Author name: Bernd G. Lottermoser

If we want to ensure a sustainable future for the human race, we must learn to prevent, minimize, reuse and recycle waste. Reuse of mine wastes allows their beneficial application, whereas recycling extracts resource ingredients or converts wastes into valuable products. Yet, today, many of the proposed reuse and recycling concepts for mine wastes are not economic. Consequently, the great majority of mine wastes are still being placed into waste storage facilities. Significant research efforts are required to develop cost-effective reuse and recycling options and to prevent the migration of contaminants from rehabilitated waste repositories in the long term.

Mine wastes are unwanted, currently uneconomic, solid and liquid materials found at or near mine sites. Volumetrically they are one of the world’s largest waste streams, and they often contain high concentrations of elements and compounds that can have severe effects on ecosystems and humans. Multidisciplinary research on mine wastes focuses on understanding their character, stability, impact, remediation and reuse. This research must continue if we are to understand and sustainably manage the immense quantities of historic, contemporary and future mine wastes, given the trend to exploit larger deposits of lower-grade ores.