Abstract The definition of waste can often vary, but waste is generally considered to be uneconomic material, substance, or by-product for which there is no useful application identified or no wanted requirement. An inevitable consequence of mining and mineral processing is the production of mine-related waste. Typically, this is most material removed from a mine, with often only a few percent or less sold as a product, particularly for metal mines. As such, significant issues develop in how to manage and dispose of such waste. The development of life cycle analysis and the evaluation of sustainable mining practices go against the disposal philosophy typically adopted in the mining industry. Coupled with this is the implementation of more selective or efficient processing methods that lead to economic recovery of value from mine waste and the recognition of components traditionally thought of as waste that have evolving uses in the modern green economy. This paper reviews the assessment and challenges associated with identifying value in mining waste, both historical and contemporary, and the options to realize this value.
Rob Bowell (Wed,) studied this question.