The administrative responsibility regimen for environmental damage prevention and recovery is established by Decree-law Nr. 147/2008, of July 29th. The law covers a wide range of industrial activities, including the mining industry.

An operator or owner, who, independently of guilt or malice, causes environmental damage or a threat to the environment as result of its activity, is responsible for the application of preventive or recovery measures for the damage or threat inflicted.

In order to be able to assume the environmental responsibility, inherent to the activity undertaken, the legislation imposes the obligation to put in place financial warranties (insurance policies, bank deposits or other). These have become mandatory since January 1st, 2010.

The determination of the amount of the financial warrantee is based on by the environmental risk assessment of the facilities in question.