58 mineral raw materials will continue to be based on the extraction of non-renewable mineral resources and lesser quantities from waste. Figure 8. - Velenje Coal mine Urban Mining concept [1, 2]. 4. CONCLUSIONS AND GOOD URBAN MINING PRACTICES Mining has become increasingly difficult for societal and environmental reasons not just in urban areas in Slovenia/Bulgaria but all over the world. There is an increasing competition with other land uses, and water and energy are scarce in many mining regions. People are not ready to radically reduce the use of mineral-based products, but increasingly oppose mining. The industry and special mining industry faces major challenges to improve its performance and image [13]. As an example of the good practice of Urban Mining model, I can mention some Slovenian mining companies that have already introduced environmentally-oriented technologies: – Velenje coal mine has upgraded the Velenje longwall mining method by introducing the hydraulic backfilling method with fly-ash paste (see Figure 8.), which minimizes the effects of mining on the subsidence of surface area and uses secondary or waste industrial materials to improve geomechanical conditions on the stopes [1, 2];
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