Negative impact on the environment caused by companies that mine and process potassium and magnesium salts

• Main Author: Mariia Yu. Liskova
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Perm National Research Polytechnic University 2017-03-01
• Series: Perm Journal of Petroleum and Mining Engineering
• Subjects: pit; geoecology; salt piles; sludge storages; spoil heaps; solid wastes; mining industry; sludge; halite wastes; storage; rocks; reclamation; overburden rocks; enclosing rocks; standards
• Online Access: http://vestnik.pstu.ru/get/_res/fs/file2.pdf/6441/Negative+impact+on+the+environment+caused+by+companies+that+mine+and+process+potassium+and+magnesium+saltsfile2.pdf

Today mining is developing very intensively and potash industry in particular. Reserve areas are explored and cut, new fields are explored and developed, new license areas of potassium and magnesium deposits are developed. Underground mining of mineral deposits leads to significant deformation of the earth's surface. The impact of potash industry on the environment is diverse and covers many natural components. In case of mine flooding, catastrophic consequences, accompanied by depressions and sinkholes, cover a considerable area. The main feature of potash production is accumulation of a significant amount of waste in sludge storage and salt piles with brine collectors. Sewage and penetration from salt piles and sludge storage are the main sources of environmental pollution. Mining and processing of ore at potash enterprises is associated with formation of a large number of waste rocks. Millions of tons of liquid and solid wastes are stored on ground surface in salt piles and brine sludge storages, which negatively affects the environment. However, negative effects of salt pile placement can be avoided or minimized. Today there are a number of developments aimed to improve methods of underground storage of wastes of potash industry both solid halite and liquid clay-salt. The paper considers a new version of waste disposal placement of potash industry, which is currently being considered in design documentation for development of licensed area of Nivenskoe-1 field of potassium and magnesium salts in Kaliningrad region. In case of a positive conclusion of state expertise, this technology will be implemented. Such approach could be used in development of other deposits of potassium and magnesium salts (Verkhnekamsk, Gremiachinsk etc.).