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A SUSTAINABLE TAILINGS REPROCESSING PROJECT: A CASE OF STUDY IN PORTUGAL
Abstract and Figures
Tailings embankments are part of the legacy left by the intensive mining industry. These vast impoundment storages are associated with some adverse environmental and social impacts creating insecurity to the stakeholders. Mining tailings may also be a source of minerals with high grades. Reprocessing techniques may be used as an alternative solution to recover some metals and to rehabilitate these sites. A sustainable reprocessing project commits to integrated management of threefold dimension objective: economic goals, environmental constraints, and social development. This work provides the metrics corresponding to the valuation of the reprocessing project feasibility of an old tailings dam located in Portugal, named Cabeço do Pião. Using a conceptual framework, the sustainability project was analyzed, and the fundamental elements (i.e., metal recovery, commodities prices, demographic indices, life cycle assessment) were allocated to achieve the threefold challenge. The definition of the used metrics, evidences significance in a decision-supported model for effective management of the project. The results of this study could contribute to ensuring the environmental security, promoting the welfare of the hosting communities and thus assisting the local economic development.
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... In historical times, the mining of minerals generated millions of tons of waste rock and mining tailings, which were released into the environment through structures such as dumps, embankments, piles, dams, and other variations. These materials are unwanted by-products of mining where successive mineral processing operation suffered, and mining tailings have particular characteristics which depend on the processing technology and original ore deposit [3]. The reprocessing of tailings has been an option used for the remediation and rehabilitation of affected mine sites. ...
... Additionally, the economic interests in metals recovering are justified by its price increase and risk of critical supply. The potential recovery of metals can be a benefit for land and local communities' redevelopment [3]. Heizmann & Liebetrau (2017) [2] found that tailings contain significant amounts of ores in a recent study on the efficiency of artisanal and small-scale mining in Rwanda, and recommended reprocessing of these tailings as a proper way of managing tailings and optimizing the recovery of the ores at the site. ...
... Indeed, the reprocessing of tailings decreases waste generation and utilization of undiscovered resources: by repurposing the residual part, the number of current tailings may be reduced, reducing the requirement to extract new resources and lowering the demand for new tailings formation [6]. Figueiredo et al. (2019) [3] studied the design optimization of tailings reprocessing: tungsten and zinc recovery in Portugal based on structural maximization, consisting of setting the structure of the equipment arrangement and parametric maximization that is expressed by determining set values of design variables, corresponding to design parameters. It is important to investigate the full potential of mine tailings processing technologies to encourage the recycling of resources and the growth of the economy and the ecosystem as a whole [7,8]. ...
Mining activities have resulted in a large volume of tailings containing a certain proportion of lost minerals, making them a potential reprocessing opportunity, and information on tailings and mineral reprocessing is often scarce. In this study, a conceptual framework was established and used to produce meaningful information and knowledge from the tailings of the Nyamatete mine at HABATU Mining Company Limited (an ASM in Rwanda). Tailings particles were investigated based on the observed lithology to determine their distribution over the tailing dams, and a site-specific sampling approach and procedure were established. Sieving the collected samples, particle size analysis, and chemical analysis using XRF were chosen as methods for tailings characterization. Raw materials such as SnO2, minor Ta2O5, and Nb2O5 and elements of environmental importance such as Mn, Co, and as were observed but in small quantities are largely predominant in quartz vein, have been discovered in Nyamatete tailings. The comminution and gravity separation by mechanical reprocessing facilities improved Cassiterite recovery by 43.9 % compared to the artisanal processing method. SnO2 recovery of 19.4 % and 29.9 % with grades of 63.224 % and 76.6 % were obtained in pegmatite and quartz tailings respectively. According to a scoping study, the Habatu tailings have an appropriate grade, the valuable content occurs in a recoverable grain-size range, and the total ore amount scales with the required input for the reprocessing equipment. Tailings reprocessing with mechanized reprocessing equipment is advantageous because it improves efficiency while also treating the material with previously unknown quantities of ore, thereby significantly increasing the total recovery of processed Run of Mine.
... In addition, the samples were geo-referenced and identified as "S" for the surface samples and as "P" for the deep samples. A few samples were selected for a more detailed characterization within different studies and purposes (Figueiredo et al. 2018a;Figueiredo et al. 2018b;Albuquerque et al. 2017). ...
... W = 2496 mg/kg; and Zn = 99,944 mg/kg. The relative standard deviation is between 0 and 5% (Figueiredo et al. 2018a). ...
The characterization of historical mine tailings provides important information for land-management decisions, in particular when considering potential reprocessing activities or the development of an environmental protection program. In addition, outcomes from such characterization may define the scope for a more detailed investigation. The present work describes the characterization of the waste material from the Cabeço do Pião tailings impoundment performed within the project ReMinE: Improve Resource Efficiency and Minimize Environmental Footprint. The purpose of the work was to investigate alternative mine waste management options such as the extraction of valuable resources from an environmental liability. The study involved the collection of 41 samples at different locations at two different depths, physical and chemical characterization of the wastes, natural leaching tests, and potential for acid generation. The results showed that, apart from the potential instability of the dyke (with an average slope of 35°), the drained solutions flowing by percolation contain very small particles with high arsenic contents that are being incorporated into the river sediments. In addition, these very fine-grained materials are available for the transport by the wind creating secondary sources of environmental contamination. This data is fundamental for economic and environmental assessment of the two main alternatives, reprocessing or removal.
