COMUNICAÇÃO TÉCNICA Nº Mining tailings: a perspective of the brazilian scenario - part 1: Value chain

Transcription

1 COMUNICAÇÃO TÉCNICA Nº Mining tailings: a perspective of the brazilian scenario - part 1: Value chain Sandra Lúcia de Moraes Flávia Gutierrez Motta Camila Peres Massola Eduardo Maziero Saccoccio Marsis Cabral Júnior Apresentação no SIMPÓSIO DE MINERAÇÃO, 18., 2017, São Paulo. Palestra slides. ABM WEEK 2017, Rio de Janeiro A série Comunicação Técnica compreende trabalhos elaborados por técnicos do IPT, apresentados em eventos, publicados em revistas especializadas ou quando seu conteúdo apresentar relevância pública. Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnológicas do Estado de São Paulo S/A - IPT Av. Prof. Almeida Prado, 532 Cidade Universitária ou Caixa Postal 0141 CEP São Paulo SP Brasil CEP Tel /4000 Fax

2 MINING TAILINGS: A PERSPECTIVE OF THE BRAZILIAN SCENARIO - PART I: VALUE CHAIN Sandra Lúcia de Moraes Chemical Engineer, Doctor, Head of Laboratory of Metallugical Process, Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnológicas, State of Estado de São Paulo - IPT Flávia Gutierrez Motta Production Engineer, Doctor, IPT s IPlanning and Business Manager, Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnológicas, State of São Paulo - IPT Camila Peres Massola Mining Engineer, Doctor, Research, Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnológicas, State of São Paulo - IPT Eduardo Maziero Saccoccio Chemical Engineer, Research, Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnológicas, State of São Paulo - IPT Marsis Cabral Júnior Geologist, Doctor, Research, Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnológicas, State of São Paulo - IPT October 4, 2017

3 Introduction The Mineral Products Industry is a vital enabling sector for modern society, which has a broad impact on both for the economy and for the population. To maintain the standard of living of society, each Brazilian consumes about 5.4 tons of mined products each year. Product Annual consume per inhabitant (kg) Steel 116 Aluminum 8,3 Copper 1,9 Manganese 1,5 Gold 0,29 Zinc 1,29 Other metals 4,0 Fertilizer 27 Sand + gravel 3700 Cement 320 Clay Glass 8,75 Plaster 18 Considering a life expectancy of 70 years, this consumption reaches 328 tons, and to produce these materials are generated 3,000 tons of waste per inhabitant

4 Introduction The magnitude of the Brazilian mineral endowment is translated into the: production of more than 50 mineral substances reaching US $ 40 billion in 2014, which corresponds to 5% of the country's industrial GDP. In that same year, the sector was responsible for generating 214,000 direct jobs. Upstream and downstream in the industrial-production chain, it is estimated that the multiplier effect is of the order of 13 indirect or induced jobs, representing around 2.7 million workers. Despite its economic and social relevance, the mining activity also generates an enormous amount of tailings.

5 Introduction This work provides a picture of the Brazilian mineral production chain, its tailings generation as well as the level of technological development aimed at the reuse of such tailings. The work is structured in two parts. This presentation highlights the mineral value chain in Brazil and the dynamics of its stakeholders. In addition, it discusses ways of increasing investments in the processes of recovery of mineral tailings

6 Materials and Method The main activities carried out sought to gather information to: quantify the generation of mining tailings in Brazil; identify the actors involved in the mining mineral production chain and tailings recovery (public and private ICTs, mining companies, equipment companies and suppliers of inputs); understand the determining factors of the dynamics of the mining sector. To reach the objectives of this article we searched: secondary information based on sectoral studies and publications of associations and representative entities of the industry to quantify the generation of tailings and identify the relevant actors of the mineral production chain; interviews with industry experts and representative entities to characterize the dynamics of the sector and to highlight the challenge of treatment and recovery of waste.

