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By R. Matikainen

Since the Brundtland Commission in 1987, the use of natural resources has been an issue of global concern. Minerals are among the most important Earth resources and will definitely be essential for the development of societies also in future. Increasing scientific effort is needed not only to discover new deposits, but also to promote resource management in ecologically and socially sound way. Sustainable resource management is essentially a multidisciplinary challenge of developing life-cycle analysis and recycling of non-renewable resources from local to global scale. It offers great opportunities for geological surveys not only in EU, but all over the world to contribute positively to the welfare and sustainability of societies.

Jan 1, 2003

By P. Cienfuegos, J. Loredo, J. J. Fernández, F. Pendás

This coal basin is a fore-deep basin with a lot of similarities with the Appalachian basin in the U.S.A., where throughout the 1990s, the research in coalbed methane grew rapidly due to a combination of factors, including the high prices for gas and electricity. In the Asturian Central Coal Basin 129 coal beds with thickness ranging from 0.8 to 1.5 m have been recognised in the productive carboniferous in an area bigger than 1500 km2. The maturation grade of these coals varies from the external zones of the basin where the volatile content ranges from 35%-40% to 20%-30%, to the internal zones of the basin where the volatile content ranges from 20% to 10%. In this context a sustainable exploration for fossil fuel is currently being undertaken in the most favourable areas of the basin in order to evaluate the real possibilities for coalbed methane (CBM) resources.

Jan 1, 2005

By M. Paul

"INTRODUCTION In 1990, the uranium production of SDAG Wismut in East Germany was stopped. 45 years of inconsiderate destructive exploitation had scarred both landscape and nature. With the “Wismut law” which came into force in December 1991, the Federal Republic took responsibility of the remediation of the legacies from former uranium ore mining and milling in Saxony and Thuringia. A unique opportunity turned out in order to remove environmental damage, to enhance the life quality of the local population, to shape new landscapes and to advance the economic restart. (1) The results of nearly 25 years of remediation activity are evidence that this opportunity was used at all former SDAG (Sowjetisch-Deutsche Aktien-gesellschaft) Wismut sites. The reference project “Wismut“ has evolved into a joint project of all parties involved and radiates beyond the affected regions. This is particularly reflected by the Know-how transfer starting from Wismut and the increasing activities for third parties abroad.WATER MANAGEMENT AT WISMUT REHABILITATION Within the Wismut project, water management and conventional technical water treatment are by far the most cost-intensive long-term tasks of the remediation programme. Over the medium term, there is no viable alternative to the operation of active systems to catch and treat contaminated mine waters at the Ronneburg, Schlema, Königstein, Pöhla, Seelingstädt and Helmsdorf sites. Based on the status quo, this paper outlines the key issues of the Wismut GmbH water management strategy over the medium and long term. It is focused primarily on achieving protection goals for potentially impacted water bodies in the surroundings of Wismut sites and on optimising associated remediation expenditures as well as on creating the prerequisites for achieving low post-remedial care and maintenance or walk-away system status over the long term. (2) The applied mining practices during the active SDAG Wismut period have not been up to the high standards of modern mining operations and their requirement to leave former production premises and deposited residues in a condition that was not only physically but also chemically stable. Rather the emission of mine and seepage waters laden with high acidity, metal and salt content is a frequent corollary and difficult legacy of historic mining and processing operations (4, 5). As a consequence, the control or mitigation, respectively, of environmental impacts associated with contaminated mine waters ties up enormous public resources worldwide (6, 7)."

Jan 1, 2016

By M. J. van der Meulen

"The Netherlands has major resources of sand, gravel and clay, exploited mainly for construction works and the building materials industry. As in most western countries, mineral extraction meets with considerable societal resistance. To this end, Dutch minerals policy aims to prevent extraction by promoting economical use of materials, and the use of alternative (secondary or renewable) materials. Up till recently, it also included a system of production planning to sustain supplies of regionally scarce materials. Dutch policy development is reviewed and discussed in terms of pitfalls and possibilities for mineral planning in general. Promoting secondary substitution has been quite successful, and presents an example. In contrast, the production planning system has been controversial from the start and ineffective as a result, mainly because it attempted to solve supply problems without properly addressing the underlying resistance. For this reason the system is in the process of being abandoned. The full paper will be published in: Petterson, M., McEvoy F, & Marker, B.R. (Eds) 2005, Sustainable minerals operations in the developing world, Geol. Soc. Lond. Special report series, in press. This abstract is reprinted with kind permission of the publisher."

