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Las comunidades autónomas de España.
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The national inventory of mine and metallurgical waste development by the IGME between 1983 and 1988 revealed the existence in Spain of more than 7162 waste deposits (IGME, 1988). According to the type of mining activity, mineral processing and disposal methods, nine types of mining and metallurgical wastes can be distinguished in Spain: open-pit s...
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Occupational accidents in the Spanish mining industry have been substantially reduced over the last decades. However, the incidence rate shows higher values than other leading mining countries. In this regard, the research carried out reveals the factors influencing the high incidence rates of the Spanish mining sector, based on three scenarios: un...
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... In Spain, due to its important mining past, there are 21,673 mine waste facilities, including sludge tailings impoundments and leachate piles (the latter being a very small minority) (Fig. 2), and spoil heaps ( Fig. 3) (Rodríguez-Pacheco and Gómez de las Heras, 2006). ...
... Spain has a national inventory of mine waste facilities carried out by the IGME between 1983 and 1989, which includes some 7162 mine waste structures from different types of mining, of which 674 correspond to tailings impoundments, a figure that rose to 988 with the update of the National Inventory of Mine Tailings Impoundments between 1999 and 2002, the rest being spoil heaps (IGME, 1989;Rodríguez-Pacheco and Gómez de las Heras, 2006). These 7162 mine waste structures were characterized and their information is available in technical data sheets (IGME, 1989). ...
Spain, due to its important mining past, there are many abandoned mine waste facilities. This study evaluates the potential of Spanish mine wastes for the recovery of critical and strategic raw materials and other elements of economic relevance. For this purpose, 20 mine waste facilities have been selected in different parts of Spain based on criteria such as tonnage, element content or metal market price. Surface samples were taken at the facilities, considered representative of these, for subsequent granulometric, mineralogical and chemical analysis. The grain size data were obtained by standard sieving (ASTM 5000), while the mineralogy was obtained by X-ray Diffraction (XRD). For chemical characterization, Wavelength Dispersion X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (WDXRF) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) were used to analyze 38 chemical elements (Be, Sc, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, As, Se, Br, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sn, Sb, I, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Hf, Ta, W, Tl, Pb, Bi, Th and U), many of them included in the European Union’s list of Critical Raw Materials (CRMs). In addition, leachate data from mine wastes in the Iberian Pyritic Belt were analyzed to assess their bioleaching potential. The calculated enrichment factors (EF) indicate that some critical elements, as well as others with strategic and economic interest, are highly enriched in the wastes, including Sb, Bi, As, Pb, Cu, Ag, Zn, Cd, Sn, Se and Th. The most promising facilities with the highest recovery potential are located in the historic Riotinto and Tharsis mines (both in Huelva, Iberian Pyrite Belt) and the Rubiais mine in Lugo, whose tailings could contribute up to 3.2 billion dollars gross, according to the current market metal prices. This paper aims to provide a first step to promote mine waste recycling and circular mining in Spain, an initiative that would also help to mitigate the environmental damage derived from abandoned mine wastes.
... Indeed, Molina et al. (2013) highlighted the importance of mineralogy on the release of metal/loids and bioaccessibility. A representative example of this can be found within the Iberian Pyrite Belt (IPB), located to the SW of the Iberian Peninsula, one of the most important polymetallic sulfide-mining regions in the world; the intense mining in the region throughout history has led to the accumulation of huge amounts of metal mine wastes, with around 4800 ha of the surface being occupied by these wastes only in the Spanish sector of the IPB (Grande et al., 2014) and a total of 20 tailings impoundments containing 109 Mm 3 of wastes (Rodríguez-Pacheco and Gómez de las Heras, 2006). These deposits, mainly consisting of pyrite, have been exploited since the third millennium BC, although the more intense mining period only started during the second half of the last century, with the settlement of English mining consortia in the area (Leblanc et al., 2000). ...
This study deals with the potential release of metal/loids from sulfide mine wastes upon weathering and the health risks associated with their accidental ingestion. To address this, a complete chemical and mineralogical characterization of a variety of sulfide mine wastes was performed alongside a determination of metal/loid bioaccessibility through leaching tests simulating human digestive and lung fluids. The mine wastes consisted predominantly of Fe (35–55% of Fe2O3) and exhibited high concentrations of trace metalloids such as As (382–4310 mg/kg), Pb (205–15,974 mg/kg), Cu (78–1083 mg/kg), Zn (274–1863 mg/kg), or Sb (520–1816 mg/kg). Most wastes with high concentrations of soluble compounds are considered hazardous according to the European regulations due to the exceedance of threshold values for As, Pb, Cr, Cu, Sb, sulfates, and Zn determined by standardized tests. In general terms, the absorption of waste-hosted metals through both digestive and respiratory routes was low compared to the total metal contents of the wastes, with values below 8% of the total concentration in wastes for most metal/loids including Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Tl, or U. However, some metals exhibited a significantly higher absorption potential, especially through the respiratory route, reaching values of up to 17% for Cr and 75% for Pb, highlighting the strong bioaccessibility of Pb in certain sulfide wastes. Despite the high metal/loid concentrations observed in the studied wastes, a health risk assessment indicated that some non-carcinogenic effects could be observed in children only following the accidental digestion of Pb.
