Improvement and optimization of physical and chemical solutions for metallic mine reclamation scenarios in central and south-west Iberian Peninsula.
Mining is an essential activity in today's society, as it provides the essential materials and metals to maintain our current development level. However, it also generates a high environmental impact wherever it occurs. Mining activity not only directly transforms the landscape, but also has a major impact on the surrounding ecosystems. One of the worstenvironmental problems facing mining today is the impact on the river networks downstream.The emission of chemical and physical wastes into the river network greatly affects water quality, and thus the entire ecosystem. Furthermore, unlike other human activities that have an impact on the environment (creation and growth of urban infrastructures, agriculture, livestock farming, etc.), mining generally implies a clear temporary use: mining ends when the resources are exhausted, or when the need for them ceases to exist. For this reason, mining must contemplate the recovery of the land, with increasingly demanding criteria, so that the initial characteristics of the affected area are maintained or even improved.