Jan 1, 2005

By D. H. Steve Zou, Cui Lin

"This paper first discusses the basic attributes of sustainable mining and the responsibilities of various steak holders including mining companies, governments, and engineers. It is followed by a brief overview of the current practice on regulations, inspections, waste management and mine closure planning in Canadian mining industry. A case study is then presented as an example of sustainable mining where mine planning, mineral recovery, environment protection, reclamation and community development were integral parts of the overall strategy. A comparison of the mine site before and after mining is made to demonstrate the ""best practice"" in modern mining.Sustainability in Mineral Resource Development Extraction of mineral resources and other natural resources on the Earth has been and will continue to be an essential activity necessary to support human’s life. We live on the planet and depend on the available resources to survive. The extracted materials form the base to support modern life. However, we must be aware of the fact that mineral resources are limited on the Earth and may not last forever. Every time we extract one ton of materials, there is one ton less. They are not able to regenerate or regrow. One can ask a simple question: How long will they last? Or, is there anything left for our great grandchildren and many generations to come? The answer is not simple. Some minerals have become scarce or about to deplete. Some minerals may last longer. The reserve of a type of minerals depends on what we have discovered and the minable amount depends on accessibility and technology we have. Even if there are minerals in the deep ground, we may be limited by our technological capability. At the same time, we also need to understand the action of mineral extraction from the ground and the consequences of that action. Mineral extraction is a very hard work. We must break the ground to extract the ore, either through surface mining or underground mining. This action means disturbance of the land where we live. The disturbance is much more visible in surface mining than underground mining. The disturbed land, if not properly reclaimed after mining, is not going to be reusable. The very purpose of extracting minerals from the ground is to support our life but the action has a negative impact on our life. How can we reduce and limit disturbance of land from the action of minerals extraction? How can we make the disturbed land reusable? These issues must be properly addressed and a balance achieved."

Jan 1, 2017

By J. Kretschmann, K. Sakamornsnguan

"Sustainable development is an influential ethical concept in modern mining management. However, the concept is not culturally neutral because it is based on Christian, Western values. These values can be very different from traditional values in emerging mining countries like Thailand, where Buddhist values are dominant. When applying the concept of sustainable development, these differences should be taken into account. Different values imply different interpretations of ‘good mining’. They have a significant impact on how mining operations are evaluated, perceived, operated and managed. This paper attempts to integrate Buddhist principles with approaches of the sustainable development concept. When local values are appreciated and maintained, mining companies and their external stakeholders can identify objectives and approaches that match with their own values and contexts. Practices based on this integrated ethic can help to promote sustainable mining and to minimize communication risks for enterprises in mining countries like Thailand. INTRODUCTION The objective of this paper is to integrate Buddhist principles to the application of sustainable development concept to mining activities. The structure of this paper is divided into four parts. An introduction provides basic information about Thailand, its mining industry and the role of Buddhism on the past development. The second part compares the differences between the sustainable mining framework and the implications of Buddhist principles on mining. In the third part, the core Buddhist teachings are integrated into the sustainable mining framework. This is followed by conclusions in the last part. THAILAND, BUDDHISM, AND MINING Thailand is a constitutional monarchy state in Southeastern Asia with a population size of around 65 million [1]. Its GDP in 2013 was 391 billion USD [2], predominantly deriving from manufacturing (38%), trade, transport and communication (24%), agriculture (8%) and mining and construction (4%). Still the largest part of the Thai workforce (39%) is working in the agricultural sector. The remaining part of the workforce is equally distributed across services, manufacturing, and mining and construction sectors. [3]"

