Post-Mining Land Use Concepts for the Wald am Schoberpass and Angerer Magnesite Mines

In the long term, every mine faces the task of responsible mine closure and the associated opportunity for regional realignment. In Austria, mining companies are legally obligated to recultivate or renaturalize the areas temporarily used for the extraction of raw materials. If one considers the area, which has been restructured by mining activities, as an asset, it is worthwhile to explore the possibilities in detail. These can sustainably shape the location and make a positive contribution to regional development. The mining company Styromag commits to this task, as some of its mining areas have only a limited remaining lifespan. As part of this master¿s thesis, suitable post-mining land use options for the sites Wald am Schoberpass and Angerer were identified. Particular emphasis was placed on sustainability, feasibility, and regional value creation. In order to determine suitable options for each site, potential possibilities first had to be determined. Therefore, already implemented national and international post-mining land use options were examined, with the focus on identifying exceptional implementations. Furthermore, the legal and strategic framework for post-mining land use in Austria was outlined. In addition, general as well as location-specific risks and hazards associated with mine closure and post-mining development were assessed. To simplify the decision-making process and to examine the most suitable options for each site, an assessment method was developed. The required criteria for this purpose should assess the post-mining land use options in a site-specific manner and make them comparable on a standardized basis. The 115 post-mining land use options were compared in a matrix based on location-specific, legal, infrastructural, and socioeconomic factors. The evaluations were carried out by the company using a quantitative four-level rating scale as well as a weighting of the critical parameters. As a result for Wald am Schoberpass, 17 post-mining land use types, all belonging to the category ¿nature, environment and ecology¿, were assigned the same score. These were subsequently consolidated into three combined packages, each consisting of two or three options. These variants include: Variant 1: Forest-economic value creation through the implementation of ¿valuable hardwood cultivation¿, ¿biomass plantations¿, and ¿coppice forestry¿. Variant 2: Biodiversity-focused restoration, combining ¿biotopes and habitat conservation areas¿ with ¿climate-resilient forestry¿. Variant 3: Socio-cultural landscape development through the implementation of ¿educational trails¿, ¿orchards¿, and ¿wildflower gardens¿. Based on a SWOT analysis comparing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and risks of the three combinations, the mining company selected Variant 2: ¿biodiversity-focused restoration¿ for implementation at the Wald am Schoberpass open pit site. The Angerer site, in contrast, shows a combined evaluation regarding the mining method. For the open pit operation, 13 post-mining land use options, likewise belonging to the category ¿nature, environment and ecology¿, are ranked first. In analogy to the result for the Wald am Schoberpass site, these were also grouped into three combination packages, each consisting of two or three variants. Subsequently, the underground mine was assessed. These revealed results across different categories, with two options ranking on third place. All four post-mining land use options are also applicable to the open pit operation. The company selected two variants each from the surface and underground areas to be compared in a SWOT analysis. These include Variant 1, forest-economic value creation, which is identical to the option applied at the Wald am Schoberpass site. Likewise, Variant 2 comprises biodiversity-focused restoration, combining ¿biotopes and habitat conserva