... Spain was one of the main producers of metals during the 19th century, and the ceasing of mining activity led to the abandonment of numerous slagheaps, such as waste rock dumps and mining ponds, throughout the 20th century [1,2]. Mining sludge is a mixture of crushed rock, solid residues from the extraction and treatment of the material, washing liquid, and heavy metals resulting from metallurgical flotation processing, and has a medium-to-fine grain size. ...
... Therefore, surface processes affecting a mine site can be better understood with the integration of different remote sensing imagery and data. However, erosion dynamics cause the dispersion of pollutants in metallic mineral districts, and tailings characteristics can also be used to identify environmental pollution problems [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. We obtained the amount of metals dispersed to the surrounding areas of the mine ponds by using their physicochemical features. ...
The Hiendelaencina district in Spain was the most important silver producer in Europe during 1844–1925. At the end of the 20th century, with mines having closed, some waste rock dumps were reprocessed, and the sludge from the flotation process was stored in two tailings ponds. When this activity ceased, the residues began to be eroded and disperse. In this study, the state of degradation of both deposits was evaluated using historical mapping and light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data, incorporated into a Geographic Information System. In the aerial images (1946–2018), mine tailings and their main erosive and sedimentary forms were mapped. Geoforms linked to hydrological (channels, gullies, alluvial cones), wind (eolian mantles), hydric–gravitational (colluvium) and anthropic (motorbike tracks) processes which move sludge into the surrounding areas were identified. A net loss of 8849 m3 of sludge, a release of 10.3 t of potentially polluting substances and a high erosion rate of 346 t/ha*year were calculated based on LiDAR data from 2009 and 2014. The ponds show a current high degree of erosion that could increase due to both human activity and the growing frequency of drought and torrential rain periods if stabilization measures are not undertaken.
... S u(LIQ) is liquefied shear strength (a-d adapted from Oldecop and Rodríguez 2006; and e adapted from Olson and Stark 2003) 1 3 database suitable for assessing the main TDs failure mechanisms at a representative 67 of the 610 TD sites existing in Spain (Rodríguez and Gómez de las Heras 2006; Fig. S-1, Table S-1). These included large dams (which according to ICOLD (2001) and Rodríguez and Gómez de las Heras (2006), must meet at least one of the following requirements: > 15 m high, storing a volume > one million m 3 , or > 500 m in length. The TDs that we studied included sites that have presented geotechnical stability problems (local slope failure, liquefaction, or liquefaction and flow failures) and were associated with a wide range of ore (Figs. 1, 2). ...
Based on research carried out at 67 tailings dams in Spain: (1) tailings dams contain alternating sedimentary layers with contractive and dilative geomechanical behaviours; (2) tailings saturate quickly but drain more than 10 times slower due to the high-suction capacity of the porous sediments (2–300 MPa); and (3) over the long-term, a stationary flow regime is attained within a tailings basin. Four temporal and spatial conditions must all be present for a tailing dams flow failure to occur: (1) the tailings must experience contractive behaviour; (2) the tailings must be fully saturated; (3) the effective stress due to static or dynamic load must approach zero; and (4) the shear stress must exceed the tailings residual shear stress. Our results also indicate that the degree of saturation (Sr) is the most influential factor controlling dam stability. The pore-pressure coefficient controls geotechnical stability: when it exceeds 0.5 (Sr = 0.7), the safety factor decreases dramatically. Therefore, controlling the degree of tailings saturation is instrumental to preventing dam failures, and can be achieved using a double drainage system, one for the unconsolidated foundation materials and another for the overlying tailings.
... El Inventario Nacional de Balsas y Escombreras (a partir de ahora INBE) es una obra magna realizada por el Instituto Geológico y Minero de España entre los años 1972 y 1989. Aunque se ha afirmado que el inventario, que cubre la totalidad de las 50 provincias españolas, fue realizado entre 1983 y 1989 (Rodríguez y Gómez de las Heras, 2006), ya en 1972 se había llevado a cabo un primer inventario en la zona de Vizcaya. En él se señalaba el creciente interés por llevar a cabo estudios sistemáticos de los depósitos residuales, algo que entonces era incipiente en Alemania Occidental, Sudáfrica e Inglaterra (IGME, 1972). ...
