This book provides an overview of paste tailings disposal at mine sites. It deals comprehensively with the characterization of sulphide-rich tailings, geotechnical and microstructural behaviour, surface tailings disposal applications, underground paste backfilling, and case studies. The authors place emphasis on the characterization, monitoring, disposal and treatment, as well as environmental considerations of problematic sulphidic tailings. The framework is supported by worldwide case studies.
As long as we have mining and mineral processing, tailings and the responsible management thereof will remain at the forefront, with a company’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance in part a reflection of how well tailings risks are being managed. The Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM) was published in August 2020, aiming to prevent catastrophic failure of tailings facilities by providing operators with specified measures and approaches throughout the mine life cycle, taking into account multiple stakeholder perspectives. In 2021, the International Council on Mining & Metals (ICMM) published the Tailings Management: Good Practice Guide intended to support safe, responsible management of tailings across the global mining industry, providing guidance on good governance and engineering practices to support continual improvement in tailings storage facility (TSF) management and help foster and strengthen the safety culture of mining companies. The Tailings Management Handbook is important and timely because there is no other comprehensive resource rooted in these new fundamentals and global principles for tailings management. Tailings management requires interdisciplinary and cross-functional understanding and support, which is apparent throughout this handbook. Dive into the wealth of information contributed by more than 100 world-renowned experts, beautifully crafted into a full-color handbook that focuses on the basics, life-cycle planning, site and tailings characterization, TSF design and construction, as well as systems and operations of TSFs. The inclusion of 42 case studies is an added plus with real-world successes and lessons learned.
This book introduces recent development of technologies for mine waste management in China. For hard rock mines, the main mine wastes are tailings, and the tailings can be disposed above-ground and/or underground. The technology of consolidated tailings stockpile (CTS) that disposes tailings above-ground is introduced, and the application of this technology is also demonstrated. Besides, the technology of cemented tailings (or paste) backfill (CTB or CPB) which deals with tailings underground is also discussed. The properties of CTB materials and the utilization of CTB technology are described and analyzed. For coal mines, the main mine wastes are coal gangue and fly ash. The technology of cemented coal gangue-fly ash backfill (CGFB) that manages coal mine waste underground is presented. The THMC coupling properties of CGFB materials are investigated, which can contribute to a better design of stable, durable and environmentally friendly CGFB mixtures. The application of CGFB technology in a coal mine is also presented. This book, which systematically reviews and discusses the development of mine waste management technologies in China, is expected to provide readers comprehensive information about mine waste management.
Land Reclamation in Ecological Fragile Areas contains the proceedings of the 2nd International Symposium on Land Reclamation and Ecological Restoration (LRER 2017, Xi’an, China, 20-23 October 2017). The contributions cover a wide range of topics: • Mining impact on environment • Monitoring, prediction and assessment of mining impact on land environment • Mining methods and measurements to minimize the land and environment impact • Mining and reclamation policies, regulations and standard • AMD treatment • Soil and landscape reconstruction • Revegetation and biodiversity protection • Subsidence land reclamation and ecological restoration • Surface mined land reclamation and ecological restoration • Solid wastes management, waste dump and tailings pond restoration • Case study • Abandoned mine land reclamation and ecological restoration • Contaminated land remediation • Reclaimed land monitoring and evaluation • Land reclamation supervision • Products and industrialization • Education, technology transfer and international cooperation of mine land reclamation • “The Belt and Road Initiative” and mine land restoration Land Reclamation in Ecological Fragile Areas will be of interest to engineers,scientists, consultants, government officials and students in this area.
Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Mining, Geotechnical and Geoengineering provides recent advances in mining, geotechnical and geoengineering, as well as applications of artificial intelligence in these areas. It serves as the first book on applications of artificial intelligence in mining, geotechnical and geoengineering, providing an opportunity for researchers, scholars, engineers, practitioners and data scientists from all over the world to understand current developments and applications. Topics covered include slopes, open-pit mines, quarries, shafts, tunnels, caverns, underground mines, metro systems, dams and hydro-electric stations, geothermal energy, petroleum engineering, and radioactive waste disposal. In the geotechnical and geoengineering aspects, topics of specific interest include, but are not limited to, foundation, dam, tunneling, geohazard, geoenvironmental and petroleum engineering, rock mechanics, geotechnical engineering, soil mechanics and foundation engineering, civil engineering, hydraulic engineering, petroleum engineering, engineering geology, etc. - Guides readers through the process of gathering, processing, and analyzing datasets specifically tailored for mining, geotechnical, and engineering challenges. - Examines the evolution and practical implementation of artificial intelligence models in predicting, forecasting, and optimizing solutions for mining, geotechnical, and engineering problems. - Offers cutting-edge methodologies to address the most demanding and complex issues encountered in the fields of mining, geotechnical studies, and engineering.
