Circular Economy in Tailings Management

Tailings size distribution can be modified to greatly reduce surface storage area and the risk of catastrophic tailings dam failures. Total flotation and backfill technology can even be used to store the tailings underground. In Peru, dynamic neutralization and coagulation technology uses fine tailings as neutralizing and coagulating agents for acid effluent neutralization while the remaining coarse tailings are used as mining backfill. Also, a new technology, HEVA, produces lime and clean CO2 from limestone and the tailings that contain carbonates. The CO2 is used to produce biomass through photosynthesis in aquatic and terrestrial greenhouse environments. One application in the high Andes (4400 m.a.s.l.) proposes to compensate for the area’s natural CO2 deficiency with cheap HEVA CO2 to achieve 100–200% greater productivity to reduce historical poverty in the region.