7 Results and Discussion The Mineral Industry in Brazil Factors such as the territorial extension (continental dimensions) and the significant geodiversity, characterized by a variety of geological environments favoring a wide range of mineralizations, give Brazil a rich mineral endowment, equating it with the great global mineral players. Brazilian Mineral Production , when it reached its maximum of US $ 53 billion, it was heavily affected by the depreciation of mineral commodities, mainly due to the sharp fall in the price of iron ore. The amount produced did not change significantly. 8,870 mining companies 515 in the North region 1,606 in the Northeast 1,075 in the Midwest 3,609 in the Southeast 2,065 in the South 82.5% correspond to small and micro-sized enterprises Heterogeneous characteristics: extraction volume productivity degree of mechanization use of technologies (mining and processing) environmental control Brazilian mineral production: Values in US$ (does not include oil and gas). Source: IBRAM [2017] Size of mines in operation in Brazil. Source: IBRAM [2015]

8 Results and Discussion Mining and the generation of waste One of the outstanding characteristics of the mineral industry is the significant volumes of masses of materials removed and moved from the mined areas. Of the amount extracted from the mines, only a portion results in the mineral product destined to the intermediary sectors (manufacturing industry) or final consumption (civil construction). Considerable volumes of solid materials not economically harnessed are generated from the mining activity, constituting in waste, and classified as sterile and tailings. The sterile materials are excavated without economic value, individualized in the mining process, corresponding to the layers overlying or interspersed with the body of the ore. The mining tailings result from the process of beneficiation to which the ore is subjected, in which the impurities are removed (ganga) to increase the quality or content of the mineral good, or when the product is sought to standardize separation of crushed rock and sand by size).

9 Results and Discussion The quantification of mining tailings volumes was estimated from data of Brazilian Mineral Yearbook (2001 to 2010) and the Mineral Summary (2010 to 2014), both prepared by DNPM. To estimate the accumulated amount of tailings from 2000 to mineral substances from among the 70 produced in the country (same criteria adopted in the IPEA [2012]. - These 15 main substances correspond to ~90% of the total gross mass production of minerals, also the most important waste generators. - The toxicity potential of these materials and the availability of diagnostic information were considered for the selection As there is no consolidated basis for calculating the generation of mining tailings in Brazil, it was considered reasonable to assume that the quantity of tailings is obtained by the difference between the gross production (ROM) and the beneficiary of the mineral substances. This same methodology had already been adopted in an IPEA study [2012]. Mining and the generation of waste In 2009 the mass ratio between the amount of tailings generated and the amount of ore extracted was 35.5%. Nine mineral substances metallic - individually, generate more than 10 million tons of tailings annually: gold, iron, copper, phosphate, titanium, tin, aluminum, zirconium and niobium. Together, these substances are responsible for the generation of million tons of tailings (85.3% of the total). In the period considered, it is estimated that some 4.86 billion tons of tailings were accumulated Iron ore, gold and phosphate production individually exceeding one billion tons (only the first two representing 58% of the total tailing generated.)

10 Results and Discussion Mining and the generation of waste Data from the National Register of Mining Dams [DNPM, 2014] were analyzed to contribute to the understanding of the distribution of tailings storage in the current Brazilian scenario involving mining tailings dams. 199 companies were identified responsible for 661 dams. 12 mineral substances have more than 10 dams each (92.4%) Most of the dams (42.3%) are associated with iron ore production The dams are located in 19 Federative units. The highlights are Minas Gerais (48%) São Paulo (11%) and Pará (10%)

11 Results and Discussion Regulation of the sector A study Distribution carried out of dams by IPEA per [2012] unit of has the raised federation a series (%). of legislation Source: Elaborated related to solid by the waste authors in the with mining sector, DNPM contemplating data [2014] the main articles that constitute the legal framework In total, IPEA (2012) study identified: 13 articles of the Constitution 44 decrees 22 laws, 20 Conama Resolutions 4 ordinances and resolutions of other organs, and 37 ABNT standards all related to the environment in the mineral sector. Mining tailings related: Law No. 12,305 ( August 2, 2010) - National Solid Waste Policy Law No. 12,334 (September 20, 2010) - National Security Policy of Dams. The present work reviewed and expanded the IPEA survey [2012], presenting in Table the main regulatory milestones that are not included in the initial IPEA survey and are related to the mining tailings theme until the middle of 2017.