Jan 1, 2015

By L. Bergkvist

"History can provide many answers with regard to what today’s mining industry looks like and how we got to where we are today. It has always been self-evident that safety has to be given the highest priority and, throughout history, many mine workers have been injured, become ill and have even sacrificed their lives due to the way in which attempts have been made to extract the ore, often due to ignorance of the dangers being faced. In more recent stages of history we have seen certain dangers being compensated by means of higher wages and bonus systems in order to have the work carried out: one example of this is when the rock heating method was employed and the men who first went underground to put out the fires that were burning, were paid extra. The working conditions, to which these people were exposed, with smoke-filled closed spaces, shortened their life expectancy considerably and today we can ask ourselves whether it is really possible to value these efforts just by higher wages. In all mines worldwide the working environment has been improved and many mining companies have a zero vision where work-related injuries and accidents are concerned. Despite this, incidents of varying severity still occur and a continuous improvement process and ongoing training is necessary in order to constantly minimise risks and improve the working environment. Atlas Copco takes this into account in all its development and we not only review our own production units but also the needs of our customers, with regard to the machinery that is produced in order to cater for customers’ safety and production objectives. Underground mining probably started at the beginning of the 11th century when people with modest tools tried to extract ores that were present in the bedrock. Methodology has developed enormously over the years with a strong focus on increased efficiency and higher production. In different parts of the world the development is driven forwards at different rates depending on which controlling factors are regarded as necessary. Political decisions, profit goals and productivity have partly controlled the development, but the greatest factor where improvement is concerned still remains with increased understanding of the totality. During more than 1000 years since underground mining has been conducted, all individuals at all levels have constantly improved their expertise and the human element has been of great importance with regard to the development that has been made, even though technology often occupies a leading role when we describe the improvements made."

Jan 1, 2011

By J. Gawler

In June 2005 the Minerals Council of Australia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Australian Government which states an intention ?for mining companies and government to work together with Indigenous people to build sustainable, prosperous communities in which individuals can create and take up social, employment and business opportunities in mining regions?. Implementation of the MoU has begun with demonstration sites established across Australia. All sites are using a Regional Partnership Agreement (RPA) model as a framework for enabling local people to find local solutions to local issues in partnership with mining companies, governments and Indigenous communities. Mining and resources companies can provide important input into regional economic development and capacity building by working through local partnerships. Company benefits include gaining a social licence to operate, access to a reliable skilled workforce, better longterm relationships with Indigenous communities and sustainable regional communities. All levels of government, Australian, State and Local, are working collaboratively to address unemployment and other issues in remote Indigenous communities. The Australian Government has adopted RPAs as one mechanism for implementing its whole-of-government approach to Indigenous affairs. This leading edge work is unique to Australia and the model has applications and significant learning for other countries and industries.

Jan 1, 2007

By M. Birdsell

"Sustainable long-term restoration requires adequate planning and preparation, implementation, and measurement goals to monitor success associated with restoring sites to pre-disturbance levels of ecological health. The Buckhorn Mountain Mine riparian habitat restoration project has been a multi-year endeavor with a variety of restoration techniques implemented by Kinross Gold/Crown Resources Corporation. INTRODUCTION The Buckhorn Mountain Mine procured mitigation lands during the permitting process to be set aside for long-term restoration. A portion of this mitigation land included three aquatic habitat mitigation parcels; a spring and wetland complex and two stream and riparian corridors. These properties were historically used for agriculture purposes and livestock grazing. During initial permitting, habitat monitoring and mitigation plans were created to help guide restoration, and provide measures for success. Various techniques and adaptations have been implemented on the properties since 2007, and continued efforts are being implemented annually to ensure the long-term success of the project. Field measurements are collected annually to ensure mitigation objectives are being met, and provide opportunity to modify restoration efforts when necessary. MATERIALS/METHODS Restoration efforts have included implementation of several methods including livestock exclusion, treatment of state and locally listed noxious weed species, installation of regionally sourced riparian plant species and local stock willow cuttings. Annual mechanical and herbicide treatments for noxious weeds have been conducted annually. Efforts to control reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea) have been implemented since 2013; methods include mechanical and herbicide treatments. A combination of methods has been employed to help aid restoration of native species within the riparian corridor, and increase survival of planted species, including weed matting and browse barriers to aid riparian planting success. Instream planting of local stock willow have also been employed to increase stream vegetative cover and provide long-term bank stabilization. Most recently, a perched culvert near one of the properties has been replaced with an aquatic life passable culvert designed to aid in the upstream migration of fish species into the stream system. Efforts to provide increased fisheries into upstream portions of the system and aid in restoration of stream bed and bank have been employed to increase the ecological value downstream of the replacement. In addition to efforts completed by the client to provide restoration efforts, a local non-profit organization, in conjunction with the client, installed beaver dam analogues (BDAs) in the fall of 2014. These structures are intended to raise water levels along stretches of incised channel in an attempt to flood historic off-channel floodplain"

