Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Integrated Management of Mine
Waste Using Biogeotechnologies
Focusing Thai Mines
M. N. V. Prasad and Woranan Nakbanpote
Abstract
The history of mining for precious minerals dates back to several centu-
ries. Mining is important for economy but causes environmental contami-
nation. However, mine waste reclamation and mine environment cleanup
are a subject of recent origin focusing various aspects of biogeotechnolo-
gies. In general, the subject of environmental remediation is about three
decades old, and today the advances in this fi eld are capable of handling a
variety of toxic waste. Different strategies and approaches are employed to
render mine waste less toxic. Mining had negative effects on natural
resources (biotic and abiotic) and deteriorates the quality of environment.
Different types of mine industries are implicated in promoting “industrial
deserts” or “lunar scapes” which are overloaded with technogenic waste.
Soil washing and cleaning in such situation is cost prohibitive. This chap-
ter deals with reclamation of a zinc, lead, and tin (arsenic) mine waste with
reference to Thailand (see graphic abstract Fig.
1
).
1
Introduction
Extraction of metals by the mining industry
generates large amounts of waste material, which
has to be taken care of to prevent negative effects
on the environment. Once metals are extracted
from the ore, the rest of the fi nely grained soil is
pumped out as wet slurry (tailing ponds). The
problem with mine tailings is that it still contains
high levels of heavy metals that could be spread
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