As one of the largest contributors of the country’s waste, South African mines should be re-thinking their usual linear approach in managing residues. Beyond improving their environmental and social impact, they may be surprised by the economic benefits.
The potential environmental impacts of mining residues have long been recognised by mine operators and regulators. South African legislation now guides and assists mines in managing impacts through the mine life cycle. Indeed, there are not just environmental impacts to consider; real health and safety risks exist – as demonstrated by the 270 fatalities from the 2019 failure of the Brumadinho tailings storage facility in Brazil.
Mines’ waste management is typically driven by a mine residue management plan. These plans – as well as the regulations that guide them – generally assume that residues are managed in a linear fashion from production to deposition, and ultimately in situ closure of the mine or residue facility. This approach is a tacit acceptance by the industry that mine residues are likely to be a permanent feature in the landscape after mining.
Read the full article in Mining Weekly
