A solution to the worrying environmental legacy left behind by Fife’s sprawling Muir Dean opencast could be in sight.
The opencast supported around 100 workers and contractors before ATH Resources fell into administration earlier this year.
Now, Fife MP Gordon Brown says he has received promises polluted mine water will be treated and the site should be restored.
Durham-based Hargreaves, which took over some former Scottish Coal sites after its collapse, had agreed to buy other assets of ATH subsidiary Aardvark TMC but not Muir Dean.
Since then, worries have grown about the environmental impact of the site, on the outskirts of the west Fife village of Crossgates.
However, the Coal Authority says it is working on a resolution to the issues.
Simon Reed, director of operations at the authority, promised it will continue to work with all of the parties in order to resolve mine water issues.
Local MP Gordon Brown has welcomed undertakings made by the Coal Authority, particularly with regards to managing water discharge at the site.
Mr Brown said the release of polluted water into the local water courses from the deep mining works and the opencast site has been an ongoing worry for local residents and businesses.
“I have been concerned about the circumstances affecting the opencast coal industry in my constituency and throughout Fife as regards employment and the environment,” Mr Brown said.
The plan for a long-term solution had been complicated by the operator of the opencast site going into receivership, he added.
However, the Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath MP said the Coal Authority had undertaken to construct and operate a mine water treatment scheme in the locality.
And it had also agreed to work with Fife Council and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to try and restore the opencast site.
However, Mr Brown added: “Much remains to be done, with many challenges still to face.”
Fife Council leader Alex Rowley confirmed the council’s officers were working on a permanent solution to the Muir Dean site particularly the pumping and treatment of mine water.
The discussions have involved landowners, the Coal Authority, SEPA, Scottish Government, Fife Council and its specialist consultants Dalglish Associates, plus financial company Euler Hermes.
“An environmentally acceptable and sustainable solution will mean the restoration of the site without any further coal extraction taking place and the permanent treatment of the mine water by the Coal Authority,” Mr Rowley said.
“There are still on going discussions on some technical matters but Fife Council anticipates the formal tendering process for the restoration works to start in the next week or so.”
Mr Rowley added: “I have requested a full update report from officers to be considered at the next Executive Committee meeting on August 20.
“This will outline the situation on all the Fife opencast coal sites and detail what progress has been made and the efforts taken by Fife Council to minimise the community impacts at the affected sites.”
Photo by David Wardle