared the concern that those resources be developed in an environmentally and socially sensitive manner. The goal of the working group was to share ideas, experiences, knowledge and solutions of issues that can be used to help create a more efficient, environmentally friendly method of developing the worlds most intensively produced mineral resource.

The effect of policy choices on mineral availability

During the late 1980s and early 1990s almost 100 nations introduced new or revised existing, mineral policies and laws. We are now in another period of revision, particularly in the Eastern European nations. National mineral policies in these countries are being, or recently have been, reconsidered for several reasons. First, policies from the prior political era were not consistent with market driven economic policies. Second, they did not reflect the regulatory framework or policy directives of the new, integrating Europe. Finally, old policies did not address the concerns, issues and needs of societies today, primary among these being the desire for a sustainable future. In this paper we argue that each country’s mix of imported and domestically produced minerals should be economically profitable, socially acceptable, and in compliance with sustainable development principles. In this paper we focus on the ongoing revision of mineral policies in Eastern European countries transitioning to market-driven economies. We first review basic policy concepts, placing emphasis on the purpose and scope of mineral policies. We then briefly describe EU positions on sustainability, and economic and mineral policy. This is followed by a general review of the mineral policies and management situation in the transition economies of Eastern Europe. We conclude that of number of the current policies have the potential to limit the availability of minerals to countries in this region rather than ensuring their supply. We also identify several policy trends that are inconsistent with sustainability principles. Kratka vsebina Koncem osemdesetih in v za~etku devetdesetih let prej{njega stoletja je skoraj 100 dr‘av spremenilo, obnovilo svoje politike in zakonodajo na podro~ju rudarstva. V za~etku novega tiso~letja smo, predvsem v Vzhodni Evropi, ponovno v fazi prenove. Nacionalne rudarske politike so bile obnovljene zaradi razli~nih razlogov. Prvi~, politike izpred devetdesetih, niso bile primerljive s politikami tr‘nega gospodarstva, drugi~, politike niso ustrezale zakonodajnem okviru integrirane Evrope, kon~no stare politike niso upo{tevale skrbi, potreb in odprtih vpra{anj dana{nje dru‘be, predvsem ‘elje po prihodnosti temelje~i na na~elih trajnostnega razvoja. V ~lanku smo se osredoto~ili na potekajo~o revizijo rudarskih politik v Vzhodni Evropi v prehodnem obdobju, na poti k tr‘nem gospodarstvu. Prvo smo pregledali temeljne koncepte politik, s posebnim ozirom na namen in podro~je delovanja rudarskih politik. Potem na kratko opi{emo stali{~a Evropske Unije v zvezi s trajnostnim razvojem, gospodarsko in rudarsko politiko. Temu sledi splo{en pregled rudarskih politik in gospodarjenja z mineralnimi surovinami v gospodarstvih Vzhodne Evrope. Zaklju~ujemo z ugotovitvijo, da {tevilne rudarske politike vsebujejo usmeritve, ki lahko na regionalni ali dr‘avni ravni bolj omejujejo dostopnost do mineralnih surovin kot oskrbo z njimi. Poleg tega tudi ugotavljamo, da {tevilni trendi rudarskih politik niso skladni z na~eli trajnostnega razvoja.