As advances in mining technology allow lower
grade ore to be mined for profit, and as consumption and demand of ore
continues to rise all over the World, the environmental impact of mining operations continues
to grow, too.
And top
of the pile of environmental concern is the tailings issue.
In many mining operations, it’s not unusual for
tailings to produce more volume in the area than was present before extraction
began. And it is rare for there to be any residual demand or use for tailings.
Storage below ground in previously mined chambers or as backfill is possible,
but rarely can a complete mining operation’s tailings be dealt with this way.
Ultimately, tailings have to be managed above
ground to some degree. And with this comes associated risks such as:
- instability of containment
areas
- pollution of ground and surface
water supplies
In Canada, the potential for major tailings issues
is enormous, especially considering the vast wealth of the country’s natural
resources that are currently locked below ground. Unfortunately, tailings are
bottom of most mining companies’ lists of priorities. With no likely return on
investment into tailings storage technology, mining companies are reticent to
do much else other than follow current industry practices.
Unfortunately, the current situation cannot
continue. If mining operations across Canada continue to grow at the current
rate, the tailings issue is going to become front and centre, and investment
into better practices will need to be made.
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