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Sustainable reuse potential of landfill mining waste retrieved from urban mining sites in South India

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Abstract

The present study assesses the reuse potential of landfill mining waste, finer than 2 mm retrieved from the urban mining activity at Ariyamangalam dumpsite located at Tamil Nadu, India. The reuse potential was evaluated for earthfill by auditing the crucial parameters such as the intensity of colored leachate, heavy metal concentration, soluble salts, and organic content. In addition, geotechnical characteristics were examined for their potential usage at offsite applications. On the other hand, reuse potential as compost was analyzed by the presence of nutrient levels, including total organic carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total potassium, and heavy metal concentration. Based on the assessment results, the reuse potential of soil-like material at earthworks, ridges, closure, and dumping of mines and trenches, and usage in bulk demands safety design measures have been discussed. The necessity of treatment before offsite applications is critically analyzed because of its enormous amount of heavy metals, organic content, and soluble salt concentration. The reuse potential as compost material could be restricted to non-agricultural application and barren land reclamation considering its high heavy metal concentration. Apart from providing additives fulfilling 12% of total organic carbon, it poses other desirable nutrient levels such as 0.8% total nitrogen, 0.4% total phosphorus, and 0.4% total potassium for compost material.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Scholar, Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology (NIT)–Tiruchirappalli, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India

    Devahi P

  2. Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology (NIT)–Tiruchirappalli, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India

    Deendayal Rathod

  3. Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology (NIT)–Tiruchirappalli, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India

    Kasinathan Muthukkumaran

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Correspondence to Deendayal Rathod.

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P, D., Rathod, D. & Muthukkumaran, K. Sustainable reuse potential of landfill mining waste retrieved from urban mining sites in South India. J Mater Cycles Waste Manag 24, 2582–2597 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-022-01506-6

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