Minerals from waste : recent BGS and Tarmac experience in finding uses for mine and quarry waste

In 1998 the BGS, in collaboration with Tarmac, initiated an industrial mineral waste project known as REFILL which was funded by the EU BriteEuRam programme. BGS was responsible for the characterization of quarry waste from certain aggregate quarrying operations across the UK. During the work it became clear that there was little information available on the quantity and technical quality of mineral waste in the UK. Also, BGS assisted Tarmac in research work to find uses for the fines produced at a coastal aggregate quarry in southern Ireland. In 1999 BGS developed a further research project, known as ‘Minerals from Waste’, which was funded by the UK Government Department for International Development (DfID). This project aimed to improve the sustainability of mining communities by investigating the use of mineral waste as a source of construction and industrial minerals. The types of waste found in a range of extractive operations were reviewed. Case studies were carried out in Namibia and Costa Rica including investigations of the properties of the waste, mineral product evaluations, market and economic appraisals and social and environmental impact assessments of local communities. Overall, this work aimed to benefit not only mine and quarry engineers, but all those involved in the management of mine waste.