Comparison of Environmental Impacts of Deep-sea Tailings Placement Versus On-land Disposal

Abstract

With increasing metal prices and declining ore grades, new mines are getting larger and mine waste disposal and management have become more difficult, particularly from an environmental perspective. While technologies keep on improving, the available space for terrestrial mine waste disposal is limited. Thus, several coastal countries still consider deep-sea tailings placement (DSTP) as a viable option. This brief review compares the environmental impacts of DSTP versus on-land disposal and suggests several factors to consider in selecting the most suitable options for mine waste disposal.