Mining and quarrying: pollution inventory reporting
Updated 29 November 2024
Applies to England
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pollution-inventory-reporting-guidance-notes/mining-and-quarrying-pollution-inventory-reporting
You must submit data to the pollution inventory if you operate:
- an underground mine of any size
- an opencast mine or quarry where the surface of the area effectively under extractive operation is 25 hectares or more
The ‘general guidance’ available in the pollution inventory reporting guidance gives information that applies to all business and industries. It explains what the pollution inventory is and how to report.
This guidance gives information specific to the mining and quarrying sector.
What to include in your pollution inventory report submission
We encourage you to use the pollution inventory electronic data capture (PIEDC) system to submit your return. If you cannot use PIEDC, Form PI-3 (UK-PRTR) is for mine and quarry sites.
The list of substances on the pollution inventory reporting form includes emissions released from all processes reporting to the UK-PRTR. The majority will not be applicable for mines and quarries. You do not need to enter ‘n/a’ for substances that you are not reporting, you can leave the cells blank.
NACE codes for mines and quarries
To help you answer question 1.5 on your PIEDC submission, or the reporting form, relevant NACE codes for mining and quarrying are:
- 05.10 mining of hard coal
- 05.20 mining of lignite
- 07.10 mining of iron ores
- 07.20 mining of uranium and thorium ores
- 07.29 mining of other non-ferrous metal ores
- 08.11 quarrying of ornamental and building stone, limestone, gypsum, chalk and slate
- 08.12 operation of gravel and sand pits; mining of clays and kaolin
- 08.91 mining of chemical and fertiliser minerals
- 08.92 extraction of peat
- 08.93 extraction of salt
- 08.99 other mining and quarrying n.e.c. (not elsewhere classified)
- 09.90 support activities for other mining and quarrying
Releases to air
The substances most commonly released to air from mines and quarries are:
- arsenic and compounds
- cadmium and compounds
- carbon dioxide
- carbon monoxide
- chlorine and inorganic compounds as HCl
- chromium and compounds
- copper and compounds
- lead and compounds
- methane
- nickel and compounds
- nitrogen oxides (NO and NO2)
- particulate matter (PM10)
- sulfur oxides (SO2 and SO3)
Use this list as a guide only and check if you release any other substances included on the reporting form.
Estimating particulate matter
The National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI) has given an implied emission factor for PM10 of 0.05 tonnes per kilotonne. That is, 0.05 tonnes of PM10 emitted per thousand tonnes of production. You can apply this to all types of mineral recovery.
This factor includes PM10 emissions arising from:
- overburden removal
- extraction
- loading and unloading
- in-site movement
- first processing (for example crushing)
It excludes emissions from:
- combustion activities (for example engines in quarry transport and machinery or combustion in dryers)
- subsequent processing
If you carry out these latter activities, you will need to calculate emissions and add them to your calculation.
Releases to controlled waters
The substances most commonly released to water from mines and quarries are:
- arsenic and compounds
- cadmium and compounds
- chlorides (as total Cl)
- chromium and compounds
- copper and compounds
- lead and compounds
- nickel and compounds
- nitrogen (total)
- phosphorus (total)
- total organic carbon (TOC) (as total C, or chemical oxygen demand (COD) divided by 3)
- zinc and compounds
Use this list as a guide only and check if you release any other substances included on the reporting form.
Off-site waste transfers
You only need to report hazardous waste if you have sent more than 2 tonnes off site. For non-hazardous waste there is an annual reporting threshold of 2,000 tonnes. If the tonnage is below 2,000 tonnes, then you do not need to report it.
Waste Framework Directive disposal and recovery (D and R) codes
You must classify wastes using the European Waste Catalogue 6-digit codes and the relevant Waste Framework Directive disposal or recovery codes.
Check the ‘reporting codes list’ in the pollution inventory reporting: guidance notes.
Waste disposal codes
We have provided a list of waste codes that are commonly applicable to mining and quarrying activities. Use this list as a guide only and check the full list to identify if you remove any other wastes.
Wastes most commonly removed from mines and quarries are:
- wastes from mineral excavation (sub-division 01 01)
- 01 01 01 wastes from mineral metalliferous excavation (non-hazardous)
- 01 01 02 wastes from mineral non-metalliferous excavation (non-hazardous)
- wastes from physical and chemical processing of metalliferous minerals (sub-division 01 03)
- 01 03 04 acid-generating tailings from processing of sulfide ore (hazardous)
- 01 03 05 other tailings containing dangerous substances (hazardous)
- 01 03 06 tailings other than those mentioned in 01 03 04 and 01 03 05 (non-hazardous)
- 01 03 07 other wastes containing dangerous substances from physical and chemical processing of metalliferous minerals (hazardous)
- 01 03 08 dusty and powdery wastes other than those mentioned in 01 03 07 (non-hazardous)
- 01 03 09 red mud from alumina production other than the wastes mentioned in 01 03 07 (non-hazardous)
- 01 03 99 wastes not otherwise specified (non-hazardous)
- wastes from physical and chemical processing of non-metalliferous minerals (sub-division 01 04)
- 01 04 07 wastes containing dangerous substances from physical and chemical processing of non-metalliferous minerals (hazardous)
- 01 04 08 waste gravel and crushed rocks other than those mentioned in 01 04 07 (non-hazardous)
- 01 04 09 waste sand and clays (non-hazardous)
- 01 04 10 dusty and powdery wastes other than those mentioned in 01 04 07 (non-hazardous)
- 01 04 11 wastes from potash and rock salt processing other than those mentioned in 01 04 07 (non-hazardous)
- 01 04 12 tailings and other wastes from washing and cleaning of minerals other than those mentioned in 01 04 07 and 01 04 11 (non-hazardous)
- 01 04 13 wastes from stone cutting and sawing other than those mentioned in 01 04 07 (non-hazardous)
- 01 04 99 wastes not otherwise specified (non-hazardous)
- drilling muds and other drilling wastes (sub-division 01 05)
- 01 05 04 freshwater drilling muds and wastes (non-hazardous)
- 01 05 05 oil-containing drilling muds and wastes (hazardous)
- 01 05 06 drilling muds and other drilling wastes containing dangerous substances (hazardous)
- 01 05 07 barite-containing drilling muds and wastes other than those mentioned in 01 05 05 and 01 05 06 (non-hazardous)
- 01 05 08 chloride-containing drilling muds and wastes other than those mentioned in 01 05 05 and 01 05 06 (non-hazardous)
- 01 05 99 wastes not otherwise specified (non-hazardous)