Jan 1, 2016

By Daniel Lakovic

"Mining operations can create a negative environmental impact, especially when considering the tailings that are produced through the processing of ores. Tailings are finely grained residues that form sludges. The tailings are deposited into giant basins, or sludge ponds, where they create a burden on the environmentby limiting the use of processed water.Tailings are one of the most important environmental liabilities for mining operations because of their large proportion in relation to the ore mined — generally 90 to 98 percent. To get to the valuable minerals, mining companies must move large amounts of rock. The rock is ground and then treated, usually with the addition of chemical solutions and large amounts of water. The lower the concentration of the valuable resources, the greater the proportion of accumulated excavated material sludge.Sustainable tailings management requires responsible handling, making it one of the mining industry’s greatest challenges. The proper technology should include consistent control of the environmental risks and impacts, as well as a proper relationship with the communities that surround the mining operations.The tailings, which can remain partly contaminated with chemicals, are pumped into the large sludge basins, which are secured by earthworks. During the mining operations, the basins must be stable enough to withstand the pressure of the stored excavated material. The storage option is still used, but it has failed on occasion. And when it does, it increases the risks to the environment and binds the unused process water. The more complex the availability of fresh water required for industrial use and for human consumption and their economic activities — for example, farming and agriculture — the more complex the conflicts that have the potential to shut down mining operations. With modern separation technology solutions, it’s possible to process the sludge and recover the processed water. However, the responsible use of the water is critical. Therefore, mining companies must rely on technologies that allow for proper reclamation of the water, whether re-using in their own processes or treating it to return it to the environment."

Dec 1, 2018

By Adeyemi Adesina, Subhabrata Mishra, Syed Mohammed Mustakim, Malaya Kumar Jena, Shaswat Kumar Das

Utilization of low-grade manganese ore adopting the carbothermic reduction roasting process is a proven method to produce high-grade manganese ore. To minimize industrial waste and protect the environment, gas cleaning plant sludge (GCPS), which is a solid waste from steel industries, was employed as a reductant to perform the reduction roasting process. The optimum conditions to carry out reduction roasting of the low-grade manganese ore were found to be: a roasting temperature of 950 °C, a residence time of 2 h, 40% GCPS as reductant, and magnetic separation at 5000 G for a manganese ore size of –10 mm. A lowgrade manganese ore comprising Mn grade 31.27% and Fe grade 19.78% having a Mn/Fe ratio of 1.58 containing a high silica content of 26.48% was used for the carbothermic reduction roasting having mineral phases of pyrolusite (MnO2) and hematite (Fe2O3) as found from XRD. The gangue minerals were separated during the magnetic separation, and the upgraded product was obtained, which reached a maximum value of TMn 49.5% with RMn 76.55% and TFe 62.19% with RFe 42.51%. In the study, activated charcoal (AC) was also taken as a reductant for comparative analysis; the experimental results revealed that GPCS performed better than that of the AC, showing potential to be used as a reductant in metallurgical industries. However, the resultedMn/Fe ratio was very low for the reduced sample; therefore, it can be used for smelting along with high-grade manganese ores as a feed.

Mar 5, 2021

By F. Figge, T. Hahn

In this article we present Sustainable Value, a valuation methodology to assess sustainable value creation of companies. Sustainable Development posits that decisions must not only take into account economic capital but also natural and social capital. Sustainable Value, the methodology presented in this paper, borrows the idea from financial economics that the return on capital has to cover the cost of the capital. Capital costs are determined as opportunity costs, i.e. the forgone return that would have been created by an alternative investment. By expanding the well established logic of the valuation of economic capital in financial markets to also cover natural and social capital we provide a methodology that allows an assessment of the most efficient allocation of economic, natural, and social capital for sustainable value creation in companies. We demonstrate the practicability of the methodology by the valuation of the sustainability performance of British Petroleum (BP).

