Mine closure policies and practices have advanced over recent decades, and most governments now recognize that closure is essential to sustainable mining and to the future of communities, and the environment affected by former mine sites. However, current practices fall short of achieving final closure, as mine sites are left in the hands of mine operators indefinitely, without a pathway to relinquish the site to the next landowner and to realize post-mining land uses, or as sites are relinquished without plans or funds to monitor and manage the site after closure and ensure those post-mining land uses are achieved.