National mineral waste databases as an information source for assessing material recovery potential from mine waste, tailings and metallurgical waste

We examined the national mine waste registries from seven European countries, created to fulfil the requirements of the “Mine Waste Directive” (2006/21/EC), for their potential use as an initial source of information for the valorisation of specific mine waste deposits for their resource recovery. A set of parameters for mine waste valorisation was defined and divided into three groups: the “basic”, the “metal-centric” and the “material-centric” group. The “basic” group of 19 parameters considers properties of the mine waste deposit, including the location, history, homogeneity and quantity, among others, while the other two groups relate to the two desired material recovery types. The “metal-centric” group of parameters contains the six parameters needed to preliminarily assess the potential to valorise mine waste for metal extraction, while the “material-centric” group contains the nine parameters needed to consider the use of mine waste for the production of different construction materials. National mine waste registries from Slovenia, France, Spain, Italy, UK, Hungary and Portugal were reviewed to determine whether they contain information about each of the parameters. In line with the objectives of the Mine Waste Directive, the national mine waste registries were developed to reduce or prevent environmental damage, and not to enable resource recovery from mine waste. The registries contain most of the information for the parameters in the “basic” group, less information for the parameters in the “metal-centric” group and almost no information to define the parameters in the “material-centric” group. The conclusion is that national mine waste registries could serve only as an initial source of information, and more detailed information must be obtained from other sources. This misses an opportunity to see these sites as a resource, and not only as a potential source of pollution, given the urgent need to find alternative stocks of metals within the EU (European Union)

Site-specific dataset of mining and metallurgical residues for resource management

This geospatial dataset provides a compilation of findings from an evidence-based review of site-specific resource assessments of mining and metallurgical residues. Information pertaining to location, target material, geological knowledge, extractability, resource classification and stakeholder perspectives was collected from publicly available reports, articles, academic theses, and databases. The dataset includes 44 relevant data attributes from 64 mining and metallurgical sites in 27 countries. Resource classification is available for 38 sites. The dataset can be used by evaluators of recovery projects, authorities that provide permits, as well as by decision makers in support of developing regulatory policies. The dataset facilitates future addition of sites by the research community and can be further used as a starting point to bridge the estimates on recoverable quantities to the United Nations Framework Classification (UNFC). The UNFC is a universally applicable scheme for the sustainable management of all energy, primary and secondary mineral resources. Its use is stimulated by the European Commission and is intended to be adopted by geological surveys to harmonize the data on the availability of primary and secondary raw materials in Europe in future

Manual for use of Al-containing residues in low-carbon mineral binders

Our society can no longer be imagined without its modern infrastructure, which is inevitably based on the use of various mineral and metallic materials and requires a high energy consumption. Parallel to the production of materials, as well as the production of electricity, huge amounts of various industrial and mining residues (waste/by-product) are generated and many of them are sent to landfill. The European Union (EU) aims to increase resource efficiency and the supply of ”secondary raw materials“ through recycling [1], inventory of waste from extractive industries [2], and waste prevention, waste re-use and material recycling [3]. Much of the industrial and mining waste is enriched with aluminium (Al) and therefore has a potential to replace natural sources of Al in mineral binders with a high Al demand. However, the use of industrial residue in mineral binders requires an extensive knowledge of its chemical composition, including potential hazardous components (e.g. mercury), mineral composition, organic content, radioactivity and physical properties (moisture content, density, etc.). This manual addresses the legislative aspects, governing the use of secondary raw materials in construction products, description of the most common Al-containing industrial and mining residue (bauxite deposits, red mud, ferrous slag, ash and some other by products from industry), potentiality for their reutilisation and its economic aspects, potential requirements/barriers for the use of secondary raw materials in the cement industry and a description of belite-sulfoaluminate cements, which are a promising solution for implementing the circular economy through the use of large amounts of landfilled Al-rich industrial residue and mining waste cement clinker raw mixture. This manual was prepared by partners of the RIS-ALiCE project. It provides a popular content, which targets relevant stakeholders as well as the wider society. Moreover, it offers education material for undergraduate, master and PhD students.Other links: [http://www.zag.si/dl/manual-alice.pdf