... Entre 1985 y 1989 se formó el cuerpo principal del INBE. Se trató de un trabajo de edición de 7.162 fichas 5 , 21.673 registros de inventario, 1.115 hojas topográficas; todo ello reunido en un conjunto de 113 tomos (Rodrí-guez y Gómez de las Heras, 2006). ...
La minería de carbón, junto con la construcción y el asfaltado de las carreteras, son aspectos a los que Nader Koochaki ha atendido desde que en 2012 colaborara en la exposición Castillete. Retablo Minero de Carme Nogueira en el MUSAC. La extracción y el consumo de los combustibles fósiles han transformado el espacio y el tiempo de nuestras vidas. Desde la configuración urbana de Teherán a las protestas mineras acaecidas en León y Asturias, Nader explora restos y rastros que han quedado inscritos en el territorio desde la particularidad de la materia.
A partir de pensar la práctica expositiva como ejercicio editorial, el autor explora otras formas de edición y publicación. En este texto se repasan algunas de las operaciones vinculadas a una línea de trabajo que se caracteriza por estar formándose como secuencia de un ejercicio editorial continuado.
... Spain has a long mining tradition dating from pre-historic times up to the present day, although extensive mining operations have caused resource depletion in many areas. The cessation of mining activity has generated a large amount of mine wastes, typically from mines that were abandoned up until the 1980s, most of which represent geochemical hazards (Rodríguez and Gómez, 2006). Mine tailings are watery sludge composed of medium-to-fine-grained material, resulting from grinding and mineral processing (e.g., galena, pyrite, chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite). ...
Metallic mining wastes are a crucial environmental concern because of the accumulation and emission of toxic elements. The abandoned San Quintín mine tailings, from the exploitation of galena and sphalerite (Puertollano mining district, Spain), are surrounded by farmland and are crossed by the European Cultural Itinerary known as the "Don Quixote Route". Geophysical, mineralogical and geochemical techniques have been applied to determine the geometry and composition of mine ponds and the possible occurrence of AMD that could entail ecosystem and human risks. Seven electrical resistivity tomography profiles were surveyed, and re-worked tailing samples of two ponds, five soil samples, nine water samples and gaseous mercury emissions were analyzed. Both mine ponds are ~8m deep and overlie Quaternary colluvial sediments deposited over Precambrian metasediments. The pond infilling is mainly composed of quartz and clay minerals, and minor amounts of gypsum and sulfides, with significant As, Cd, Hg, Pb, Sb and Zn contents. This metal emission source affects the underlying colluvial sediments and high Hg and Pb contents have also been found in nearby agricultural soils. AMD has been identified, but metal contamination in the stream that borders the tailings is below the USEPA's recommended limits. Although gaseous mercury emissions from a cinnabar stockpile increase in summer, the measured levels do not reach the WHO's recommended limit. The Enrichment Factor and Igeo indexes for As, Cd, Hg, Pb, Sb and Zn indicate strong to extreme contamination in the mine ponds and moderate contamination in the colluvial sediments/metasediments. Aeolian dispersion is the most important contaminant agent. The surrounding soils show strong to extreme levels of Hg and moderate to extreme levels of As, Cd, Pb and Sb. Restoration of these abandoned wastes is recommended to reduce the health risks for residents and tourists due to this aeolian contaminant dispersion.
... La fase sólida de los lodos tiene una granulometría muy fina debido al tratamiento de relavado. Es especialmente fina (limo-arcilla) en los residuos generados durante los procesos de flotación (Rodríguez y Gómez de las Heras, 2006). ...
... En primer lugar, se realizó el seguimiento de fotografía aérea para el estudio de la evolución en planta tanto de la balsa minera como de la zona afectada y, a continuación, se llevó a cabo la realización de MDEs para el análisis de la evolución volumétrica reciente y la caracterización morfométrica de la duna. Se analizaron fotografías aéreas correspondientes a distintos años (1957, Servicio Geográfico del Ejército;1977, Instituto Geográfico Nacional-IGN;1984, IGN;2006, ortofoto digital IGN), que fueron escaneadas, georreferenciadas e integradas en un SIG para la generación de capas de información con los elementos morfológicos destacables en cada uno de los años. ...
