Minerals and mine waste must be recycled more and more efficiently

The world may not have enough material required for a green transition. A solution can be found in the circular economy.

The European Union has noticed how much Europe's green transition relies on raw materials imported from China. To secure the availability of important minerals, the EU wants to start mining in its own backyards. Lithium, cobalt and other minerals important for electric car batteries, solar panels and windmills should be mined in Europe.

However, new mines are opposed, and according to many local residents, EU legislation does not sufficiently take into account the negative effects of mines on the environment and other livelihoods.

According to a report by the International Energy Agency, the need for critical minerals will increase fourfold by 2040. Such a quantity of metals is not necessarily available in the world. It is necessary to be able to recycle minerals more efficiently. Minerals must also be carefully collected from the equipment they were used to make.

Huge amounts of stone and tailings are produced as a byproduct of mining. In total, more than 75 percent of Finland's waste stream comes from mines. It means about 90 million tons of goods every year, which are placed in various dumps, piles or pools in mining areas. Some of the side stones of the mines are used during operations and when the mine is closed. However, millions of tons remain unused. It would be good to find another use for them.

In the environmental permits of mines, regulations are given on the protection of side rock areas and tailings ponds so that nothing harmful can flow into groundwater or surrounding water bodies. However, piles in mining areas are always a risk. Environmental damage has been observed in the areas of mines that were closed ten years ago.

It is not customary to talk about mines as circular economy ecosystems. However, the mining companies operating in Finland want to change their operations and offer materials for further exploitation. Mine waste piles are valuable material banks.

Millions of tons of the waste stream remain unused.

140 million tons of aggregate are used annually to build houses, streets, bridges, traffic lanes and other infrastructure. Part of this is always obtained from the construction site, but every year more than 80 million tons of material is produced in the areas where soil materials are taken. There is a limited amount of gravel available, which is why the use of aggregates has increasingly shifted to rock aggregates.

The aggregate needed for construction has quality requirements that vary depending on the purpose of use. Builders are interested in side stones from mines, but information about the quality and properties of the aggregate is needed.

Mining companies are interested in exploiting the minerals left in tailings, but the companies rarely have time to focus on thinking about the business potential of their side streams. However, some tailings utilization projects are underway. Could mining companies, start-up companies, research communities and those interested in mining side streams find each other and develop business concepts that work together?

Turning waste into a product is still not a smooth and effortless process in the EU. Even in Finland, permit processing is long. The decision-making regarding the end of the classification as waste must be accelerated.

When weighing circular economy solutions, the safety of the materials for people and the environment must be taken care of. In recycled products, you have to consider both chemical, product and waste regulations. It is essential to get a demand and a market for the side stones of the mines. Financial guidance and investments in training and know-how are also needed.

The circular economy will probably feature heavily when the next government's program is negotiated in the spring. I hope the politicians want to develop the circular economy of mines and make the everyday life of circular economy entrepreneurs easier. There are already enough circular economy programs and strategies.

Hannele Pokka
Working life professor, environmental responsibility
university of Helsinki

Juha Laurila
Manager
Confederation of Finnish Construction Industries (CFCI)

The text was published on January 9.1.2023, XNUMX in Helsingin Sanomat In the guest pen section.