IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i17p12912-d1226062.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Experiences of Underground Mine Backfilling Using Mine Tailings Developed in the Andean Region of Peru: A Green Mining Solution to Reduce Socio-Environmental Impacts

Author

Listed:
  • Carlos Cacciuttolo

    (Civil Works and Geology Department, Catholic University of Temuco, Temuco 4780000, Chile)

  • Alex Marinovic

    (Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Privada del Norte, Cajamarca 06001, Peru)

Abstract

In Peru, socio-environmental conflicts related to the development of mining-metallurgical processes and the responsible disposal of mine tailings have become central issues for accepting mining projects, especially regarding building relationships of trust with the communities. This condition has prompted the Peruvian mining industry to advance in managing alternatives to the conventional surface disposal of mine tailings. A promising and increasingly popular management strategy for mine tailings in Peru is their disposal inside underground mines. This article presents: site-specific conditions, advantages/disadvantages, and lessons learned from practical experiences of mine tailings disposal in underground mines in Peru. In addition, some techniques are highlighted, such as (i) hydraulic fill, (ii) cemented hydraulic fill, and (iii) cemented paste backfill. Finally, this article concludes that the responsible disposal of mine tailings in underground mines is a green mining solution that reduces negative socio-environmental impacts, limiting the generation of acid rock drainage (ARD) and the leaching of metals due to the decrease in contact with oxygen and rainfall, thus mitigating the contamination of surface and underground waters, reducing the footprint of affectation in the territory, and eliminating the emission of particulate matter in the environment.

