The world’s major mineral producing countries is facing a severe environmental issue—massive tailings accumulation. Tailings are the waste materials left after valuable minerals are extracted from ores. Long-term storage of tailings not only occupies large areas of land but also leads to resource wastage, environmental pollution, and safety risks. However, tailings are not entirely worthless; they still contain valuable components that can be recovered. Proper treatment and comprehensive utilization of tailings are essential.
Problems Caused by Tailings Storage
1.Land Occupation
Due to the high demand for mineral resources in China, tailings are continuously produced and accumulated, taking up vast areas of land and affecting ecological balance and urban development.
2.Resource Wastage
As mineral processing technology is still developing, many valuable minerals remain in tailings. If not recycled, this will result in significant resource waste.
3.Environmental Pollution
Chemical agents used in the beneficiation process often remain in tailings, which may contain toxic heavy metals and other harmful substances. Additionally, dried tailings generate dust pollution, negatively impacting the surrounding environment.
4.Safety Hazards
Tailings are typically stored in tailings dams or ponds. In the event of a dam failure, it could lead to casualties and severe environmental contamination.
Tailings Treatment and Utilization Methods
1.Reprocessing to Recover Valuable Minerals
Advanced beneficiation technologies can be used to reprocess tailings, extracting remaining valuable minerals and reducing waste.
2.Using Tailings as Construction Materials
Tailings can be processed into manufactured sand and aggregates for concrete production, increasing their utilization value.
3.Backfilling Mined-Out Areas
Coarse tailings can be used to fill underground voids in mining areas, enhancing mine stability and reducing tailings accumulation.
4.Infrastructure Applications
Tailings can be used as road base materials and for land reclamation, reducing the need for natural resources in infrastructure projects.
5.Optimizing Tailings Dam Storage
Advanced dry stacking technology can improve tailings dam safety and minimize environmental risks.