Mn mining wastes as an industrial income for concrete production: inventory of waste dumps and resources estimation in the Iberian Pyrite Belt, SW Spain

Abstract

The present work aims to evaluate the possibility of achieving an environmental and economic valorisation of Mn-wastes through their recycling for concrete production. The study area is located in the Spanish sector of the Iberian Pyrite Belt (IPB), where there are numerous abandoned mine-waste dumps, resulted from exploitation of manganese mines. The methodological approach included field surveys for elaborating an inventory and a general map of all the abandoned exploitations, remote sensing methods for identifying old mines and for estimation of affected areas; and laboratory analyses for characterizing the mine wastes regarding evaluation of their potential as filler for concrete production. The obtained results indicated the existence of 149 mines, representing a total affected area of 235 ha. Among these waste dumps, about eleven of them have more than 10 000 m3 of Mn-gangue with chemical composition compatible with the normative for concrete production. The recycling of such wastes may accomplish two main purposes: to supply the market with low cost aggregates and, simultaneously, to contribute for the environmental rehabilitation of the affected areas.