Mining activities often generate important amounts of extractive waste, and, as a consequence, environmental impacts that affect all factors to a greater or lesser extent. Depending on a variety of variables, the impact can be permanent or temporary, reversible or irreversible, negative or positive. This study conducted research on the status of closure and remediation processes of mining areas in Romania, specifically in the counties of Maramureș, Suceava, Harghita, Alba, Hunedoara and Caraș-Severin. Furthermore, based on the type and level of pollution, the degree of application of remediation techniques for water and soil pollution in the investigated mining areas was studied. From the analysed information, it is evident that although the closure and remediation process started in Romania over 20 years ago, unfortunately, to this day, the technical projects, technical assistance, and execution of closure and remediation works have not yet completely solved the complex environmental issues in the mining sector. Most of the tailing ponds and waste piles of former mines continue to pose permanent specific risks to the environment and the population. This study concludes that the mining sector in Romania, although it has the necessary techniques and technologies for the ecological rehabilitation of degraded lands related to the Extractive Waste Facilities and the elimination of negative impacts on the environment and public health, has not yet been able to fully concretize its remediation efforts.

Mining activities often generate important amounts of extractive waste, and as a consequence, environmental impacts that affects all factors to a greater or lesser extent. Depending on a variety of variables, the impact can be permanent or temporary, reversible or irreversible, negative or positive. This study conducted research on the status of closure and remediation processes of mining areas in Romania, specifically in the counties of Maramureș, Suceava, Harghita, Alba, Hunedoara, and Caraș-Severin. Furthermore, based on the type and level of pollution, the degree of application of remediation techniques for water and soil pollution in the investigated mining areas was studied. From the analysed information, it is evident that although the closure and remediation process started in Romania over 20 years ago, unfortunately, to this day, the technical projects, technical assistance, and execution of closure and remediation works have not yet completely solved the complex environmental issues in the mining sector. Most of the tailing ponds and waste piles of former mines continue to pose permanent specific risk to the environment and the population. This study concludes that the mining sector in Romania, although it has the necessary techniques and technologies for the ecological rehabilitation of degraded lands related to the Extractive Waste Facilities and the elimination of negative impacts on the environment and public health, has not yet been able to fully concretize its remediation efforts.

One of the main forms of expression of the power of the Dacian Kingdom, with its capital at Sarmizegetusa Regia, was represented by the monumental constructions built in ashlar stone, the result of a mixture between local traditions and Greek and Roman influences. The fortified acropolis at Piatra Roșie is one of the main components of this center of power and one of the most important archaeological sites from the Late Iron Age in Romania. In 1999 it was inscribed on the World Heritage List as part of the serial site “Dacian Fortresses in the Orăștie Mountains”. This paper presents the most recent data regarding the stones used in the construction of the Piatra Roșie fortress, the most important building material from the point of view of volume and durability. The historiographical and archaeological data, the field investigations and measurements, together with the mineralogical analysis of stone varieties have been corroborated with specific interpretations for construction engineering and 3D modeling applied in the evaluation of the dimension stone volume. The present approach constitutes an absolute novelty for the site of Piatra Roșie, and, also, a model that can be applied to the specific conditions of the other Dacian Fortresses.

This study aims to describe the triphylite (LiFe²⁺PO₄) from Li-bearing pegmatites from the Conțu-Negovanu area (Southern Carpathians, Romania). Thus, for the first time in this area, using four analytical methods, i.e., electron micro-probe analysis (EMPA), polarized optical microscopy (POM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and powder X-ray diffraction (p-XRD), the authors have succeeded in isolating the triphylite from the isomorphous triphylite–lithiophilite series. In addition, in the Conțu-Negovanu area, two new minerals were identified and described for the first time in pegmatites from this area: Fe-rich gatehouseite and wolfeite. The use of EMPA allowed for the tentative calculation of empirical formulae for these secondary phosphate minerals.