The aim of this research was to provide technical support to Geological Mining and Metallurgical Institute (INGEMMET) as they undertook a targeted geochemical investigation at abandoned mines in the Puno region of Peru, a region which lies within the catchment of Lake Titicaca.
Designer Tailings is a science and evidence-based methodology for generating alternate operating options for the desired environmental outcomes. Through a detailed knowledge of the ore properties and processing conditions, and a mathematical simulation of the processing operations, Designer Tailings can predict the likely nature of the tailings generated, potential environmental liabilities and/or opportunities for reuse, recycling and reprocessing tailings.
There are three approaches to predicting seepage water quality: 1) field monitoring and tracer techniques such as stable isotopes, 2) laboratory column leaching experiments; and 3) geochemical modelling. A column study only shows how a small sample of tailings materials behaves over time.
The release of salts from spoil piles affects surface and groundwater quality particularly the quality of water in final voids. Current hydrogeochemical salt balance models either assume that the total amount of inherent salts in spoils will be released over time or often predict increasing project water salinity into the future based on site monitoring data from electrical conductivity measurements.
Porphyry copper deposits of the Andean rim located at high altitude require the transport of flotation tailings to lower elevations for their final storage due to lack of storage area within the Andean Main Chain and the need for geotechnical safe impoundments in seismic active part of the South American Continent.
Hyperaccumulators are unusual plants that accumulate particular metals or metalloids in their living tissues to levels that may be orders of magnitude greater than is normal for most plants growing on similar soils. Discovering hyperaccumulators and understanding their agronomy could lead to identifying potential species to be utilized in novel phytotechnologies such as phytomining for phytoextraction of valuable metals.
Heavy metals like nickel and zinc are usually the last thing that plants want to grow next to in high concentrations. But a specialised group, known as hyperaccumulators, have evolved to take up the normally toxic metals into their stems, leaves and even seeds.
Extracting Innovations: Mining, Energy and Technological Change in the Digital Age is co-edited by SMI affiliates Professor Saleem H. Ali and Dr. Tim Grice just published by Taylor and Francis – CRC Press, considers the most contemporary innovations propelling the extractive industries forward while also creating new environmental and social challenges.
