XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 619
associated systems boundaries) can sometimes make direct
comparisons between sites problematic.
Minerals processing engineers and metallurgists have
a crucial role to play in helping the industry to explore
advance its water performance through reducing the water-
related impacts of the mining sector over both the short
and long term. While efforts to reduce water use and
increase reuse/recycling are certainly important in some
contexts, the decisions that are made throughout the life
of mine have long-lasting consequences for water quan-
tity and quality legacies that should also be considered.
Unfortunately, minerals processing plants are typically
designed with a primary goal of maximizing the economic
extraction of valuable minerals, with limited consideration
of the downstream environmental implications (Edraki et
al., 2014).
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the analysis presented in this paper finds
that the water targets set by major mining companies have
an overwhelming focus on reducing water withdrawals or
increasing water efficiency. We argue that there is a need
for a broader dialogue around what characterizes “good”
water performance in the mining sector, and propose that
minerals processing engineers and metallurgists have a cru-
cial role to play in addressing the broader waste and water
legacies associated with the sector.
REFERENCES
Anglo-American, Sustainability Report 2022, https://
www.angloamerican.com/~/media/Files/A/Anglo
-American-Group-v5/PLC/investors/annual
-reporting/2022/Sustainability-Report-2022.pdf.
Anglo Gold Ashanti,Sustainability Report 2022 https://
reports.anglogoldashanti.com/22/wp-content
/uploads/2023/04/AGA-SR22.pdf.
African Rainbow Minerals, Climate change and water
report, 2022, https://arm.co.za/wp-content/uploads
/2022/10/2022-Climate-Change-and-Water
-Report-2.pdf.
Alcoa, Sustainability Report 2022, https://www.alcoa.com
/sustainability/pdf/2022-Sustainability-Report.pdf.
Antofagasta Minerals, Sustanability report 2022 https://
www.antofagasta.co.uk/media/4527/am_rs_2022
_ingles_06.pdf.
Barrick, Sustainability Report, 2022, http://q4live
.s25.clientfiles.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws
.com/322814910/files/doc_downloads/sustainability
/Barrick_Sustainability_Report_2022.pdf.
Bebbington, A., Williams, M., 2008. Water and Mining
Conflicts in Peru. Source: Mountain Research and
Development Published By: International Mountain
Society 28, 190–195. doi: 10.1659/mrd.1039.
BHP, Annual Report, 2022, https://www.bhp.com/-/media
/documents/investors/annual-reports/2022/220906
_bhpannualreport2022.pdf.
Boliden, Annual and Sustainability Report, 2022
https://vp217.alertir.com/afw/files/press/boliden
/202303076693-1.pdf.
Codelco, Comprehensive Report, 2022. https://www.codelco
.com/sites/site/docs/20230607/20230607094540
/m22_eng__1_.pdf.
Côte, C.M., Moran, C.J., Hedemann, C.J., Koch, C.,
2010. Systems modelling for effective mine water
management. Environmental Modelling &Software
25, 1664–1671. doi: 10.1016/j.envsoft.2010.06.012.
Cox, B., Innis, S., Steen, J., Kunz, N., 2023. The environ-
mental and economic case for valuing water recovery
and its relationship with tailings storage conservation.
Miner Eng 201.
Edraki, M., Baumgartl, T., Manlapig, E., Bradshaw, D.,
Franks, D.M., Moran, C.J., 2014. Designing mine tail-
ings for better environmental, social and economic out-
comes: a review of alternative approaches. J Clean Prod
84, 411–420. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.04.079.
FreePort McMoran, Annual report on sustainability,
2022. https://www.fcx.com/sites/fcx/files/documents
/sustainability/2022-annual-report-on-sustainability
.pdf.
Glencore, Sustainability report, 2022. https://www.glencore
.com/.rest/api/v1/documents/static/63d21a4e-30f6
-40ca-b0f6-00ec64a718cf/GLEN_2022_sustainability
_report.pdf.
Gold fields, Integrated annual report, 2022. https://www
.goldfields.com/pdf/investors/integrated-annual
-reports/2022/iar-2022-full.pdf.
Gunson, A.J., Klein, B., Veiga, M., Dunbar, S., 2012.
Reducing mine water requirements. J Clean Prod 21,
71–82.
ICMM, 2017. Position statement on water stewardship.
London, UK.
ICMM, A practical guide to consistent water reporting,
2017. London, UK.
Kunz, 2020. Towards a broadened view of water security in
mining regions. Water Secur 11.
Kunz, N.C., Moran, C.J., 2021. Water management and
stewardship in mining regions, in: Springer Handbook
on Water Management. Springer.
associated systems boundaries) can sometimes make direct
comparisons between sites problematic.