Skrb za pitno vodo

Safeguarding Drinking WaterLjubljana's water resources lie in the immediate vicinity of built-up urban areas or even below them. For decades, they have been safeguarded as water-protection areas, which are specified by implementing regulations. However, formal protection through regulations is insufficient if the goal is to manage these sources in a sustainable manner. One of the most important goals of sustainable management is maintaining suitable provision of fresh drinking water without using any technological procedures toVodni viri mesta Ljubljane so v neposredni bližini pozidanih mestnih zemljišč ali celo pod njimi. Že desetletja jih varujejo vodovarstvena območja. Eden od najpomembnejših ciljev trajnostnega upravljanja je ohranjanje ustrezne oskrbe z naravno pitno vodo brez tehnoloških postopkov njene priprave, kar Ljubljančani uvrščajo visoko na lestvici vrednot življenja v glavnem mestu Slovenije. Upravljanje ogroženih vodnih virov v urbanih okoljih zahteva celosten pristop in stalne aktivnosti. S pomočjo računalniških orodij znamo sisteme simulirati in tako pridobiti dodatna védenja o njihovem delovanju. Ta so v pomoč pri dolgoročnih odločitvah ali na primer ob okoljskih nesrečah. Za ustrezno načrtovanje so potrebna strokovna orodja, ki omogočajo zanesljive, pregledne in kvantitativne ocene učinkov ukrepov. Razpolaganje z zanesljivimi ocenami stanja in napovedmi olajšuje delo odločevalcem in tudi komunikacijo med deležniki. Povezava v monografiji predstavljenih postopkov in rezultatov v sistem izvedljivega upravljanja z vodnimi viri v Ljubljani je dosežek, ki je lahko zgled številnim podobnim okoljem, ne le v Sloveniji, ampak tudi širše

Knowledge base to facilitate anthropogenic resource assessment

The traditional mining sector uses resource assessments to estimate the mineability of natural resources. The results are communicated to investors, authorities and corporate management boards in a standardized manner, at least on a country level. The recycling sector also requires estimates of recoverable anthropogenic resources. Evidence-based resource assessment, including the selection of parameters for characterising resources and methods for assessing their recoverability, is essential to obtain comparable estimates over time and across scales. Within this report, the COST Action MINEA presents a practical and user-friendly knowledge base for facilitating anthropogenic resource assessments. The fouces is on extractives industry residues, residues in landfills, residues from municipal solid waste incineration as well as construction & demolition waste flows. The key objectives are: To relate current knowledge levels, gaps and future needs to assessments of viability of anthropogenic resource recovery. To review case studies that demonstrate anthropogenic resource assessment in combination with resource classification in order to communicate the viability of anthropogenic resource recovery. We encourage academics, businesses and government organisations to use this report for: designing and developing case studies, future planning, developing standards for characterizing resource quantities and evaluating their recoverability, and collecting and harmonizing resource statistics. ************* The “Mining the European Anthroposphere” (MINEA) is a pan-European expert network, which received funding from the COST Association between 2016 and 2020. The network pools knowledge for estimating the future recoverability of raw materials from anthropogenic resources

Neogene block rotation inside the dextral fault zone at the Adriatic-European collision zone: reexamination of existing results

The study focused on the post-Middle-Miocene stress analysis within the dextral strike-slip zone of the Dinaric fault system in the collision zone between the European plate, the Adria microplate and the Pannonian Domain. Block rotations were studied by re-examination of available paleostress data and their spatial distribution. The results are in agreement with the existing block model of the area, indicating CCW rotations within blocks between the main strike-slip faults in which rotation angle increases from W to E. The improved kinematic model, which is proposed in this study, will contribute to the knowledge on the kinematics within the complex collision zones and improve the seismic hazard models

Elemental associations in stream and alluvial sediments of the Savinja and Voglajna Rivers (Slovenia, EU) as a result of natural processes and anthropogenic activities

