What is mining waste management?

Mine Waste Management (MWM) is an environmental consultancy that provides practical geochemical solutions to mine waste management, for the mining industry. Mine Waste Management was founded with the aim to uncomplicate geochemistry and mine waste management for mining operations.

What are the three elements of a waste management program?

I think it’s safe to say that we’ve all heard about the three R’s of waste management; reduce, reuse, and recycle.

What type of waste is mining waste?

Mining waste comes from extracting and processing mineral resources. It includes materials such as topsoil overburden (which are removed to gain access to mineral resources), and waste rock and tailings (after the extraction of the valuable mineral).

What do mines do with waste?

By far, the major fraction of mining waste such as waste rock are disposed of in heaps (or piles) at the source. Coarse coal refuse is typically removed from the preparation plant and disposed of in large piles or banks.

How mining affects waste management?

The main environmental impacts of mining waste include the loss of land following its conversion to a tailings pond or waste storage area and the introduction of acidic runoff or other contaminated sediments into the local environment.

What are the 3 R’s in waste management?

The principle of reducing waste, reusing and recycling resources and products is often called the “3Rs.” Reducing means choosing to use things with care to reduce the amount of waste generated. Reusing involves the repeated use of items or parts of items which still have usable aspects.

How does mining affect waste management?

Another source of waste is related to ore processing facilities. Thus, through concentration, the volume of material to be transported is greatly reduced but it also results in generation of a substantial volume of waste material which must be disposed of at the mining site.

What are the methods of disposal of waste?

Waste disposal methods

Recycling. Incineration.
Other thermal treatment plants. Chemical-physical and biological treatment.
Chemical-physical and biological treatment. Landfills.
Landfills. Collection and logistics.

What types of waste are generated in a mining operation?

Several types of waste are generated in a mine, but three types stand out with the largest volume: waste rock, tailings and mine water. In some cases, the mine uses certain chemicals such as cyanide in the processing stage.