Disposal methods on solid wastes from mines in transition from open-pit to underground mining

The important issues on disposal of solid wastes from metal mines are to choose the right varieties for the comprehensive utilization of mining waste and to control contamination from waste rocks and tailings. Environment-friendly disposal of solid wastes from mines is the key pathway. This paper summarizes and enumerates some comprehensive utilization methods and proposes new ideas on the disposal and comprehensive utilization of solid waste from mines, including reducing the discharge of solid waste by recovering sand from ore dressing flow for construction industry and a mine back filling approaches. The process flow of tailings separated for different purposes that could be carried out in iron mines is putting forward. The authors put forward certain guidance on disposing and utilizing of solid waste from mines. (C) 2012 Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of Basel Convention Coordinating Centre for Asia and the Pacific and National Center of Solid Waste Management, Ministry of Environmental Protection of China.