The mineral potential of cassiterite fines from tailing dumps in the Jos Tin Mining Community Resource Centre (MCRC), Plateau State Nigeria, were studied through a wet concentration process and dry electrostatic and magnetic processes and then evaluated using empirical evidence. Three samples of the tailing dumps with the size of mineral smaller than 5 mm were collected at random through the “Tin Mining Community Resource Centre”. The huge pile of the tailing dumps may have an environmental impact in the area, so they need to be treated and recovered for the valuable heavy minerals and sand tailing for the local construction industry. The grade of the average tailing dumps as analyzed using XRF were 2.08% Sn, 3.51% Nb, 25.5% Fe, 14.91%Ti, 8.36% Zr, 12.99% Al, and 45.68% Si. The percentage compositions of the cassiterite tailings were expressed to its simplest genetic mineral forms using an empirical formula. The genetic mineral forms were ilmenite, zircon and sand. Since ilmenite has the highest concentration in the cassiterite tailings and the highest economic values, then recycling of ilmenite should be ascertained. After the wet processing by the screen, hydro cyclone, spiral concentrator, and shaking table, the concentrate consists the most of, ilmenite, zircon, and sand. The following dry processes used rotary dryer, screening, electrostatic separator, magnetic separator to separate cassiterite from the heavy minerals and sand. The final iron and titanium concentrate can be upgraded to 72% Fe and Ti using certain reagents such as fluoride acids which can be sold to the Iron ore smelting plant.
This paper describes mineral resources and the demand for them, taking into account the dynamics and global trends in the economy of raw materials. It presents the importance of mineral resources in the development of the world economy, and the importance of mineral resources that are critical for economic development. The main assumptions presented in this paper are the main assumptions that relate to the sustainable development of the mining sector, the ones that will significantly shape the development of mining in the future.
Today, most mining companies declare their commitment to the values of sustainability in their Vision, declarations and policies, but not many achieve an efficient integration of those values down into the operational levels of the organization. Corporate commitment is an essential condition for integrating sustainability, but is not sufficient. Another key condition is a business culture where sustainability is a high professional and business value and sustainability objectives are implemented through commitment rather than compliance. Furthermore, the integration process requires of an organizational structure specific roles and integration mechanisms and adequate management systems. In this paper, I would like to focus on the very complex management task for the integration of sustainability down to the operational levels of mining companies, the organizational structures and the management roles and systems required for integration
The environmental legacies of metal mining are often dominated by large waste facilities, which can be sources of acid and metalliferous drainage, resulting in both local pollution and irreversible loss of some of the soluble minerals. Whether a material is treated as waste or ore depends on a wide variety of factors and circumstances. Three critical aspects – time, the extractive strategy and the economic context - are discussed in this paper. The authors argue that the fine line between waste and ore requires a mine waste management (MWM) hierarchy that properly considers waste as a potential future resource. This hierarchy exhibits four main levels: reduce, reprocess & stockpile, downcycle and dispose, which are illustrated by a review of both academic research and public data on industrial practices. The authors conclude that to generate the most successful outcomes the hierarchy must operate across all levels and is a core component of an overall mine sustainability framework.
Waste materials from metal mining, such as mineral tailings, often contain significant amounts of potentially valuable metals particularly where, as in many historic operations, the efficiency of flotation technologies used to concentrate target minerals was not as good as those currently available. A two-stage mineral leaching and metal recovery protocol was developed to extract copper from tailings generated as waste materials in two mines currently operating in Spain and Serbia. The most effective extraction of copper (84 to >90%) was achieved by bioleaching the tailings at 45 °C, using a defined microbial consortium, where elemental sulfur was added to the tailings and the pH of leach liquors allowed to fall to ∼pH 1, at which point anaerobic conditions were imposed. The thermo-tolerant acidophiles Acidithiobacillus caldus and Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans emerged as the dominant bacteria present in both tailings leachates under these conditions. Copper present in the pregnant leach solutions (PLS) produced were next precipitated as a sulfide phase using hydrogen sulfide generated in a low pH (4.0) sulfidogenic bioreactor. The off-line system used allowed the copper present in PLS to be precipitated selectively without the need to adjust the pH of the PLS, though small amounts of silver present in PLS from one of the tailings samples co-precipitated with copper sulfide. Experimental data also suggested that it would be possible to extract silver from bioleached solid residues (where it was mostly found) using a simple chemical extractant. The results suggested that bio-processing these waste materials would have economic as well as environmental benefits.
This book provides a thorough, up-to-date overview of wastes accumulating at mine sites. It deals comprehensively with sulfidic mine wastes, mine water, tailings, cyanidation wastes of gold-silver ores, radioactive wastes of uranium ores, and wastes of phosphate and potash ores. The book emphasizes the characterization, prediction, monitoring, disposal and treatment as well as environmental impacts of problematic mine wastes. The strong pedagogical framework is supported by case studies from around the world, presentation of crucial aspects of mine wastes as scientific issues; end-of-chapter summaries as well as lists of resource materials and www sites for each waste type. The considerably updated third edition has novel and notable changes including: revision of text to reflect major developments and contemporary issues that are taking place in the field of mine waste science; new web pages at the end of each chapter; over 20 case studies and scientific issues; over 150 figures and tables; and an updated bibliography with over 1200 references. This newly balanced text will continue to equip the student and the professional with a thorough understanding of the principles and processes of mine wastes. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010. All rights are reserved.
This paper reviews the tools and methodologies used for incorporating sustainability considerations into the design of mineral processing operations. It was found that while there is a range of tools and methodologies that contribute to Design for Sustainability, there is no consistent, integrated approach to support the mineral industry in incorporating a greater level of sustainability into the design process. This paper identifies the required elements in such an approach and discusses the ways in which its development would progress the industry towards sustainability.
Elaboração e Avaliação Econômica de Projetos de Mineração
- G E Ferreira
- J G Andrade
Ferreira G.E., Andrade J.G., Elaboração e Avaliação Econômica de Projetos de
Mineração, in Tratamento de Minérios (5 th ed.), chap 20, pp 899-931, Brazil, 2010.