Care and maintenance
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Care and maintenance is a term used in the mining industry to describe processes and conditions on a closed mine site at which there is the potential to recommence operations at a later date. During the care and maintenance phase, production is stopped but the site is managed to ensure it remains in a safe and stable condition.
The mine might be considered to be temporarily unviable,[1] due to current economic conditions or unfavourable resource prices,[2][3] which are expected to improve at a later date.[4]
Declining ore grades at some mines can also be a reason for care and maintenance announcements.[5]
In some cases controlling interest companies decide not to provide further funding for subsidiary operations.[6]