Jan 1, 2005

By Ditend Tesh, Godfrey Dzinomwa, Harmony K. Musiyarira

Namibia is known as water stressed country with a limited amount of fresh water. Therefore, the use of water is an important topic in the country’s development agenda. Water is a shared and finite resource, with high social, cultural, environmental and economic value. However, freshwater resources are under pressure from ore processing, industrialization, urbanization and the demands of a growing population. In Namibia, ore processing, coupled with the anticipated increase in water demand for human consumption and other uses, has created significant stress on the limited water resources of the country. This is critical in the mining industry as water remains typically the prime environmental medium (besides air) that is affected by mining activities. This study sought to investigate the strides made in water management in mining, especially in environmentally sensitive areas of Namibia. Most mining companies operate next or alongside farms, national parks and fishing areas. The overall objective of this research was to highlight the current practices in Namibia’s mineral industry operating in environmentally sensitive areas especially in areas where uranium is being mined and processed. The methodology consisted of comprehensive literature review, field visits to the case study areas, and comparative studies with best practices. This study shows that over a ten-year period, freshwater consumption was reduced by over 55% per tonne of milled ore in uranium mines, resulting in substantive financial savings as well as the delay in water augmentation through desalination. The strategies employed by the Namibian companies involve inclusive stakeholders’ engagement, recycling and reuse, and the minimization of water losses. The realization that the water challenge cannot be solved by any one party acting alone has been fundamental in ensuring environmental compliance within the mining industry in Namibia. Namibia’s industrial leaders have increasingly recognized that reducing the water footprint of mining activities must be one of the key performance indicators for management. The major finding of this study was that Namibia with its unique ecosystems, mineral reserves, and emerging industries can harness a wide range of resources both to improve the welfare of its citizens and to protect the integrity of its environment.

Jan 1, 2017

By V. N. Kazakidis

With increased levels of automation, capitalization, and empowerment of citizens, the traditional axis of labour versus capital or national government versus capital, upon which the allocation of benefits from a mining project was traditionally based, has shifted primarily to a capital versus community axis. In light of this paradigm shift, it is critical for the sustainability of mining that economic indicators be considered at the pre-feasibility, feasibility, and permitting stages of a project. Such indicators should emphasize the ?ripple effect? of the economic impact of a capital-intensive mining investment on a region due to outsourcing, as well as the diversified spin-off opportunities and the technological advances that can be exploited by local communities.

Jan 1, 2003

By C. Pattenden

The viability, self-reliance and resilience of small communities are perennial challenges in regional Australia. Recent developments in Australian mining regions seek to govern the minerals industry in a more holistic way that contributes to sustainable futures for affected communities in different contexts. In some areas of the State of Queensland land use conflicts and the cumulative impacts of multiple projects and activities across time and space have come to the fore. In more isolated regions of Western Australia the dominant issues relate to overstretching people, infrastructure and services in predominantly mining towns. In both cases, there is an ambition for regional towns with a strong extractive industry presence to transition into desirable, liveable and affordable cities with a diversified economy. The paper analyses two strategies - the Pilbara Plan in Western Australia, and the Sustainable Resource Communities Policy in Queensland - to identify how these governance instruments are contributing to sustainable development.

Jan 1, 2011

By Nik Sokol, Eric Sekulski, Leo Weiman-Benitez, Jon Hurt, Shrinidhi Vijayakumar, Phaidra Campbell

The Silicon Valley Clean Water (SVCW) Gravity Pipeline (GP) is the first Progressive Design Build (PDB) tunnel completed in North America. As part of the Regional Environmental Sewer Conveyance Upgrade (RESCU) Program, the tunnel is a key component to replacing and rehabilitating components of the existing conveyance system in San Mateo County, California. The GP consists of a large diameter Fiberglass Reinforced Polymer Mortar (FRPM) pipe installed inside a 4.1 m (13.5 ft) inside diameter, 5.3 km (3.3 mile) long precast concrete segmentally lined tunnel. The tunnel was constructed using a 4.6 m (15.2 ft) diameter Earth Pressure Balance (EPB) Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) through heterogenous silts, clays and sands. Construction included two separate TBMlaunches from a centrally located access shaft, and a tunnel alignment below but in close proximity to very soft Young Bay Mud. Settlement criteria and mitigation strategies focused on protection of an existing 1.42 m (56 inch) diameter force main and adjoining structures along the alignment. This paper discusses the results of the theoretical settlement analysis versus the actual observed ground movements, while also presenting mitigation measures and adjustments made during tunneling to reduce the risks of adverse settlement.

