Ensuring the sufficiency of quarry materials through actions that are fully intertwined with the rational and sustainable management and development of mineral resources is one of the main objectives of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment and the Mines and Quarries Service (YML), he emphasized the Minister of Agriculture Maria Panagiotou.
In a speech at the conference on "Modern Mining Industry - Development with Environmental Responsibility - Remediation and Biodiversity", co-organized on Thursday by YML and the All Cyprus Association of Concrete Builders, Ms. Panagiotou, after noting that "we want our energies to be reduced to a minimum the effects on the natural environment", he said that "through the continuous modernization of the legislation as well as the staffing of the YML, we are implementing actions for the gradual restoration of the areas that have been affected by the quarrying and mining activity with the ultimate goal of integrating the areas into the wider natural environment".
The Minister of Agriculture said that "the use of the best available techniques in the mining and quarrying industry is now imperative and considered of the utmost importance for the sustainable development of our mineral resources as well as the rehabilitation of mines and quarries".
He also said that the mining industry of aggregates is a pillar of development that is directly linked to building a sustainable and resilient economy, while we must ensure that their mining is done with maximum environmental responsibility.
"We must not forget that many of the raw materials that are mined are necessary for the manufacture of green technologies, such as batteries, wind turbines and photovoltaic systems," he added.
Also, the Minister of Agriculture referred to the Regulation on Critical Raw Materials (Critical Raw Materials Act) of the European Union, which was recently passed and put into effect, noting that the regulation "comes to face the growing demand for critical raw materials, while it is and completely connected to the protection of the environment".
In addition, Mrs. Panagiotou referred to today's signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between the School of Metallurgical-Metallurgical Engineering of the National Technical University of Athens and the Service of Mines and Quarries, which marks, as she said, "an important step towards strengthening innovation and scientific research in the field of exploitation of our mineral resources".
The purpose of the memorandum, according to the Minister, "is to strengthen the exchange of know-how and the development of initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of mining and quarrying activity, always with a view to sustainability, the protection and enrichment of biodiversity in the mining areas as well as the organization of education, research and innovation activities in matters of sustainable development of the mineral wealth of Cyprus".
Greetings Director of YML conference on "Modern Mining Industry - Development with Environmental Responsibility - Restorations and Biodiversity"
Besides, in his greeting at the conference, the Director of YML Stelios Michael said that "the need to apply modern methods in the mining industry with environmental and social responsibility, with the implementation of gradual rehabilitation, restoration of the environment and the preservation of biodiversity is imperative".
Mr. Michael expressed the need to implement actions to promote the Circular Economy in the Mining and Quarrying sector and referred to the promotion of new innovative methodologies for the reuse of low content deposits and ores, while rehabilitating abandoned Mines.
"The products of the mining industry are absolutely necessary since they are the raw materials for the construction of infrastructure projects" and "the development of the country as well as its evolution is completely dependent on them", he underlined.
He also mentioned that in recent years steps have been taken to promote recycled quarry materials from constructions and demolitions and added that the Council of Ministers, by its decision, has appointed a Technical Committee to promote recycled aggregate materials in projects.
"It is a very difficult undertaking and we have to admit that there is still a long way to go for the implementation of the actions and goals that have been set," he added. He also referred to the recent enactment of regulations for the management of construction and demolition waste, the amendment of the relevant decree on the basic requirements concerning construction products, the systematic sampling in the context of market surveillance and the amendment of the technical specifications in Public Works contracts for mandatory use of recycled materials.
"YML monitors the mining activities from the first day of their licensing until the day of completion of the environmental restoration, with the aim of the least possible environmental impact during the operation stage of the project and the upgrading of the site after the completion of the restoration", he underlined.
Stating that the continuous modernization and development of the Mines and Quarries Service is among the primary objectives, Mr. Michael said that the 2024 budget has included a restructuring of the Service, with the approval of ten new positions and the creation of inspection offices in all provinces.
"With the appropriate staffing and the implementation of a new organizational structure, the goal is for the Mines and Quarries Service to fully meet its obligations and to contribute decisively to the expansion of the ore and quarry materials exploitation sector of Cyprus with safety for the workers and the least possible impact on the environment", he concluded.
Greetings from the President of the All Cyprus Association of Concrete Builders
Finally, in his greeting, the President of the Pancypriot Association of Concrete Builders and UEPG Antonis Antoniou Latouros said that "inert materials build everything around us" and "without inert materials there would be life, but it would not be as comfortable as most of us , on this planet, we enjoy it today."
He added that "if it weren't for the inert materials there wouldn't be a roof over our heads" and there wouldn't be, among other things, roads, ports, airports, offices and schools.
"Both nature and inert materials are necessary for our lives, for our everyday life and for our well-being", he said and added that "since both of these are vital, then we all (state, industry and society) to find ways for these two to coexist".
The President of the Association of Concrete Builders referred to the need for an exchange of strategic views during the conference which will help us, as he said, "to achieve the harmony that is needed between development and the protection of nature".
He also stated that "in Cyprus we have twice the per capita consumption (of aggregates) than the EU average" and noted that the average consumption of aggregates in Europe is 5,6 tons per capita, per year, while in Cyprus it is 11 tons , which "means that in Cyprus we also have the corresponding development".
Given this development, according to Mr Latourou, "and the fact that we are an isolated island", where imports of aggregates are impossible both in terms of economic and environmental costs, "we must and must manage our natural resources , our inert materials, in a responsible and sustainable way".
"Let's all work together, let's create synergies and not contradictions to achieve the sole goal of making our promises into actions so that we all have a sustainable future," he concluded.
Source: KYPE
