Resource Efficient and Socially Responsible Approaches for the Integrated Management of Mine Waste: Understanding the Risks, Opportunities, Enablers and Barriers

Background Although contributing significantly to the economies of mineral-rich countries such as South Africa and Zambia, the resource extraction industry is also responsible for a disproportionately large impact on the surrounding environment, with concomitant impacts on the health and well-being of local communities. A significant part of the environmental impact, particular over the long-term, is related to the large volumes of mine waste that the industry produces, which are typically disposed of in dumps or impoundments. These deposits can give rise to metal-rich emissions, such as airborne particulate matter and contaminated leachate, which impact on natural eco-systems, cultivated crops and mammalian health. Whist mine waste disposal and rehabilitation methods have evolved significantly over the past two to three decades, such techniques do not permanently eliminate these risks and liabilities. Even when effective in the short-term, remediation may be insufficient to deal with long-term degradation in many cases, while a loss of societal memory can mean that the sites may be excavated in the future, re-exposing the waste body to the elements. An alternative management approach, and one that is more consistent with the goals of sustainable development, focuses on the generation of mine wastes that can be re-purposed for other uses. This so-called valorisation approach goes beyond the recovery of targeted value recovery, both removing intra- and inter-generational waste burden and simultaneously optimising efficient utilisation of mined resources. This study set out to support the development and implementation of such an approach for the management of large volume mine waste in the Southern African context, by developing an enhanced understanding of the key drivers, barriers and opportunities involved.