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Circular Economy in Tailings Management

Kreislaufwirtschaft in der Abraumentsorgung

ECONOMÍA CIRCULAR EN LA GESTIÓN DE RELAVES

尾矿管理中的循环经济

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Abstract

Tailings size distribution can be modified to greatly reduce surface storage area and the risk of catastrophic tailings dam failures. Total flotation and backfill technology can even be used to store the tailings underground. In Peru, dynamic neutralization and coagulation technology uses fine tailings as neutralizing and coagulating agents for acid effluent neutralization while the remaining coarse tailings are used as mining backfill. Also, a new technology, HEVA, produces lime and clean CO2 from limestone and the tailings that contain carbonates. The CO2 is used to produce biomass through photosynthesis in aquatic and terrestrial greenhouse environments. One application in the high Andes (4400 m.a.s.l.) proposes to compensate for the area’s natural CO2 deficiency with cheap HEVA CO2 to achieve 100–200% greater productivity to reduce historical poverty in the region.

Zusammenfassung

Das Tailingsmaterial kann nach Korngrößen separiert werden, um die Auf¬stands¬fläche und das Risiko katastrophaler Dammbrüche stark zu mini¬mieren. Das Flotationsmaterial kann mittels Versatztechnologie zur unter¬irdischen Lagerung der Tailings genutzt werden. In Peru wird von der dyna¬mischen Neutralisations- und Ko¬agu¬la¬tions¬technologie feines Tailings¬material zur Behandlung von sauren Bergbauwässern genutzt, während das ver¬blei¬bende grobe Tailingsmaterial als Bergbauversatz gebraucht wird. Eine neue Tech¬nologie (HEVA) produziert aus Kalkstein und karbonat¬haltigem Tailingsmaterial Kalk und reines CO2. Das CO2 dient zur Bio¬masseproduktion durch Photo¬synthese in aquatischen und terrestrischen Gewächshäusern. Eine An¬wendung in den hohen Anden (4400 m ü. M.) sieht vor, den natür¬lichen CO2-Mangel der Region mit günstigem HEVA-CO2 aus¬zu¬gleichen, um eine 100 % bis 200 % höhere Produktivität in der Landwirtschaft zu erreichen und so die historisch ge-wachsene Armut in der Region zu ver¬ringern.

Resumen

La distribución del tamaño de los relaves puede modificarse para reducir en gran medida la superficie de almacenamiento y el riesgo de fallos catastróficos de los diques de colas. La tecnología de flotación total y de relleno puede utilizarse para almacenar los relaves bajo tierra. En Perú, la tecnología de neutralización dinámica y coagulación utiliza los relaves finos como agentes neutralizantes y coagulantes para la neutralización de efluentes ácidos, mientras que los relaves gruesos restantes se utilizan como relleno minero. Además, una nueva tecnología, HEVA, produce cal y CO2 limpio a partir de la piedra caliza y los residuos que contienen carbonatos. El CO2 se utiliza para producir biomasa a través de la fotosíntesis en ambientes acuáticos y terrestres de invernadero. Una aplicación en los altos Andes (4400 m.s.n.m.) propone compensar la deficiencia natural de CO2 de la zona con CO2 HEVA barato para lograr una productividad entre 100 y 200% mayor de modo de reducir la pobreza histórica de la región.

尾矿管理中的循环经济

改变尾矿颗粒级配可以显著减小尾矿地表堆放面积和降低尾矿坝灾害性破坏风险。甚至, 全浮选和回填技术可将尾矿全部储存于地下。在秘鲁, 动态中和与凝结技术用细粒尾矿作中和与凝结剂处理酸性废水, 而将剩余的粗粒尾矿直接采矿回填。另外, HEVA新技术能够从石灰石和含碳酸盐尾矿中生产石灰和清洁二氧化碳。二氧化碳在水生和陆生温室环境经光合作用生产生物量。提出了一项以廉价HEVA所产二氧化碳弥补安第斯高原(4,400 m.a.s.l.)天然CO2不足、提高产量100-200%和减少当地历史贫困的技术应用方案。

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Modified from Idso and Kimball 1992

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Energy and Fuel Department, Mining and Energy ETSI, Madrid Polytechnic University, Madrid, Spain

    Carlos Villachica & Carmen Clemente-Jul

  2. Consulcont S.A.C., Research Center Darío Valdizan 237, Urbanización Ingeniería, Lima 31, Lima, Peru

    Joyce Villachica & Leslye Villachica

  3. Smallvill S.A.C., Darío Valdizan 118, Urbanización Ingeniería, Lima 31, Lima, Peru

    Jaime Llamosas

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  1. Carlos Villachica
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  2. Carmen Clemente-Jul
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  3. Joyce Villachica
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  4. Leslye Villachica
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  5. Jaime Llamosas
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Correspondence to Carlos Villachica.

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Villachica, C., Clemente-Jul, C., Villachica, J. et al. Circular Economy in Tailings Management. Mine Water Environ 40, 23–35 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10230-020-00740-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10230-020-00740-4

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