The end of mining activities and the progressive disappearance of mining operators usher in a new era in France: that of post-mining.
Various legislative measures provide that the State shall stand surety for damage caused by the operator’s activity when this latter is not in a position to do so or is no longer in existence and place under State care the installations and equipment needed for prevention and safety.
Preserving skills and transmitting knowledge in the mining professions are other essential stakes in the post-mine era. Understanding phenomena, mapping sites and monitoring derelict mining zones create the need to perpetuate and add to existing technical literature, and to align it with changing needs.
After the intensive mining activity that once was one of the pillars of its industrial might, France today has instituted a legislative framework, an organization and means to accompany an inevitable mutation and to allow the mining adventure to continue to occupy its rightful place in our social, cultural, scientific and technical heritage.