Waste Production and Utilization in the Metal Extraction Industry

Sehliselo Ndlovu, Geoffrey S. Simate, Elias Matinde

• Publisher: CRC Press
• Year: 2017
• eBook ISBN:
  9781351649933
• Topic: Tecnologia e ingegneria
• Subtopic: Scienze ambientali

Increasingly stringent environmental regulations and industry adoption of waste minimization guidelines have thus, stimulated the need for the development of recycling and reuse options for metal related waste. This book, therefore, gives an overview of the waste generation, recycle and reuse along the mining, beneficiation, extraction, manufacturing and post-consumer value chain. This book reviews current status and future trends in the recycling and reuse of mineral and metal waste and also details the policy and legislation regarding the waste management, health and environmental impacts in the mining, beneficiation, metal extraction and manufacturing processes.

This book is a useful reference for engineers and researchers in industry, policymakers and legislators in governance, and academics on the current status and future trends in the recycling and reuse of mineral and metal waste. Some of the key features of the book are as follows:

• Holistic approach to waste generation, recycling and reuse along the minerals and metals extraction.
• Detailed overview of metallurgical waste generation.
• Practical examples with complete flow sheets, techniques and interventions on waste management.
• Integrates the technical issues related to efficient resources utilization with the policy and regulatory framework.
• Novel approach to addressing future commodity shortages.

1
Overview

1.1Introduction

Mining is a complex process whose activities range from exploration, mine development, mineral extraction, mineral processing (mineral beneficiation), refining and reclamation and remediation (for mine closure). It also covers a wide range of mineral commodities, including copper, iron, gold, nickel, lead, zinc and diamonds. These metals and minerals are the primary raw materials used in many industrial applications and thus are essential to the world economy. Copper, for example, is essential to the electronics and construction industries, while iron ore provides the base material for the steel, automotive and transportation industries. However, the extraction and beneficiation of these minerals from raw ore lead to the generation of large quantities and different types of waste. The effect of some of these wastes on the environment is dire and may also threaten the health and safety of humans. This book discusses the different types of mine waste generated and recovery thereof during the mining process right from the mineral extraction to the beneficiation and recovery processes to the manufacturing of finished products. This introductory chapter is a preamble to that discussion.

1.2Legislation and Impacts of Mining and Metallurgical Waste

Mining and metallurgical wastes come from the survey or prospecting or mining and processing of solid, liquid and gaseous deposits, which due to their high content of heavy metals and other hazardous substances constitute a potential hazard (to human health, plant life and aquatic species) and may cause irreversible environmental damage. Some of the potential environmental problems associated with mining are listed in Table 1.1 (UNEP, 2000). In view of this, a wide range of regulations have been introduced to mitigate the environmental and potential health impacts of mining and metallurgical waste.

TABLE 1.1
Some Potential Environmental Impacts of Mining

1.2.1Legislation and Policies

The problems described in Table 1.1 are not insurmountable, but do present significant challenges. To begin with, the environmental agenda has now become too complex for ad hoc approaches. Therefore, several waste management regulations and laws have been enacted and promulgated over the years. In general, waste management laws govern the transport, treatment, storage and disposal of waste (Qasioun, 2015; Shantgiri, 2015).

Generally, the mining and metallurgical industries produce solid, liquid and gaseous wastes. It is the management of these wastes that is a target of several international, national and regional laws. At the moment, the ISO 14000 family of standards is the only (or most) recognized framework that may help an organization to identify those aspects of its business that have a significant impact on the environment, to set objectives and targets to minimize these impacts and to develop programmes to achieve targets and implement operational control measures to ensure compliance with environmental policies (Beejadhur et al., 2007; ISO, 2009). Nevertheless, various countries have developed different approaches for managing waste which differ both in the legislative scope and effectiveness (Kumar and Singh, 2013). Therefore, in the absence of a single agreed-upon legislation and/or policy governing mining wastes, this book will only discuss the mining regulations from a selected number of countries. The book also discusses the best available practices and/or technologies for managing waste rock, tailings, slags, sludge and gaseous emissions.

1.2.2Environmental and Health Impacts of Mining and Metallurgical Waste

Environmental and human health protection is the n...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Halftitle Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Preface
• Authors
• 1. Overview
• 2. Legislation and Policies Governing the Environmental and Health Impacts of Metallic Waste
• 3. Mining and Beneficiation Waste Production and Utilization
• 4. Ferrous Metals Waste Production and Recycling
• 5. Ferroalloys Waste Production and Utilization
• 6. Base Metals Waste Production and Utilization
• 7. Hydrometallurgical Waste Production and Utilization
• 8. Metal Manufacturing and Finishing Waste Production and Utilization
• 9. Post-Consumer Waste Production and Utilization
• 10. Conclusions and Future Outlook
• Index