12 Results and Discussion Analysis of company and government actions in the mining tailings theme The accident occurred in Mariana - MG promoted the discussion about the current legislation and encouraged companies and governments to adopt actions and publicize the efforts and results of innovation projects and minimization of tailings generation / recovery. Individually or in conjunction with their associations, companies have announced projects to reduce energy consumption, reduce water use in processes and dispose of waste.

13 Results and Discussion The Dynamics of the Mining Sector and Tailings The dynamics of the mining sector is determined by economic aspects, legislation and by the knowledge and techniques dominated by the productive chain.. The Dynamics of the Mining Sector and tailings 184 companies supplying equipment and inputs for mining most are foreign capital, 80 have offices or representation in Brazil. São Paulo (53.3% of them), 37.2% are located in Minas Gerais. Knowledge chain in the theme vacancies for undergraduate engineering in mining, (292 in 2004, 2,505 current vacancies) research groups (68) - 41 Institutions of Science, Technology and Innovation i(17 federative units). 95 research lines declared in the mining theme, 26% are directly related to wastes / wastes. The opportunity and also the challenge is to build a system that stimulates technological development - environmentally and economically sustainable for the mineral sector The challenge is to connect and stimulate the links between the industrial sectors that may be potential users of these mineral goods and their technologies (Circular Economy Concept)

14 Conclusions Importance of mining to the Brazilian economy This industry has as outstanding characteristic the expressive volumes and masses of materials removed and moved from the mined areas 15 mineral substances (of 70 produced in Brazil, 2010), correspond to about 90% of the national waste production, being also characterized as the most important waste generators 661 tailings dams US$ 40 billion (2014) Number of direct (214,000) and indirect (2.7 million) jobs The result of this process is the volume of waste generated, from the mining to the beneficiation of the ore. However, the amount of waste generated is directly linked to the nature of the deposit, the mining and beneficiation processes used. 9 mineral substances, all of them metallic, generated around 85% of the total wastes. Only 15 substances generated in 15 years about 4.86 billion tons of tailings Iron, gold and phosphate production = 58% of the total generated. 249 (42.3%) are associated with iron production, and together with 12 other substances they account for 92.4% of the dams.

15 Conclusions With the tragedy of the Samarco dam accident in Mariana-MG some large companies began to make public their actions Efforts to reduce water consumption, energy and waste disposal of their processes. Similarly, federal and state government have been promoting discussions among the actors in the chain about the challenges related to thematic mining tailings. The countries with a dynamic and developed mineral sector are those that build a system that encourages the sustainable development of mining, and whose links with the industrial sectors that use the mineral goods and their technologies are strong. The more intense these linkages between sectors are, and the more positive incentives and legal mechanisms for generating technologies are, the more dynamic, innovative and resource-creating the mineral sector. The introduction of the concept of circular economy so that the mineral goods are absorbed in their totality is an interesting way to be traced. However, companies to achieve this level of development need to be stimulated and charged for it. Only the tight regulation of dams and restriction of area clearance for tailings from regulatory agencies is not enough to encourage greater efficiency in the use of the mineral resource. And in the technological scope? In this project we also sought to characterize the current stage of technological development with a view to the use of mining tailings, what new uses have been proposed for these materials, as well as the challenges imposed in this context. The results obtained are presented in the article entitled "Mining Tailings: A perspective of the Brazilian Scenario - Part II: Technological Development and New Uses", in which the authors bring the final closure of the discoveries provided by the developed project (Parts I and II) of a provocative approach with a view to stimulating the sustainable development of mining.

16 Acknowledgments The authors would like to thank the Technological Research Institute of the State of São Paulo, the Support Foundation of the Technological Research Institute of the State of São Paulo and the Secretariat of Economic Development, Science, Technology and Innovation for funding the project "Mapping of tailings production of mining companies and the maturity of the technologies applied for their valorization", which generated the results presented in this article.