... El motivo principal parece ser la carencia de una fuente de sedimentos en la dirección del viento predominante que reponga los lodos arrastrados por el viento. Careciendo de un suministro de arena, es previsible, atendiendo a los resultados obtenidos, la futura reducción de tamaño e incluso desaparición de este cuerpo dunar por la pérdida progresiva del material que lo conforma que pasará a verse distribuido por los cultivos circundantes (Rodríguez y Gómez de las Heras, 2006). ...
... Estudios desarrollados por Faz et al., (2003a, b, c;2004a, b, c;2005a, b;, b y 2007a en trece PR, diez en La Sierra Minera de Cartagena-La Unión y tres en el Distrito Minero de Mazarrón, Comunidad Autónoma de la Región de Murcia, España, se ha medido un grado de saturación de los relaves muy elevado en profundidad y la formación de la costra superficial en las PR. Además, otros estudios realizados por el IGME con perfiles geotécnicos en calicatas y sondeos han observado las mismas condiciones (Rodríguez y Gómez de las Eras, 2006. En varias presas se realizaron sondeos como el que se muestra en la Fig.21. ...
The aim of this research is the analysis of the influence of the moisture content in tailings on geotechnical stability of the tailings dam (TD). According to results, geotechnical and hydrogeological properties of the tailings depends mainly on the moisture content, density, rheology behavior, particle size distribution, etc. But for the tailings place in unsaturated zone between surface tailings and the water table are greatly dependent on water transfer and energy transfer between the atmosphere and the tailings, through the tailings surface. The hydraulic operation of tailings is conditioned by a number of actions received from the external environment and from inside the TD. Furthermore, events like rain, thaw, and evaporation, extraction of surplus water from pumping, groundwater input, and water drainage to the dam foundation or through the TD have to be considered. Particular phenomena, like consolidation, infiltration, superficial runoff and capillary rise, are characteristics of a fine particle size distribution as tailings. These phenomena condition the hydraulic operation of TD. The advanced of knowledge in this area is conditioned by field data availability with space temporal evolution (saturation, density, hydraulic conductivity, consolidation, etc.) that allows to understand how the non-saturated zone of TD works, to identify which the relevant variables of the problem are, and to calibrate methods and models that guarantee a better TD management. Usually, piezometers are installed as part of auscultation systems of TD and do not detect capillary water. In addition, there is a specialized instrumentation to measure suction and humidity in the unsaturated zone. This type of instrumentation, at the beginning used in agriculture, has a relatively moderated cost. Only few TD around the world have currently installed this type instrumentation for research study.
RESUMEN: En Enero de 2019 en Brumadinho (Brasil) una presa de relaves mineros de gran tamaño colapsó en su totalidad de forma brusca, causando la muerte a 270 personas y una gran conmoción en la minería mundial. La rotura fue capturada en video por una cámara que permitió identificar rápidamente el modo de rotura como uno de licuación. La cuestión pendiente era saber cómo se había desencadenado la licuación en este caso, pues los desencadenantes más habituales de este fenómeno como el sis-mo, la lluvia o las actividades de construcción brillaban por su ausencia. En este artículo se presentan brevemente los ensayos y análisis numéricos que se han llevado a cabo para responder tal pregunta en el marco de una investigación encargada por la Fiscalía (Ministerio Público Federal) de Brasil.
Two pyritic tailings impoundments located in two mining areas of the Iberian Pyrite Belt (Cueva de la Mora and Minas de Ríotinto-Zarandas)
were selected to asses their potential environmental impact. Mineralogical (XRD diffraction study), physico-chemical characterization
(colour, particle size, pH, acid–base account, total Fe, As, Cu, Pb and Zn) as well as a speciation study (by means of a seven-step
sequential extraction procedure) were performed in superficial (0–20 cm) tailings samples. Arsenic and metal contents in soils
around the tailings impoundments were also studied. Zarandas dam, a reclaimed impoundment, which has been limed, partially
topsoiled and planted, has supported and allowed the growth of pine trees and other plants for many years. The surface of
this impoundment can be considered very acid but nonacid forming. Although total As and metal concentrations were relatively
high, it is not possible to conclude that the Zarandas tailings have polluted the surrounding soils. Tailings in Cueva de
la Mora showed high total and easily mobilizable concentration of toxic elements. The net neutralization potential was strongly
negative as a consequence of the acid generation caused by the sulphide oxidation, the presence of secondary acid-generating
minerals and the absence of neutralizing materials. Coquimbite and rhomboclase efflorescences formed during the Mediterranean
dry summers on the surface of this impoundment contained very high levels of soluble As, Cu and Zn that were easily dissolved
and released to the running water in the first rains of autumn.
