Waste Management Outlook for Mountain Regions

60 / 92

60
Mining at Altitude
Developing a mine, in what are often remote areas with limited
infrastructure, difficult terrain and extreme climatic conditions
can bring unique challenges. Waste is not only generated from
the excavation and extraction of the mined material, but large
amounts of waste rock and soil can be produced during the
The same geological processes that have created the mountains of the world have also produced
rich mineral belts including gold, copper, zinc, lead and coal. Today, mining is the most common
heavy industry within mountainous regions of developing countries and includes a diverse range of
operations and final products.
Mining activities produce waste that can have serious impacts on the health and well-being of
people and the environment. These impacts may continue for long after the mine has closed and any
benefits exhausted (so-called legacy issues). Managing large amounts of mine waste is challenging
in any environment, but is made especially difficult in mountain regions, where steep slopes, terrain
instability, seismic activity and adverse weather conditions add another level of complexity and risk
to mine safety and waste management.
initial development of the mine and associated infrastructure.
More complex waste is produced by the mining community itself,
any processing of the ore that occurs on site, transport of mined
material and the natural hydrological and chemical processes that
act on the disturbed terrain (including after the mine has closed).
250 km 0
100
200
400
600
800
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
Altitude (m)
Mine Country Altitude Type of mine Minerals
Corihuarmi PERU 4800 m Open-pit Gold
Raura PERU 4800 m Open-pit and underground Copper, Lead, Silver, Zinc
Solitaria PERU 4800 m Underground Copper, Lead, Silver, Zinc
Toromocho PERU 4800 m Open-pit Copper, Molybdenum, Silver
Caylloma PERU 4850 m Underground Copper, Gold, Lead, Silver, Zinc
Santa Rosa PERU 4850 m Open-pit Gold, Silver
Acumulacion Mariela PERU 4950 m Open-pit Gold
Bolivar BOLIVIA 4950 m Underground Lead, Silver, Tin, Zinc
Aguilucho CHILE 5000 m Open-pit Copper
Pascua-Lama CHILE 5000 m Open-pit Copper, Gold, Silver
Source:
Lima
Cusco
La Paz
Cochabamba
Lake
Titicaca
PERU
BRAZIL
BOLIVIA
CHILE
ARGENTINA
SOUTH AMERICA'S HIGHEST
ALTITUDE MINES