In the congress hall of the “Iulius Town” complex in Timișoara, on January 29, the opening conference of the cross-border project “Environmental risk assessment from mining activities as a result of tailings storage in the crossborder area Romania – Serbia” was held.
This project is implemented within the Interreg IPA Romania – Serbia program, with the aim of improving environmental protection and environmental risk management in the mining areas of both countries. This ambitious project is implemented within the Interreg IPA Romania-Serbia program, and the total value of the project is EUR 1,242,286.25, of which EUR 1,055,943.31 is provided from the IPA III CBC fund, while the remaining part is financed by partner institutions and the private sector.
The conference was attended by more than 140 participants, including representatives of the scientific community, local authorities and industry.
The conference was opened by prof. Dr. Nicoleta Nemeș, project manager, who presented its key goals and its importance for cross-border cooperation. The opening address was also held by prof. Dr. Liviu Marșavina, vice-chancellor of the Polytechnic University in Timișoara, and Ivana Jakšić Matović, consul general of the Republic of Serbia in Timisoara.
A special focus of the conference was on the participation of the Mining and Metallurgy Institute of Bor, whose representatives gave notable presentations on the state of the mining sector in Serbia and challenges in managing environmental risks.
The coordinator of the project from the Serbian side, Dr. Daniel Kržanović, spoke about the Institute’s key activities within the ERA-MIN project and the importance of international cooperation in environmental protection. Director of the Center for the Design of Metallic Mineral Resources at the Mining and Metallurgy Institute, Igor Svrkota, MSc, presented the work and professional capacities of the Institute, emphasizing their contribution to the analysis and assessment of the environmental impacts of mining activities. Miloš Stojanović, master mining engineer, held a presentation on the topic “Bor and mining – challenges and perspectives”, where he spoke about the environmental challenges facing the Bor district, as well as about possible solutions for the improvement of sustainable mining.
During the discussion, the participants considered the current level of pollution in the Bor region and the Moldova Nouă area, as well as opportunities for improving the quality of air, water and soil. The importance of raising awareness about climate change and the implementation of sustainable practices in the mining industry was also highlighted.
The final part of the conference was dedicated to the conclusions and future steps of the project, and the participants were addressed by Adrian Torma, the mayor of Moldova Nouă, who emphasized the importance of such initiatives for local communities in the cross-border area.
The conference concluded with the message that an interdisciplinary approach, cross-border cooperation and the implementation of modern technologies are necessary to reduce the negative impacts of mining and preserve the environment. The ERA-MIN project, with significant financial resources and support from EU funds, represents an important step in that direction, and the research results and proposed solutions are expected in the next stages of implementation.