INSUGEO   12554
INSTITUTO SUPERIOR DE CORRELACION GEOLOGICA
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
capítulos de libros
Título:
Local and regional environmental assessment and management of mines in Northwestern Territories of Argentina
Autor/es:
JULIO C. AVILA; JOSÉ E. LAZARTE; MIGUEL GIANFRANCISCO
Libro:
Environmental issues and waste management in energy and mineral production (SWEMP)
Editorial:
Singhal, Mehrotra, Fytas, Ge
Referencias:
Lugar: Banff, Alberta, Canadá ; Año: 2009; p. 37 - 41
Resumen:
This paper analyzes environmental impacts of current mining activities in Agua de Dionisio mining district in Catamarca province, Argentina. Two mining projects were selected for conducting environmental studies regarding that mining and ore beneficiation often generate negative impacts on the environment. Farallón Negro and Alto de la Blenda are medium size underground gold mines. Beneficiation methods are cyaniding (conventional plant and heap leaching). Environmental guidelines require to achieve a minimum total cyanide level in the process plant discharge slurry prior to deposition in the tailings storage facility. Is important to apply cyanide destruction process. Bajo de la Alumbrera copper-gold deposit (approximately 8 km east of Farallón Negro) is the first modern day open pit mine operating in Argentina. Nowadays is one of world´s major mineral deposits using open pit methods. Beneficiation processes are gravity and flotation. Is important to apply pollution abatement technologies in order to prevent: acid generation from waste rock and mine tailings; leaking of tailings dumps; problems in the concentrates pipeline and in the concentrates dewatering plant. The measures proposed in the context of sustainable development are commensurate with acceptable levels of environmental impact and improved economic operation under the technical, legislative and socio-economic condition of Argentina.