Are Mine Tailings Regulations Sufficient
A quick review of front-page news of the last few years brings us to ask the question: Are mine tailings regulations sufficient to assure the protection of human life and eliminate ecological disaster? The Piney Point phosphate mine in Florida and the Córrego de Feijão iron mine in Brumadinho Brazil among others throughout the world would seem to indicate that past and present methods of dealing with the leftovers of mining are not sufficient.
There are safer ways to dispose of mine tailings, albeit more expensive ways. They can be used to backfill the mine itself in a process called High-Density Paste Fill (HDPF). They can be Dry Stacked after de-watering, leaving them easily stored in a stable condition. In some cases, such as for much of the coal mined today, we should be asking if it really should be mined at all! Does the world really need more coal dirtying up the place?
After the Brumadinho disaster, the UN began a process to determine if mine tailings regulations were sufficient and to define an international standard for tailings management. We all should ask our governments and the mining companies we invest in if they are following these new standards.
image sources
- Fotos produzidas pelo Senado: Rogério Alves/TV Senado