Utilisation of mineral waste: a scoping study. (WF/01/003).
Abstract
The project was formulated to investigate mineral waste as potential sources of industrial mineral and constructional raw materials and to develop methodologies for their evaluation. This report presents the results of the first phase of the project, which is a scoping study to provide an overview of the potential of mineral waste and the economic, environmental and social issues involved in mine waste utilisation.
This scoping study report uses a fact-sheet approach to describe each mineral waste, including descriptions of their likely volumes, composition and technical properties, their potential end uses and the general constraints on their usage. A methodology is developed to assess the economic viability of developing industrial mineral products from mine waste and this is extended to include small-scale mining. A further objective of the project is to develop an understanding of the social and environmental impacts of reworking mine waste together with development of a methodology for assessing the social impacts. To achieve this aim the range of direct, indirect and cumulative impacts are reviewed and best practice procedures for social impact assessment are presented.
This report is aimed as a general guide to the utilisation of mine waste for industrial mineral products. It is anticipated that the guidance and methodologies will be applicable to all regions and countries. Overall, the information presented in this report is aimed to be of benefit not only to geoscientists, but also to mining engineers, those concerned with environmental protection and social scientists, as well as all involved in the management of mining operations.
A full colour (7589 kb) or black and white (6117 kb) PDF of this report can be downloaded.