The challenges posed by climate change require an inevitable ecological and digital transition that will increasingly require raw materials used in various high-tech applications. The EU remains almost completely dependent on external sources for many critical raw materials (CRM) and other raw materials (RM). To reduce this dependence, targeted interventions are therefore necessary and in this context the European Green Deal was adopted by the EU Member States which further strengthened the need to find a sustainable supply chain for CRM. In this framework, adopting a circular economy model has become essential to ensure resource sustainability, and the research focused on waste reuse and recycling is critical to support this effort.
Waste generated by mining and quarrying activities, and subsequent processing steps poses a variety of problems ranging from landscape and land use degradation to soil and water pollution, with repercussions on the biosphere. Therefore, in a circular economy context, it is essential to consider these materials not as waste but as potential resources, to help mitigate negative effects and contribute to a sustainable supply of resources. Indeed, these types of wastes contain substantial quantities of residual minerals, including CRM, and have the potential to become valuable mineral resources. Advances in innovative and technological processes now allow us to reduce, reuse and recycle these residues, promoting more sustainable exploitation practices. Beyond this, there are additional challenges associated with the exploration, characterization, recovery, reprocessing and testing of these recovered materials. Furthermore, it is crucial to develop realistic models for extractive waste to accurately assess the prospects for sustainable use.
The present session welcomes contributions on the following topics:
- Characterization of extractive waste, its interaction with the environment, and degradation processes;
- Development of technologies for exploration, extraction, and reprocessing of minerals within the context of extractive waste.
- Solutions for valorising extractive waste, with a focus on critical raw materials supply;
- Strategies for sustainable management of extractive waste;
- Tools and methodologies for environmental monitoring and risk assessment in active and inactive sites.
Waste generated by mining and quarrying activities, and subsequent processing steps poses a variety of problems ranging from landscape and land use degradation to soil and water pollution, with repercussions on the biosphere. Therefore, in a circular economy context, it is essential to consider these materials not as waste but as potential resources, to help mitigate negative effects and contribute to a sustainable supply of resources. Indeed, these types of wastes contain substantial quantities of residual minerals, including CRM, and have the potential to become valuable mineral resources. Advances in innovative and technological processes now allow us to reduce, reuse and recycle these residues, promoting more sustainable exploitation practices. Beyond this, there are additional challenges associated with the exploration, characterization, recovery, reprocessing and testing of these recovered materials. Furthermore, it is crucial to develop realistic models for extractive waste to accurately assess the prospects for sustainable use.
The present session welcomes contributions on the following topics:
- Characterization of extractive waste, its interaction with the environment, and degradation processes;
- Development of technologies for exploration, extraction, and reprocessing of minerals within the context of extractive waste.
- Solutions for valorising extractive waste, with a focus on critical raw materials supply;
- Strategies for sustainable management of extractive waste;
- Tools and methodologies for environmental monitoring and risk assessment in active and inactive sites.