Minerals processing engineers and metallurgists have
a crucial role to play in helping the industry to explore
advance its water performance through reducing the water-
related impacts of the mining sector over both the short
and long term. While efforts to reduce water use and
increase reuse/recycling are certainly important in some
contexts, the decisions that are made throughout the life
of mine have long-lasting consequences for water quan-
tity and quality legacies that should also be considered.
Unfortunately, minerals processing plants are typically
designed with a primary goal of maximizing the economic
extraction of valuable minerals, with limited consideration
of the downstream environmental implications (Edraki et
al., 2014).
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the analysis presented in this paper finds
that the water targets set by major mining companies have
an overwhelming focus on reducing water withdrawals or
increasing water efficiency. We argue that there is a need
for a broader dialogue around what characterizes “good”
water performance in the mining sector, and propose that
minerals processing engineers and metallurgists have a cru-
cial role to play in addressing the broader waste and water
legacies associated with the sector.
REFERENCES
Anglo-American, Sustainability Report 2022, https://
www.angloamerican.com/~/media/Files/A/Anglo
-American-Group-v5/PLC/investors/annual
-reporting/2022/Sustainability-Report-2022.pdf.
Anglo Gold Ashanti,Sustainability Report 2022 https://
reports.anglogoldashanti.com/22/wp-content
/uploads/2023/04/AGA-SR22.pdf.
African Rainbow Minerals, Climate change and water
report, 2022, https://arm.co.za/wp-content/uploads
/2022/10/2022-Climate-Change-and-Water
-Report-2.pdf.
Alcoa, Sustainability Report 2022, https://www.alcoa.com
/sustainability/pdf/2022-Sustainability-Report.pdf.
Antofagasta Minerals, Sustanability report 2022 https://
www.antofagasta.co.uk/media/4527/am_rs_2022
_ingles_06.pdf.
Barrick, Sustainability Report, 2022, http://q4live
.s25.clientfiles.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws
.com/322814910/files/doc_downloads/sustainability
/Barrick_Sustainability_Report_2022.pdf.
Bebbington, A., Williams, M., 2008. Water and Mining
Conflicts in Peru. Source: Mountain Research and
Development Published By: International Mountain
Society 28, 190–195. doi: 10.1659/mrd.1039.
BHP, Annual Report, 2022, https://www.bhp.com/-/media
/documents/investors/annual-reports/2022/220906
_bhpannualreport2022.pdf.
Boliden, Annual and Sustainability Report, 2022
https://vp217.alertir.com/afw/files/press/boliden
/202303076693-1.pdf.
Codelco, Comprehensive Report, 2022. https://www.codelco
.com/sites/site/docs/20230607/20230607094540
/m22_eng__1_.pdf.
Côte, C.M., Moran, C.J., Hedemann, C.J., Koch, C.,
2010. Systems modelling for effective mine water
management. Environmental Modelling &Software
25, 1664–1671. doi: 10.1016/j.envsoft.2010.06.012.
Cox, B., Innis, S., Steen, J., Kunz, N., 2023. The environ-
mental and economic case for valuing water recovery
and its relationship with tailings storage conservation.
Miner Eng 201.
Edraki, M., Baumgartl, T., Manlapig, E., Bradshaw, D.,
Franks, D.M., Moran, C.J., 2014. Designing mine tail-
ings for better environmental, social and economic out-
comes: a review of alternative approaches. J Clean Prod
84, 411–420. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.04.079.
FreePort McMoran, Annual report on sustainability,
2022. https://www.fcx.com/sites/fcx/files/documents
/sustainability/2022-annual-report-on-sustainability
.pdf.
Glencore, Sustainability report, 2022. https://www.glencore
.com/.rest/api/v1/documents/static/63d21a4e-30f6
-40ca-b0f6-00ec64a718cf/GLEN_2022_sustainability
_report.pdf.
Gold fields, Integrated annual report, 2022. https://www
.goldfields.com/pdf/investors/integrated-annual
-reports/2022/iar-2022-full.pdf.
Gunson, A.J., Klein, B., Veiga, M., Dunbar, S., 2012.
Reducing mine water requirements. J Clean Prod 21,
71–82.
ICMM, 2017. Position statement on water stewardship.
London, UK.
ICMM, A practical guide to consistent water reporting,
2017. London, UK.
Kunz, 2020. Towards a broadened view of water security in
mining regions. Water Secur 11.
Kunz, N.C., Moran, C.J., 2021. Water management and
stewardship in mining regions, in: Springer Handbook
on Water Management. Springer.