IPKON, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia:

M. V. Rylnikova, Head of a Department1, Professor, Doctor of Engineering Sciences, e-mail: rylnikova@mail.ru

Magnitogorsk State Technical University, Magnitogorsk, Russia:
E. A. Emelyanenko, Assistant Professor, Candidate of Engineering Sciences

The contemporary expansion of mineral mining and processing leads to gradual degradation of human environment. A strong source of anthropogenic contamination of nature in the Urals is waste of copper-pyrite ore mining and processing. Hypergenesis of sulfide mineralization that is a permanent process in dumps and tailings ponds causes uncontrolled spreading of sulfur, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, copper, zinc and other toxic elements in the human environment. This article discusses the possibility in principle to create a low-waste mine-technical system capable of mining waste processing, economic effect production and ecological impact mitigation. The authors list theoretical pre-requisites for transition to ecologically balanced development of copper-pyrite ore deposits in the Urals. The physicochemical technology of leaching of copper-pyrite ore mining and processing waste using underspoil water added with peat extract is proposed. The research findings on copper and zinc leaching from substandard quality ore at Molodezhny deposit, off-grade fraction of X-ray radiometric separation at Uchaly deposit and Uchaly processing plant waste are reported. It is proved that the application of the physicochemical technology to leaching of lowgrade, rebellious and substandard copper–pyrite ore and the associated mining waste using natural organic complexing agent as an enhancer is a promising trend of ecologically balanced subsoil development. Introduction of this technology into industry will allow expansion of supply of mining and processing plants in the Southern Urals, supplementary fabrication of metals and removal of metals from trade effluent, improvement of recovery of valuable components in solution and reduction in general acid consumption of leaching, and mitigation of impact on human environment.
The study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, government contract No. 14-37-00050.

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