Cost of waste management versus competitiveness of mining: the example of non‐ferrous metal industry

Abstract

Large‐scale and long‐term mining operations inevitably produce a significant amount of waste. The volume and cost of mining waste produced depends on geological and technological characteristics such as: geological settings, reserve characteristics, the type of mining operation (surface or underground mine), mining methods (recovery, dilution, etc.), the volume of the operation, applied processing methods as well as waste management activities, tailing dump closure design and post‐closure cost. The other costs of waste management depend on countries' legislation. To identify all costs of waste management and to develop a transparent methodology for waste management full Life Cycle Assessment analysis (including Life Cycle Cost calculation) for an individual company should be prepared. The calculation and methodology of cost of waste management has been presented using the example of the Polish non‐ferrous mining industry.

Keywords:

• Mine waste management
• life cycle cost
• non‐ferrous metal industry

Notes

Waste is defined according to the EU's Waste Framework directive, and in the context of mining this includes rock and overburden, whether inert or not, as well as tailings. The calculation of waste management cost in Poland includes mine waste as overburden – the soil and rock that must be removed to gain access to a mineral resources, waste rock – rock that does not contain enough mineral to be of economic interest, tailings – a residual slurry of ground ore that remains after minerals have been largely extracted.

Dz.U. 03.55.477 from March 31, 2003, attachment No 1, position No 010381.

The Report of MMSD.

MMSD, p. 276.