The need for efficient and sustainable management methods of mine waste is continuously growing all around the world. These waste products often present serious management problems due to their more or less significant amounts and possible environmental threats. This Special Issue highlights the recent and new trends in sustainable mine waste management techniques. Currently, it is essential to sustainably manage mine waste, considering social, economic, environmental and technical aspects. In this Special Issue, insights related to the following issues are highlighted: the problems around mine waste, the fine characterization of mine waste, the latest available technical and environmental solutions to efficiently manage mine waste, including treatment and processing before disposal and high value element recovery, with the view of moving towards defining effective, low-cost and ecofriendly methods, the recycling of mine waste products as alternative resources in different sectors, and finally laboratory, pilot and/or industrial-scale studies related to these topics of research. Scientists and industry and governance stakeholders have to face these new challenges to find the best management practices for the future.
In view of the demand for the research on the transport resistance characteristics and mechanical properties of CPB under the influence of temperature effect, the book comprehensively describes the studies on rheological and mechanical properties of CPB materials used in underground metal mines. This book covers a wide range of topics, including a new definition of CPB, past participation and flow-induced corrosion of pipeline under the constant temperature condition, multiphysics processes in CPB and the associated consolidation process, the variation of rheological parameters and transport resistance, prediction model for rheological properties, mechanical behavior and properties of CPB and fiber-reinforced CPB, and control technology to reduce the adverse effect of temperature. Therefore, an academic framework for the transport resistance characteristics and mechanical properties under the temperature effect was established in this book. - Investigates rheological properties and multiphysics processes in CPB materials around the world - Looks into systematic studies on pipe transport and mechanical properties of CPB under temperature effects - Focuses mainly on the effect of temperature on paste transport and mechanical properties under the temperature effect, which provides a theoretical basis for safe and efficient filling operation and associated future research in this field - Offer in-depth insights into the evolution of the rheological and mechanical properties of CPB under the effect of temperatures
Hard rock mines have significant effects on the territories where they operate, through both infrastructure construction as well as resource use. Due to their extractive activities, these mines store large quantities of wastes at the surface, which can be both physically and chemically unstable. Reclamation aims to return a mine site to a satisfactory state, meaning that the site should not threaten human health or security, should not generate in the long term any contaminant that could significantly affect the surrounding environment, and should be aesthetically acceptable to communities. This book focuses on the reclamation of waste storage areas, which constitute the main source of pollution during and after mine operations, and especially issues with acid mine drainage and neutral contaminated drainage. Features: Provides fundamental information and describes practical methods to reclaim mine-waste facilities Compares the different methods and illustrates their application at sites through case studies Identifies new reclamation issues and proposes solutions to address them Presents existing and new technologies to reclaim mine waste disposal areas from hard rock mines in different climatic conditions Integrates reclamation into mine operations and long term performance of techniques used through an interdisciplinary approach With mine site reclamation a young and still emerging science, the training needs for professionals and students working in this field are huge. This book is written from an engineering point of view and in it the authors identify new reclamation issues and propose well-tested as well as innovative approaches to addressing them. Students in graduate programs focused on mines and the environment as well as professionals already working in departments related to mine site reclamation will find this book to be a valuable and essential resource.
The products of mining are everywhere – if it wasn’t grown, it was mined or drilled. But the mining industry has a chequered past. Pollution, human rights abuses, and corruption have tarnished the reputation of the industry across the globe. Over a decade ago the major mining companies embraced the concept of sustainable and equitable development and embarked on an explicit process of reform – but has the industry actually changed? This book explores the dynamics of change-making for sustainable development in the resources sector, specifically the mining of mineral and energy resources. The author recounts the stories and insights of over forty change-makers both inside and outside the industry, from anti-mining activists to the professionals charged with the task of reform, introducing the people who are moving an industry that moves mountains. The book takes stock of what has worked and what has not, analyzing the relative influence and dynamics of the key corporate, civil society and government actors with a view to developing new approaches for improving environmental and social outcomes from mineral and energy development. Illustrated with case studies from Angola, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Guinea, Peru, The Philippines, Romania, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and The United States of America, and brimming with the backstories to the major sustainability initiatives, Mountain Movers reveals where progress has been made and where reform is still needed towards a more sustainable and equitable mining industry.
Managing Mining and Minerals Processing Wastes: Concepts, Design and Applications presents fundamental knowledge in waste management in mining and minerals processing and summarizes recent advances. The book offers readers insights into innovative ways to manage waste in the mining and minerals industry. Sections cover a brief introduction to this topic and an explanation of waste generation, and how to manage the six types of waste, including waste rock, mill tailings, coal refuse and coal fly ash, quarry waste, metallurgical slugs and washery rejects. The title then emphasizes the management of hazardous waste, the acid mine drainage and the lifecycle assessment of waste management. Finally, the book considers current and emerging challenges. This publication offers a comprehensive background to waste management in mining and minerals processing and a summary of recent advances and innovative strategies for managing each kind of waste. - Presents the background to waste management in minerals and mining, also summarizing recent advances - Provides an accessible introduction to the current state of, and future prospects for, waste management - Helps readers increase their usable knowledge on waste management in mining and minerals engineering - Offers new insights into how waste can be managed in innovative ways - Covers hazardous waste, acid mine drainage, lifecycle assessment and emerging issues
