STRIVING FOR A SUSTAINABLE MINING INDUSTRY: ARSENIC CONTROL THROUGH AN INTEGRATED APPROACH

The sustainable development of the mining industry has become more dependent on a proper and responsible management of all streams resulting from the treatment of impure and relatively poor mineral resources. This is even more vital when dealing with extremely hazardous materials containing arsenic. Arsenic control in the mining industry needs an integrated approach involving each stage of the process, i.e. exploration, process development, mine operation and mine closure. Possible strategies and methods for arsenic control at each step are briefly reviewed. The emphasis is placed upon the removal and the fixation of arsenic through the hydrometallurgical processing of arsenic-containing ores or materials. Present commercial operations and processes developed to stabilise arsenic, more particularly scorodite formation and the co-precipitation of As(V) with Fe(III), are discussed in details.