What is Mining Waste?
Do you know that not all the waste generated from mining operations is pollutant? Extraction process in mining industry generates lots of wastes. These wastes are bits and pieces of substances that must be cleared to access the point where the mineral is located. They include such things as tailings, a byproduct of extraction process; topsoil and rocks. Some of those wastes that are not pollutants are inert hence they do not constitute great pollution to the environment.
On the other hand, the wastes that are of non-ferrous metal definitely constitute great danger to the environment. This is because they contain dangerous heavy metals. During the course of mining operations, these metals tend to accumulate; hence, there will be generation of basic and acidic drainage.
Importantly, the management of tailing has to be carefully carried out, as it involves outstanding processing of left over metals and chemicals. Often times, tailings are stored up in big ponds where they constitute dams. The implication of this is that the collapse of the dam will have a great environmental impact with grave health and ecological consequences as well as loss of soil fertility and productivity.