Stream and alluvial sediments of the Savinja and Voglajna rivers were sampled, and sediment fractions <0.063 and 0.063–0.125 mm were analyzed on the content of 60 of the main and trace elements. The objective was to determine elemental associations and identify possible sources of these associations. Differences of Al/Ti oxides ratio (9.7–26) can be attributed to the variations in the source rocks, while the K/Al oxides ratio indicates erosional or depositional river regime and variation in source rocks. One anthropogenic and three natural associations of elements were identified. The anthropogenic association (Ag, In, Sb, Cu, As, Zn, Pb, Cd, Bi, Mo and Sn) is linked to historic Zn smelting in the Celje area, and the subsequent erosion of the material from inadequately managed pyrometallurgical waste deposit. The second association (Li, Sc, Al, V, Cs and Ga) is linked to clay minerals, the third one (Mg, Ca and Te) to carbonate rocks, and the fourth one (Hf, Zr) to the heavy mineral fraction

Use of geomorphological indicators for the detection of active faults in southern part of Ljubljana moor, Slovenia

In order to detect recently tectonically active faults, Stream Length-gradient (SL) index and a newly developed method of river gradient analysis were made for three rivers. Two methods were used on the southern part of Ljubljana moor, where rivers cross dextral (right-lateral) faults with Dinaric orientation (NW-SE). Watercourse profiles were analysed first, using a »classic«, well established method of SL index. However, this method didn't yield useful results since almost no variability in SL indexes were observed. Additionally, a second newly developed method pointed on the anomalies, which might correspond to the areas of active surface uplift and subsidence as a consequence of active tectonic movements. We compared determined anomalies with the fault lines plotted on the Basic geological map 1 : 100.000 and with the data of radar measurements of vertical movements by PSInSAR method. In this way five potentially active faults, areas of contraction and areas of extension were determined. The results of this research can be used as complementary information for the construction of tectonic model of Ljubljana field and Ljubljana moor

Mass balance of heavy metals in Celje area

The research which included sampling of attic dust and soils in the town Celje has shown that the environment is contaminated with heavy metals, especially with zinc and cadmium. That is a consequence of 100 years of smelting the sphalerite ore in Cinkarna Celje. With the data, that includes concentration of heavy metals in the attic dust on 99 points and the weight of air deposit on 19 points in Celje and its suburbs, is possible to calculate the emissions of heavy metals in the environment. With the help from data of geochemical background is possible to estimate the anthropogenic emissions. The calculationsshow, that these emissions of zinc in Celje is 1712 tons and the natural background has been estimated at 207 tons. The similar proportion between anthropogenic and natural emissions can be seen at cadmium (9,1 tons of anthropogenic and 1,4 tons of natural cadmium). The opposite ratio is seen by elements whoose presence is influenced mainly by lithology, for example aluminium (1388 tons of anthropogenic and 11540 tons of natural aluminium

Organic compounds in the urban dusts in Celje area

This paper presents the results of the analysis of organic chemicals in different urban dusts. The aim of the researchis preliminary evaluation of the presence of organic contaminants in household dust, attic dust and streetsediment. Celje area has been chosen as a pilot study site due to availability of sampling materials from previoussampling campaigns. Samples have been tested to the presence of 120 organic compounds. Attic dust contains 98different organic compounds or 82 % of all measured. Terpenoids, alkylbenzenes and different Polycyclic AromaticHydrocarbons (PAH’s), as well as plasticizers, halogenated compounds (among them also PCB’s) and pesticides(DDT and degradation products) can be found there. It also contains all of the in this study analysed US-EPA prioritypollutants. Street dust contained 70 different organic chemicals (58 %), among them 14 priority pollutants. Tracesof aliphatic organic compounds, PAH’s, aldehydes and ketones, esters, and plasticizers are found there. House dustcontains lowest number of organic compounds. Among 45 detected (38 % of total measured), 8 are priority pollutants.Aliphatic compounds, alkylbenzenes, aldehides, ketones, acids and PAH’s can be found there. Current numberof analysed samples, as well as only qualitative evaluations were made does not allow making any solid interpretationof obtained results in regarding to the potential sources of chemicals or potential environmental hazards. Thisstudy can thus be used only as a guideline for future studies of organic chemicals in urban dusts