Sustainable Mining Practices - Global Perspective

Cleaner production practices in AustraliaBlasting impacts and their control in the USMinimizing surface water impactsMinimizing groundwater impactsSurface subsidence control in the USUse of environmental indicators in mining Emerging mining technologies that minimize environmental impacts Describing the current status of mining practice in the Americas, Asia and Europe, Sustainable Mining Practices: A Global Perpective provides a definition of sustainable mining, and generally describes the international sustainable mining practices since 1992. It focuses on such issues as the large volume of waste generated during mining, mine closure planning, managing the environmental impacts of mining, land use planning, and energy use management. The exclusive specialty of this book is the detailed coverage of the sustainable mining systems and technologies that are currently used in developed countries.The book devotes special attention to mineland reclamation, with several examples of successful mineland reclamation and abandoned mineland reclamation in the US. It also addresses waste management issues, including tailings management, risk evaluation of facilities, waste rock disposal, acid mine drainage control, and hazardous waste management, with emphasis on maintenance wastes. The authors devote a chapter to Best Mining Practices for Sustainable Mining, with subchapters on small-scale mining, tailings pond management, and hazardous waste management. This chapter highlights practices that have been successful in the US, and practices that are being developed in India for controlling small-scale mining.The book concludes with a chapter presenting several case histories of sustainable mining practices in Asia, Africa, and the Americas-including sustainable exploration practices.