A Multi-Criteria Approach for the Evaluation of Low Risk Restoration Projects in Continuous Surface Lignite Mines

The restoration of continuous surface lignite mines entering the closure phase is a long-term, complex and multidisciplinary project. During the evaluation of alternative restoration technologies, various environmental, technical, economic and social parameters are investigated. In this framework, for the selection of the lower risk restoration alternative, the analysis of the associated risks should be incorporated into the decision-making process. This work provides an overview of practical risk management problems and solutions in mining restoration projects. Moreover, it introduces a multi-criteria methodology for the improvement of the decision-making process in the evaluation of restoration alternatives and the selection of the optimal one, considering a continuous surface mining project. The proposed method is a combination of the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) for the quantification of risk factors and the technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) for the ranking of restoration alternatives based on a low risk approach. The results of the case study indicate that the proposed approach can be utilized as a low cost and easy-to-apply tool, appropriate for coal mining operators, managers and stakeholders involved in the planning and implementation of post-mining land restoration activities. Furthermore, the suggested methodology could be adopted to support the risk management needs in the restoration stage of complex surface mining projects.