Tailings And Mine Waste Management For The 21st Century

The book reviews past and present mine waste management processes. It estimates global water consumption by major mining resources per annum. This consumption will lead land use resources (agriculture and water) to collide with mining interests expected in the near future. With the application of novel metal extraction processes and the adoption of ecological engineering as an approach to waste and water management, a reduction in water and land consumption can be achieved. Using these methodologies would make mining more sustainable. Together with ore and metal recycling, mining methods can be brought into the 21st century. The book describes natural weathering processes and the microbiology of extreme environments, also known as mine sites. The role of microbes in weathering and remediation is emphasized, along with case studies of the enhancement of various ecological processes which curtail weathering and transform pollutants, creating ore bodies of the future. This book has been written as an extension to a contribution to the Oxford Research Encyclopedia. It adds depth and many examples from 40 years of multidisciplinary work with experts from geology, hydrogeology, geomicrobiology and algal physiology and chemistry, items too extensive for the Encyclopedia.

Tailings and Mine Waste 10 contains the contributions from the 14th annual Tailings and Mine Waste Conference, held by Colorado State University of Fort Collins, Colorado in conjunction with the University of Alberta and the University of British Columbia. The purpose of this series of conferences is to provide a forum for discussion and establish

Today's best practice in environmental mine-waste management requires a thorough understanding of the wastes produced. The knowledge of mine wastes represents a new interdisciplinary science and this book provides an introductory, descriptive and analytic overview of the wastes produced in the mineral industry. It describes the characterization, prediction, monitoring, disposal and treatment as well as environmental impacts. Intended for undergraduate courses, it systematically builds the reader’s understanding and knowledge of the wastes produced, their physical and chemical characteristics, and how to deal responsibly with them on a short and long-term basis. The text employs 22 case studies spanning the world’s mineral industry that elucidate best practice and specific challenges in mine-waste management and site rehabilitation.

These papers focus on mine and mill tillings and mine waste. The work also contains information on subjects related to: regulations, technical capacities and developments. This guide identifies the current and future issues facing the mining and enviromental concerns.

This book presents a comprehensive approach to address the need to improve the design of tailings dams, their management and the regulation of tailings management facilities to reduce, and eventually eliminate, the risk of such facilities failing. The scope of the challenge is well documented in the report by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and GRID Arendal entitled “Mine Tailings Storage: Safety Is No Accident,” which was released in October 2017. The report recommends that “Regulators, industry and communities should adopt a shared, zero-failure objective to tailings storage facilities...” and identifies several areas where further improvements are required. In this context, the application of cutting-edge risk-assessment methodologies and risk-management practices can contribute to a significant reduction and eventual elimination of dam failures through Risk Informed Decision Making. As such, the book focuses on identifying and describing the risk-assessment approaches and risk-management practices that need to be implemented in order to develop a way forward to achieve socially acceptable levels of tailings dam risk.

This book presents a comprehensive approach to address the need to improve the design of tailings dams, their management and the regulation of tailings management facilities to reduce, and eventually eliminate, the risk of such facilities failing. The scope of the challenge is well documented in the report by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and GRID Arendal entitled “Mine Tailings Storage: Safety Is No Accident,” which was released in October 2017. The report recommends that “Regulators, industry and communities should adopt a shared, zero-failure objective to tailings storage facilities...” and identifies several areas where further improvements are required. In this context, the application of cutting-edge risk-assessment methodologies and risk-management practices can contribute to a significant reduction and eventual elimination of dam failures through Risk Informed Decision Making. As such, the book focuses on identifying and describing the risk-assessment approaches and risk-management practices that need to be implemented in order to develop a way forward to achieve socially acceptable levels of tailings dam risk.

Integrating waste management, environmental sustainability, and economic development is a prime milestone in the circular economy. Critical metals recovery from mining tailings and secondary resources has significant potential, with widespread applications in high-tech industries that are critical to modern society and sustainable development. This book discusses technological advances for managing industrial and mining waste through circular economy approaches and successful critical metal recovery from secondary resources. It highlights how reprocessing of mine waste and tailings results in development of critical raw materials that significantly reduce the mining burden and ensure the lucrative use of waste materials. Features: Describes advances in remediation and valorization technologies for mining wastes Details biotechnological methods, cutting edge research, and applications Covers use of waste mining resources for economic growth and novel opportunities Discusses IR4.0 and machine learning methods Includes reports and case studies on mining waste in value-added products and recovery of strategically important critical minerals This book will be of value to researchers and advanced students working in the mining, chemical and environmental engineering, and renewable energy sectors.