In a recent past the mining industry was perceived by the public as highly unfriendly for the environment.

The result of the mineral and energy resources extraction activities and the environmental damage they induced gave way to activity regulation by the countries, in what environmental performance is concerned, both in the perspective of remediation and prevention of environmental impact.

Today, mining companies are required to comply with environmental, operation and closure strict regulations, in order to assure that the mining exploitation area is intervened in a controlled way and that, after the closure of the operations it is returned to its initial condition and in any cases with recovery of past environmental damages.