Compliant Waste Management for Mining's Environmental Impact

South Africa is the continent’s leading mining producer, extracting and processing of mineral resources including coal, chrome, iron ore and diamonds.

Through complex processing, the mining industry produces a number of dangerous waste substances. As the leaders in the waste industry, EnviroServ Waste Management offers a multitude of solutions for complex hazardous and non-hazardous mining waste.

Jason Judkins, EnviroServ Regional Sales Manager, who has experience engaging with the country’s major mining houses, said that dealing with mining waste was a complex issue when one took the circular economy along with disposal that is both safe for the environment, cost effective and in line with prevailing legislation. “Our focus is to ensure compliance at all times,” Judkins said.

Mines produce large quantities of primary waste such as process tailings, slimes and over burden. EnviroServ has a specialised tailings division with vast experience within the industry, capable of managing these waste streams for large clients.

Secondary waste is often brought up from underground by locos or conveyor belts, whereby EnviroServ’s well trained on-site team strategically separates the waste into three categories: industrial waste, general waste and hazardous waste.

“Industrial waste is first checked for items that can be re-used or repaired and put back into the system, such as gearboxes, jackpots and hammers, which may have accidentally been sent to the surface, but which can be re-used or repaired.”  High value items to be auctioned such as motors, electrical cable or steel are transported to the client’s central salvage yard, separated into ferrous and non-ferrous metals and sold to recyclers,” Judkins said.

General waste is sorted into paper, plastic, glass, tin and any other recyclable categories which is also sold to recyclers, minimising waste to landfill.

“Managing hazardous waste is our speciality and we have various departments specialising in hazardous waste management solutions.  EnviroServ has a SANAS-accredited laboratory responsible for analysing waste samples and classifying the waste according to the prevailing legislative requirements. Results received allows us to determine best practise should it be re-use, recycling or disposal, but remaining in line with legislation and assuring clients of best practise and peace of mind that their waste has been managed “cradle to grave.”

Judkins said while hazardous waste is increasingly being diverted from landfill for alternative solutions – including hydrocarbon waste, high hazardous chemical solutions to name a few - it can be costly to recycle these materials, due to the limited compliant recyclers and solutions in the South African market. Searching for innovative, cheaper alternatives to divert waste from landfill is an ongoing process.

 “EnviroServ’s hazmat department offers specialised services including project management and certified removal and disposal of asbestos waste.”  The division has an Industrial Cleaning department focusing on high pressure cleaning projects including cleaning of wash bays and plant sumps.

“Proper management of mining waste prevents or minimises water and soil pollution arising from acid or alkaline drainage and the leaching of heavy metals, thereby protecting the environment for generations to come.”