Mine Waste: A Brief Overview of Origins, Quantities, and Methods of Storage
Mine wastes and their environmentally acceptable storage constitute the largest waste problem on the planet. Mine wastes have been accumulating for thousands of years, and their rate of production has accelerated in step with increases of the human population to an estimated worldwide production rate of 350 × 109 t year-1. If collected and spread in a uniform thickness, the waste could cover the 84, 000 km2 area of Ireland to a depth of > 2 m. The types and characteristics of mine wastes and the ways in which they are stored are described. Mine waste storages are dangerous structures in terms of associated accidental deaths and continuing environmental hazards. Situations leading to failure, types of failures, and methods of preventing their occurrence and minimizing environmental damage are described with illustrative examples.
