REC «Mekhanobr-tekhnika» (Russia):

Vaisberg L. A., Scientific Advisor of the Company, Corresponding Member of RAS, Doctor of Engineering, Professor

Azbel Yu. I., Chief Specialist, Ph. D. in Technical Sciences

Arsentyev V. A., Research and Development Director, Doctor of Engineering, secretariat@npk-mt.spb.ru

Moscow State University (Russia).

Kononov O. V., Professor, Ph. D. in Geology and Mineralogy, okonon2007@yandex.ru

The paper gives consideration to the problem of recycling industrial wastes, such as dumps, screenings and tailing ponds of mine-and-mill enterprises. These deposits greatly differ from natural ones by their heterogeneity, size gradation, high segregation with regard to the height and space and consequently require unconventional approaches in estimation of their commercial value and in choosing the way for their geological and technological mapping. Different approaches with regard to the investigation and the use of industrial waste deposits are cited and reviewed. It is emphasized that prior to processing of dumped wastes it is necessary to estimate the structure and the amount of the secondary raw material reserves starting from the history of the anthropogenic dumps and tailings formation. A special attention should be paid to advanced methods of resources estimation used in the geology engineering. The amenability of the wastes to the beneficiation should be estimated with due consideration to the future production circumstances when both water and energy resources will be restricted. It is supposed that future processing techniques will be energy and cost efficient and sustainable so that dry and thermo-chemical concentration methods might become preferable. Some instances of successful metal and non-metal wastes recycling are cited including production of secondary building materials from non-metal wastes, production of solidifying backfill from copper ore tailings and gold and rare metals recovery from concentration plant tailings.

1. Vaisberg L. A., Ustinov I. D. Zolotodobyvayushchaya promyshlennost, 2011, No. 5, pp. 14–15.
2. Arsentyev V. A., Vaisberg L. A., Shuloyakov A. D., Romashev A. O. Obogashchenie Rud, 2012, No. 5, pp. 51–54.
3. Arsentyev V. A., Kvitka V. V., Zverev A. P., Radchenko D. N., Eks V. V. Obogashchenie Rud, 2013, No. 3, pp. 3–6.