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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

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

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

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

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

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

10. 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

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

12. 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

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

14. 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

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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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