Australasian Mining Review
Issue link: http://ebook.aprs.com.au/i/37922
101 SLR By nature, mining can cause environmental impacts before, during and after operation. Legislation has made it easier for mining operators to understand regulatory frameworks and ensure some level of certainty in the sustainable planning and development of a site, but the strong need for natural resources, coupled with environmental issues such as water and waste management, can infl uence an operator’s ability to deliver a sustainable product and still meet market demand. These factors make it more important than ever for mining operators to identify energy saving opportunities throughout every stage of a mine’s life cycle. resources from the Asian market has Australia forecasted for continued growth, and Australian mining companies are also experiencing growth in new uranium and gold exploration projects in South and West Africa. N With this demand comes the need for open cut mines, tailings storage facilities, waste rock and overburden dumps to be developed on a substantive scale, inevitably disturbing land surface and water systems. The energy intensive activities associated with processing and extraction methods put a signifi cant strain on the environment and are a driving force behind the unrelenting call for energy and water effi cient mine waste disposal technologies. Poorly planned and designed waste and drainage facilities can result in the decanting of toxic water to surface streams, erosion and dust emissions. In order for these impacts to be minimised, waste must be planned for, disposed of and managed in line with a robust waste management system employing the best available disposal technology. A number of technologies have recently been developed in the interest of reducing energy and emissions, particularly with respect to tailings dams. These initiatives can also have the added benefi t of providing operators with cost saving opportunities. Self decanting drainage systems can virtually eliminate the need for a supernatant pond on top of a tailings dam, improving the dam’s safety and reducing the rate of seepage. The advancing cone deposition method, suitable for thickened or paste tailings, can result in much lower dust emissions when used in conjunction with concurrent rehabilitation of the slope. Reduced water consumption and energy usage can also be experienced compared to paste tailings disposal methods. Enabling increased rise of a ring dyke while still satisfying geotechnical and geochemical constraints is also showing considerable promise, potentially halving dust emissions. A hybrid spray bar/spigot discharge system can allow considerably fl atter dam construction, decreasing erosion levels and contributing to the overall sustainability of the fi nal cover solution. [Environmental Services] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ issue 2.2 atural resources such as metals, energy minerals and rare earths continue to be in high demand. A particularly strong demand for the production of minerals and These technologies are just an example of the increasing opportunities available for mining companies to reduce their burden on the environment and mitigate the effects of their operations. As more and better technology becomes available, energy and emission reduction outcomes will be able to be implemented more effi ciently, resulting in faster response time in preventing or controlling environmental impacts. The economic and environmental benefi ts experienced as a result of employing these technologies are also of great importance to the future of the industry and have the potential to help promote community returns from the use of mineral resources. Environmental trends will continue to infl uence the mining and minerals sector, and the fundamentals of sustainable mining practice are set to remain a driving force behind the successful development, execution and closure of any site. The effective integration of energy use and emissions reduction techniques in the decision making process of each mining phase will undoubtedly help to ensure regulatory compliance, site longevity and intergenerational equity. By Jerome Rivory of SLR Consulting www.slrconsulting.com