Including Standards to Improve Coal MineClosure Practices and a Practitioner’sWorkbook for Implementation The World BankDecember 2024 © 2024 International Bank forReconstruction and Development/The World Bank 1818 H Street NWWashington, DC 20433Telephone: 202-473-1000www.worldbank.org This work is a product of the staff of TheWorld Bank with external contributions.The findings, interpretations, and conclusionsexpressed in this work do not necessarilyreflect the views of The World Bank, itsBoard of Executive Directors, or thegovernments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee theaccuracy of the data included in this work.The boundaries, colors, denominations, andother information shown on any map in thiswork do not imply any judgment on the partof The World Bank concerning the legal statusof any territory or the endorsementor acceptance of such boundaries. Rights and Permissions The material in this work is subject tocopyright. Because the World Bankencourages dissemination of its knowledge,this work may be reproduced, in whole or inpart, for noncommercial purposes as long asfull attribution to this work is given. Any queries on rights and licenses, includingsubsidiary rights, should be addressed to: World Bank PublicationsThe World Bank Group1818 H Street NWWashington, DC 20433,USA Fax: 202-522-2625 Contents More acronyms: terminology according to43gas provenance Going deeper: dealing with methane before and duringcoal mining Module 1 After mining: residual methane emissions shouldbe reduced Executive Summary13Closing a mine and preparing for the future13Mitigating risks to increase safety and preserve value14Evaluating resources for the post closure future16Assessing the risks associated with actions taken17during mine closureIntroduction20Three pillars underpin successful transitions20Standards to Improve Closure Practices22Closing a mine and preparing for the future22Evaluating resources for the post closure future26Assessing the risks associated with actions taken27during mine closureGroundwater and Fugitive Methane Emissions from30Coal MiningApplication of Good Practices to Coal Mine Closure34Checklist of good practices for implementing coal35mine closureConsidering options for mine closure projects at gassy38coal minesMitigating Fugitive Emissions40Coal-associated methane—an introduction40Methane: the second most important gas for40climate changeCoal-associated methane: an unconventional form41of natural gasMethane as a hazard and an opportunity41 Developing GHG policies that match the destructivepower of methane Global methane emissions will be monitored remotely48 Annex A: Supporting Information on49Probabilistic Risk Assessment Module 252 Executive Summary53The context of coal mine closure56Risk based approach to mine closure and repurposing58Hazard Identification – Hazard Assessment60Assessing residual risks after mine closure68Detailed risk assessment72Risk Management and Mitigation75Monitoring for mine closure79Beyond risk management – creating added value for81post mining lands and assetsLand Repurposing Methodology (LRM)83GIS-based Land Use and Repurposing Application (LURA)85From land repurposing methodology and classification88to spatial planningFrom “mining for closure” to “mining for repurposing”89 Acknowledgements The preparation of the reportMine Closure Standards andImproved Post-Closure Risk Management for Surface andUnderground Coal Mineswas led by Michael Stanley (LeadExtractives Specialist, IEEXI) and Wolfhart Pohl (Lead MiningSpecialist, IEEXI) from the World Bank’s Energy and ExtractivesGlobal Practice, and supported throughout by Helen Nguyen(Program Assistant, IEEXI). This knowledge product representsa significant milestone in advancing sustainable and responsibleclosure practices within the mining sector, particularly in regionsundergoing transitions away from coal. The task team extends its sincere gratitude to Ray Pilcher(Consultant, IEEXI) who provided much of the scientific andengineering underpinning for closure risk assessment and coalmine methane management. The team is grateful to colleaguesacross the World Bank for their valuable advice to this work,notably Rachel Perks (Senior Mining Specialist, IEEXI) andJustine Sylvester (Land Tenure Specialist, IEEXI). The team also appreciates the thorough reviews, insightfulfeedback and constructive suggestions provided by World Bankcolleagues Harshit Agrawal (Senior Gas Specialist, IEFMR),Phillip Hannam (Senior Energy Economist, IEEGK), and HarinathSesha Appalarajugari (Senior Environmental Engineer, SEAE2)for their instrumental inputs in enhancing the report’s qualityand depth. Special thanks are extended to the World Bank’s leadershipDemetrios Papathanasiou (Global Director, IEEDR) and RobertSchlotterer (Practice Manager, IEEXI) for their guidance andsupport throughout the development of this report. The task team acknowledges with gratitude the financialsupport provided by the World Bank’s