La fermeture et la mise en sécurité des exploitations minières souterraines en France. Aspects juridiques et techniques

International audienceFor many years the French economy was based on a quite developed mining industry (iron, coal, salt, potash...). The French Government priorities were largely modified since the progressive closure of iron and potash mines in the last few years and the planned ending of the coal exploitation in 2005. The main goal consists now of managing the post mining period by ensuring the closing and the securing of old mining works in best conditions. The French mining regulations changed a lot in the last 10 years. The definitive closing of old exploitations is now subjected to strongly demanding procedures. The authorities decided to apply a policy based on a systematic prevention of risks and annoyance by imposing the owner to take any measures that could ensure a long term safety of goods and people as well as limit annoyance that may affect the environment. A brief overview of the historical and technical background of the French mining exploitation as well as the main disasters that cast a tragic shadow over its history are firstly exposed. The typical content of a mine works definitive closure application is then presented. The main goals of this kind of procedure consist of defining residual risks resulting from the exploitation and determining the counter measures that are best appropriate to limit them. INERIS is a French National Institute dealing with risks and industrial safety issues. It achieves this kind of definitive closure applications in close co-operation with the owner and the authority in charge of the instruction