Suggested Citation

  • Carlos Cacciuttolo & Alex Marinovic, 2023. "Experiences of Underground Mine Backfilling Using Mine Tailings Developed in the Andean Region of Peru: A Green Mining Solution to Reduce Socio-Environmental Impacts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-27, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:17:p:12912-:d:1226062
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/17/12912/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/17/12912/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Carlos Cacciuttolo & Deyvis Cano, 2023. "Spatial and Temporal Study of Supernatant Process Water Pond in Tailings Storage Facilities: Use of Remote Sensing Techniques for Preventing Mine Tailings Dam Failures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-32, March.
    2. Schoenberger, Erica, 2016. "Environmentally sustainable mining: The case of tailings storage facilities," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 119-128.
    3. Armstrong, Margaret & Petter, Renato & Petter, Carlos, 2019. "Why have so many tailings dams failed in recent years?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 1-1.
    4. Franks, Daniel M. & Boger, David V. & Côte, Claire M. & Mulligan, David R., 2011. "Sustainable development principles for the disposal of mining and mineral processing wastes," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 114-122, June.
    5. Carlos Cacciuttolo Vargas & Alex Marinovic Pulido, 2022. "Sustainable Management of Thickened Tailings in Chile and Peru: A Review of Practical Experience and Socio-Environmental Acceptance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-65, August.
    6. Xianqing Wang & Wen Wan & Yishu Liu & Rugao Gao & Zhenxing Lu & Xiaoyu Tang, 2023. "Analysis of Factors Influencing the Flow Characteristics of Paste Backfill in Pipeline Transportation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-26, April.
    7. Carlos Cacciuttolo & Edison Atencio, 2022. "Past, Present, and Future of Copper Mine Tailings Governance in Chile (1905–2022): A Review in One of the Leading Mining Countries in the World," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-41, October.
    8. Carlos Cacciuttolo & Edison Atencio, 2023. "In-Pit Disposal of Mine Tailings for a Sustainable Mine Closure: A Responsible Alternative to Develop Long-Term Green Mining Solutions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-24, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Carlos Cacciuttolo & Deyvis Cano, 2023. "Spatial and Temporal Study of Supernatant Process Water Pond in Tailings Storage Facilities: Use of Remote Sensing Techniques for Preventing Mine Tailings Dam Failures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-32, March.
    2. Yıldız, Taşkın Deniz & Güner, Mehmet Oğuz & Kural, Orhan, 2024. "Effects of EU-Compliant mining waste regulation on Turkish mining sector: A review of characterization, classification, storage, management, recovery of mineral wastes," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    3. Carlos Cacciuttolo & Edison Atencio, 2022. "Past, Present, and Future of Copper Mine Tailings Governance in Chile (1905–2022): A Review in One of the Leading Mining Countries in the World," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-41, October.
    4. Yıldız, Taşkın Deniz, 2024. "Considering the development levels of countries, contributions of mineral recovery from mining tailings and urban mining wastes to sustainability criteria – A review," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    5. Ojeda-Pereira, Iván & Campos-Medina, Fernando, 2021. "International trends in mining tailings publications: A descriptive bibliometric study," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    6. Berberoglu, Yalcin & Mangla, Sachin Kumar & Kazancoglu, Yigit, 2024. "Towards sustainable mining in an emerging economy: Assessment of sustainability challenges," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    7. Flávia Ferreira Garcia & Carlos Filipe Camilo Cotrim & Samantha Salomão Caramori & Elisa Flávia Luiz Cardoso Bailão & João Carlos Nabout & Gilson Gitirana Junior & Luciane Madureira Almeida, 2025. "Mine tailings dams’ failures: serious environmental impacts, remote solutions," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(8), pages 18179-18201, August.
    8. Garbarino, Elena & Orveillon, Glenn & Saveyn, Hans G.M., 2020. "Management of waste from extractive industries: The new European reference document on the Best Available Techniques," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    9. Cox, Benjamin & Innis, Sally & Mortaza, Adnan & Kunz, Nadja C. & Steen, John, 2022. "A unified metric for costing tailings dams and the consequences for tailings management," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    10. Rudolf Suppes & Soraya Heuss-Aßbichler, 2021. "How to Identify Potentials and Barriers of Raw Materials Recovery from Tailings? Part II: A Practical UNFC-Compliant Approach to Assess Project Sustainability with On-Site Exploration Data," Resources, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-48, October.
    11. Sally Innis & Negar Ghahramani & Nahyan Rana & Scott McDougall & Stephen G. Evans & W. Andy Take & Nadja C. Kunz, 2022. "The Development and Demonstration of a Semi-Automated Regional Hazard Mapping Tool for Tailings Storage Facility Failures," Resources, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-20, September.
    12. Carlos Cacciuttolo Vargas & Alex Marinovic Pulido, 2022. "Sustainable Management of Thickened Tailings in Chile and Peru: A Review of Practical Experience and Socio-Environmental Acceptance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-65, August.
    13. Endl, Andreas & Tost, Michael & Hitch, Michael & Moser, Peter & Feiel, Susanne, 2021. "Europe's mining innovation trends and their contribution to the sustainable development goals: Blind spots and strong points," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    14. Devenin, Verónica, 2021. "Collaborative community development in mining regions: The Calama Plus and Creo Antofagasta programs in Chile," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    15. Muibat Omotola Fashola & Veronica Mpode Ngole-Jeme & Olubukola Oluranti Babalola, 2016. "Heavy Metal Pollution from Gold Mines: Environmental Effects and Bacterial Strategies for Resistance," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-20, October.
    16. Araya, Natalia & Ramírez, Yendery & Cisternas, Luis A. & Kraslawski, Andrzej, 2021. "Use of real options to enhance water-energy nexus in mine tailings management," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 303(C).
    17. Veshara Ramdas & Sesethu Gift Njokweni & Parsons Letsoalo & Solly Motaung & Santosh Omrajah Ramchuran, 2025. "Bio-Coal Briquetting as a Potential Sustainable Valorization Strategy for Fine Coal: A South African Perspective in a Global Context," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-33, July.
    18. Shahba, Sudabe & Arjmandi, Reza & Monavari, Masoud & Ghodusi, Jamal, 2017. "Application of multi-attribute decision-making methods in SWOT analysis of mine waste management (case study: Sirjan's Golgohar iron mine, Iran)," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 67-76.
    19. Sandra Cortés & Pablo González & Cinthya Leiva & Yendry Vargas & Alejandra Vega & Pablo Pastén, 2025. "Environmental and Public Health Impacts of Mining Tailings in Chañaral, Chile: A Narrative Case-Based Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-19, August.
    20. Schoenberger, Erica, 2016. "Environmentally sustainable mining: The case of tailings storage facilities," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 119-128.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:17:p:12912-:d:1226062. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.