Mining and quarrying activities and waste generation Jürgen Gonser ARGUS, Berlin Workshop on mining waste, 11./12. October 2011

Structure of presentation Characteristics of the mining and quarrying sector Waste generation data Structure of NACE Section B Extractive waste categories Environmental impacts Summary Workshop on mining waste, 11./12. October 2011

Mining/Quarrying - Sector Characteristics Characteristics of the mining and quarrying sector (NACE B) compared to other economic sectors: Huge masses of material have to be moved / handled  high impact on waste statistics / on total waste generation over all sectors Variation of waste arising across countries extremely high for known and unknown reasons The type of waste produced as well as the methods of waste management (heaps, ponds, etc.) are substantially different from other sectors Workshop on mining waste, 11./12. October 2011

Mining/Quarrying - Sector Characteristics The sector is economically and technically very heterogeneous Waste may be stored for a long time before being recovered or disposed of Spectrum of waste varies from unpolluted soil to hazardous waste (that may arise in high quantities) Mines and quarries are not only sources of waste but also recovery or disposal facilities of waste for extractive waste and for waste of other origin Management of mining / quarrying waste is often regulated under mining law and not under waste legislation. Workshop on mining waste, 11./12. October 2011

Extractive Waste Data Waste generated in NACE B related to population (2008) Workshop on mining waste, 11./12. October 2011

Extractive Waste Data Waste generated in NACE B related to national wastes total by countries (2008) Workshop on mining waste, 11./12. October 2011

Structure of Mining and Quarrying Sector Structure of NACE Division B Workshop on mining waste, 11./12. October 2011

Structure of Mining and Quarrying Sector Characterisation of NACE B divisions Workshop on mining waste, 11./12. October 2011

Structure of Mining and Quarrying Sector Characterisation of NACE B divisions Workshop on mining waste, 11./12. October 2011

Structure of Mining and Quarrying Sector Extractive waste may be reported under other NACE sections: NACE C 24: Manufacture of basic metals Poland: > 20 million tonnes of tailings from enrichment of copper ore (NACE C24.44) Ireland: 1.2 million tonnes of extractive waste from aluminium production (NACE C24.42) NACE C 23: Manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products Spain: Activities are often performed at the same establishment Workshop on mining waste, 11./12. October 2011

Extractive Waste Categories Schematic drawing of an open-pit mine Source: BREF MTWR, 2009 Workshop on mining waste, 11./12. October 2011

Extractive Waste Categories Topsoil and overburden: Soil and rock that lies above the ore / mineral resource In case of open-pit mining it has to be removed to get access to the ore Topsoil and overburden are usually not contaminated Often used for backfilling, recultivation, management of tailings (e.g. for dams) Workshop on mining waste, 11./12. October 2011

Extractive Waste Categories Schematic drawing of an underground mine Source: BREF MTWR, 2009 Workshop on mining waste, 11./12. October 2011

Extractive Waste Categories Waste-rock: Part of the orebody, without or with low grades of ore, which cannot be mined and processed profitably Tailings: Waste solids or slurries that remain after the treatment of minerals by separation processes (e.g. crushing, grinding, size-sorting, flotation and other physico-chemical techniques) to remove the valuable minerals from the less valuable rock Fine tailings are often managed as slurries in ponds Coarse tailings are often stored on heaps together with waste-rock Workshop on mining waste, 11./12. October 2011

Extractive Waste Categories © Georg Mehlhart Workshop on mining waste, 11./12. October 2011

Extractive Waste Categories Common methods for managing waste-rock and tailings: discarding slurried tailings into ponds backfilling into underground mines or open pits using them for the construction of tailings dams dumping dry tailings or waste-rock onto heaps or hill sides use as a product for land use, e.g. as aggregates, for restoration discarding tailings into surface water (e.g. sea, lake, river) or groundwater … Workshop on mining waste, 11./12. October 2011

Environmental impacts Main environmental impacts: Emissions of dust and effluents during and after operation Bursts or collapses of tailings / waste-rock management facilities Effluents: Can be toxic, acidic or alkaline May contain dissolved (heavy) metals May contain organic substances from processing May cause ‘acid rock drainage’ (ARD); ARD is associated with sulphide ore bodies mined for metals and coal Workshop on mining waste, 11./12. October 2011

Summary Amounts and type of waste vary strongly across countries, depending on several factors, including: extracted mineral geological conditions mining and processing techniques However, differences are only partly explainable by different economic structure The workshop shall help to identify other reasons that lead to the considerable variation and to reduce their impact Workshop on mining waste, 11./12. October 2011

References EU: Reference Document on Best Available Techniques for Management of Tailings and Waste-Rock in Mining Activities (January 2009) (BREF MTWR) Workshop on mining waste, 11./12. October 2011