Jun 13, 2023

By P. J. Cook

Comminution is one of the fundamentals of mineral processing, requiring large expenditures to be made on capital equipment, installation, power and maintenance. The trend toward lower grades and higher operating costs, mean mining operations are becoming increasingly marginal. The challenge is to improve and more importantly, utilize crushing and milling technologies that provide for reduced capital and operating costs whilst providing increased unit efficiencies. The Svedala Barmac Autogenous Crushing Mill presents such an opportunity by providing many of the cost savings and production increases required by its ability to produce a finer mill feed size and realize reduced energy consumption. This paper briefly describes the operation of the Svedala Barmac Autogenous Crushing Mill and reviews its benefits towards improving the efficiency of crushing and milling operations.

Jan 1, 1999

By P. J. Cook

Comminution is one of the fundamentals of mineral processing, requiring large expenditures to be made on capital equipment, installation, power and maintenance. The trend toward lower grades and higher operating costs, mean mining operations are becoming increasingly marginal. The challenge is to improve and more importantly, utilise crushing and milling technologies that provide for reduced capital and operating costs whilst providing increased unit efficiencies. The Svedala Barmac Autogenous Crushing Mill presents such an opportunity by providing many of the cost savings and production increases required by its ability to produce a finer mill feed size and realise reduced energy consumption. This paper briefly describes the operation of the Svedala Barmac Autogenous Crushing Mill and reviews its benefits towards improving the efficiency of crushing and milling operations.

Jan 1, 1999

Placing a detonating explosive inside a volume of rock is an efficient method of rock fragmentation. The explosion generates internal tensile stresses in the rock, and because rock is a brittle material, this brings about crack propagation and fragmentation far more efficiently than does application of explosive on the surface. To get the explosive inside, we drill a pattern of boreholes and charge the explosive into the holes. This is really the one and only purpose of making blastholes in mining: to give access for the explosive to the interior of the rock. No matter how big and expensive a drilling jumbo we stand up in front of a rock face, and no matter how many boreholes we let it drill, the rock does not fall apart by itself without blasting. It is the action of the explosive in the boreholes that does it. When we consider that we need a pound or two of explosive for every cubic yard of rock to be fragmented, and a pint of borehole volume for each pound of explosive, we see that the process of blasthole charging is an important element in the whole process of rock blasting.

Jan 1, 1975

By Matthias Neuenschwander, Andreas Theiler, Patrick Steinle, John Singer, Martin Vogel, Diego Martini, Ömer Ündül, Markus Weh

"Quartz Dust is a major health hazard in underground works, wherever the ground contains quartz and depending on the chosen method of excavation. A research project initiated by the Swiss Tunnelling Society and realized by the Swiss Federal Institut of Technology, Zurich, established a correlation between the potential of quartz dust generation during excavation and well known geotechnical characteristics – the Cerchar Abrasivity Index CAI and the Uniaxial Compressive Strength UCS - of ten typical Swiss rocks. The results are at the center of a new guideline by the Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects on the requirements for early project stages regarding ventilation and logistics in function of the quartz dust related risk of the expected ground type of the project. The approach presented could be applied worldwide, contributing to more effective health protection as well as to better cost stability in underground works. CONTEXT Respirable quartz dust (aerodynamic diameter of particles < 10 micron) is universally recognized as a major workplace health hazard. Chronic bronchitis, silicosis and lung cancer can be caused by excessive exposure to quartz dust, as has been proved by many medical studies. Therefore, the legislations of many nations specify a maximum workplace concentration (Maximale Arbeitsplatzkonzentration MAK, Occupational Exposure Level OEL). In Switzerland, for example, the Threshold Limit Value TLV for respirable Quartz or Crystalline Silica imposed by the Federal Committee on Exposure Levels (Grenzwertkommission) is 0.15mg/m3 air. Some nations refrain from establishing a OEL because of the carcinogenic nature of quartz."

Jan 1, 2016