Submarine Disposal Method of Mine Tailings (Slurry Sludge)

The mining industry is one of the most important industrial activities that are playing a role to development of the modern society and at same time, this industry is the world's largest waste-producing industry. The raw materials, which are needed for the developing technology and industrial activities, are obtained from naturel sources with the mine activities. These mine activities can lead to destruction of biological diversity and environmental pollution problems. According to the abandonment of mining activities not possible, these activities should also be more sensitive to protection of natural sources and prevention of environmental pollution. The appropriate disposal methods and application of various engineering techniques should be investigated for this purpose. Mine waste sludge (or slurry sludge) which is produced from ore process generally is disposal in on-land storage facilities. The various environmental problems can arise due to acid mine drainage (due to sulfite oxidation), geotechnical stability and some other reasons in on-land storage areas. Due to negative effects of on-land storage facilities on the environment, mine tailings (or mine waste sludge) disposal in the receiving environments such as submarine, under constant reduction conditions and geochemically stable sulphite minerals, can see as a new and safer alternative method to land storage facilities. In this study, general disposal methods (especially submarine disposal method) were investigated for mine waste sludge or mine tailings that are forming from ore process. Possible positive and negative environmental effects of this method were discussed. Submarine disposal plant of mine tailings (for the Black Sea) in Turkey and studies to determine the effects of this discharge were evaluated. According to the results of these experimental studies, the mine tailings (or mine waste sludge) which is discharged to Black Sea are defined as a negative buoyancy waste because of it moved to bottom of the sea and could not to reach the strata where living organisms from the anoxic zone.