The perpetual obligations: A never-ending task
The RAG-Stiftung finances three types of perpetual obligations, all of which are basically related to water The perpetual obligations, which have been financed by the RAG-Stiftung since the beginning of 2019, address the consequences of coal mining, which require the implementation of technical and logistical measures of unlimited duration.
They are divided into three areas:
1. Treating the pit water in the underground sites of former mines,
2. pumping away the surface water, and
3. purifying and monitoring the groundwater in some of the former mining sites, especially around former coking plants.
Mining-related damage—that is, damage to buildings, plots of land or roads that is due to mining activities—is expressly excluded from the perpetual obligations. The settlement of claims for mining-related damage is handled not by the RAG-Stiftung but directly by RAG Aktiengesellschaft. RAG has made the financial provisions that are needed for this purpose.
Pit water management
Polder measures
