Sustainable mining towards accomplishing circular economy principles

Abstract

Today human society is already witnessing rapid depletion of non-renewable ore resources. As the distribution of raw material resources globally is very off-balance, and preassure on environment as the consequence of ore exploatation is not negligible, re-utilization and recycling of industrial side-streams gaining on importance. Finding new potentially anthropogenic resources of material (at first place critical raw materials) are inline with sustainable waste management goals, and in correlation with boundaries given by the circular economy principles. Side-streams from mines can become source for recovery of these materials. The aim of this paper was to analyze position of mining waste in correlation with circular economy principles, as well potential for implementation of them within extraction industry in the Republic of Serbia.

Application of the Analytical Hierarchy Process to Select the Most Appropriate Mining Equipment for the Exploitation of Secondary Deposits

“…The applications of MCDM for solving the problems of sustainable development and/or re-exploitation of waste deposits (mining waste) are currently an important research topic and have been described by Dino et al [4], Stenis and Hogland [5], Kaźmierczak et al [6,7], Rakhmangulov et al [8], Cegan et al [9] and Petronijević et al [10]. As regards the exploitation of secondary deposits, it is recommended that a sustainable mining method should be selected and that the whole deposit should be mined, including the secondary deposit portion, to improve the productivity rates and extend the mine's life [11][12][13].…”

“…As regards the exploitation of secondary deposits, it is recommended that a sustainable mining method should be selected and that the whole deposit should be mined, including the secondary deposit portion, to improve the productivity rates and extend the mine's life [11][12][13]. Moreover, the amount of waste rock to be dumped and the size of the dumping sites will be thus reduced, which translates into lower waste generation and the long-term sustainable management of the deposit [10,[14][15][16].…”

Analysis of the Mechanism of Acid Mine Drainage Neutralization Using Fly Ash as an Alternative Material: A Case Study of the Extremely Acidic Lake Robule in Eastern Serbia

“…The goal of this research is to investigate and optimize the treatment of AMD with FA in order to achieve sustainable development principles such as the circular economy and environmental conservation through improved waste management [18]. The study included the characterization of two types of FA produced in Serbian thermal power plants (EF and KOST) to investigate their use as neutralization agents and optimize AMD treatment in terms of S/L ratio and treatment time based on metal removal efficiency.…”