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Integrating Industrial Ecology Thinking into the Management of Mining Waste

Author

Listed:
  • Éléonore Lèbre

    (Center for Social Responsibility in Mining, The Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia QLD 4072, Australia)

  • Glen Corder

    (Center for Social Responsibility in Mining, The Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia QLD 4072, Australia)

Abstract

Mining legacies are often dominated by large waste facilities and their associated environmental impacts. The most serious environmental problem associated with mine waste is heavy metals and acid leakage through a phenomenon called acid mine drainage (AMD). Interestingly, the toxicity of this leakage is partly due to the presence of valuable metals in the waste stream as a result of a diversity of factors influencing mining operations. A more preventive and recovery-oriented approach to waste management, integrated into mine planning and operations, could be both economically attractive and environmentally beneficial since it would: mitigate environmental impacts related to mine waste disposal (and consequently reduce the remediation costs); and increase the resource recovery at the mine site level. The authors argue that eco-efficiency and resilience (and the resulting increase in a mine’s lifetime) are both critical—yet overlooked—characteristics of sustainable mining operations. Based on these arguments, this paper proposes a framework to assist with identification of opportunities for improvement and to measure this improvement in terms of its contribution to a mine’s sustainability performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Éléonore Lèbre & Glen Corder, 2015. "Integrating Industrial Ecology Thinking into the Management of Mining Waste," Resources, MDPI, vol. 4(4), pages 1-22, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jresou:v:4:y:2015:i:4:p:765-786:d:57635
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Vernon Topp & Leo Soames & Dean Parham & Harry Bloch, 2008. "Productivity in the Mining Industry: Measurement and Interpretation," Staff Working Papers 0807, Productivity Commission, Government of Australia.
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    Cited by:

    1. Takam Tiamgne, Xavier & Kalaba, Felix K. & Nyirenda, Vincent R., 2022. "Mining and socio-ecological systems: A systematic review of Sub-Saharan Africa," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    2. Ioana Andreea Petrean & Valer Micle & Marin Șenilă, 2023. "Investigation of Sterile Mining Dumps Resulting from Ore Exploitation and Processing in Maramures County, Romania," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-21, February.

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