The Range of Environmental Concerns - Mining and the Environment: From Ore to Metal - page 528

generating, creating a long-term environmental liability for the mine operator. Because tail-
ings are i ne-grained they can be easily eroded by wind when they are dry. Finally, tailings
disposal requires signii cant land areas, thereby creating undesirable visual impacts. These
and other issues related to tailings management are discussed in Chapter Eighteen.

Other Wastes

Any mining project produces numerous wastes in addition to waste rock and tailings.
These may be small in comparison but still substantial. Typical solid wastes include ash
from coal-i red power generation, domestic waste from accommodations and adminis-
trative buildings, medical wastes from on-site medical facilities, large quantities of scrap
metal including spent balls from milling operations, used batteries, used conveyor belts,
and used tyres. Aqueous wastes include laboratory solutions, while non-aqueous wastes
include used oils, lubricants, and solvents.
A tabular listing of solid waste streams as in Figure 2.7 (detailing waste characteristics
and intended waste management practice) helps to initiate waste management planning at
the EIA stage. Waste management practices include re-use (e.g. waste tyres being used to
construct retention walls or to dissipate the energy of l owing water; and waste rock or ash
being used as construction material), recycling (commonly applied to scrap metal, see also
Case 13.5 ) disposal on-site (e.g. tailings impoundments or the use of landi lls for sanitary
waste), disposal off-site (e.g. disposal of used oil using a licensed waste management con-
tractor), return to supplier (as is sometimes the case for used tyres), and incineration (e.g.
co-incineration of waste oil to generate energy or incineration of medical waste).
The best waste management practice is always waste minimization. As in the extrac-
tive industry as a whole, the mining industry increasingly aims to implement the 'Four R'

CASE 13.5
Recycling of Metal Scrap

Most

Reduce

Reuse

Recycle

Remove
(Disposal)

Least

The amount of metal scrap produced by any mine can be
huge. Metal recycling is the obvious solution to convert
metal waste into raw material. However, the management
of scrap metal is not always as simple as that. The mine
operator may be exempted from import or other taxes
when importing mining equipment. This in turn raises the

questions of how to value scrap metals, and who should
receive the earnings from the sale of the scrap metal. To
give metal scrap away for free is also not an option since
the host government is likely to claim at least foregone
taxes. To allocate all earnings to the central government
(which of course controls tax related issues) is also not

necessarily an easy way out since it may confl ict with
claims of the regional government. The simple and practical
solution to the dilemma? - Storing of valuable metal scrap
at the mine site.

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