Submit an Article
Become a reviewer
RU
Vol 281 Iss. 1
Pages:
69-80
In press
Article
Geotechnical Engineering and Engineering Geology

A cluster approach to the resource and environmental assessment of technogenic waste disposal

Authors:
Ekaterina V. Kolodezhnaya1
Irina V. Shadrunova2
Olga E. Gorlova3
Natalya N. Orekhova4
About authors
  • 1 — Ph.D. Leading Researcher Institute of Comprehensive Exploitation of Mineral Resources RAS ▪ Orcid
  • 2 — Ph.D., Dr.Sci. Head of Department Institute of Comprehensive Exploitation of Mineral Resources RAS ▪ Orcid
  • 3 — Ph.D., Dr.Sci. Leading Researcher Institute of Comprehensive Exploitation of Mineral Resources RAS ▪ Orcid
  • 4 — Ph.D., Dr.Sci. Leading Researcher Institute of Comprehensive Exploitation of Mineral Resources RAS ▪ Orcid
Date submitted:
2026-04-07
Date accepted:
2026-06-25
Online publication date:
2026-09-18

Abstract

The study presents analysis of the properties and parameters of waste from high-temperature processing of mineral raw materials – blast-furnace and steelmaking slags, dump slags from copper smelting and ferrochrome production, and incinerator slag. We perform a detailed analysis of the material composition of the studied materials, identify key resource and environmentally significant indicators of the chemical composition and physical properties of the waste, and adopt these as indicators of the resource and environmental potential of the slags. The paper considers approaches to grouping raw materials of industrial origin into categories with similar resource value and environmental hazard. As an alternative for classifying waste from high-temperature processes, we propose a cluster-based approach that enables building a categorization system for industrial raw materials according to their properties and limiting the number of sampling features while maintaining sufficient coverage of the classified materials. After standardizing and checking the multicollinearity of the selected indicators of the slags’ resource and environmental potential in the analysed dataset, the study finds that most indicators show low, absent, or random correlation. Using the Statistica software, we rank the studied materials via fuzzy clustering. Based on the resulting distribution, we define three cluster groups for treatment: resource-inert; resource-valuable with moderate environmental impact; and environmentally hazardous, requiring deep processing. The results show that granulated blast-furnace slags, lump blast-furnace slag, and ferrochrome production slag are suitable for manufacturing construction materials without preliminary dressing, provided the products meet environmental safety requirements. Steelmaking slags represent a resource-valuable material with moderate environmental impact and are suitable for producing metal concentrate. Copper-bearing slags and incinerator slags are environmentally hazardous and require deep processing with metal recovery, while tailings need stabilization and neutralization. The obtained results form the basis for further development of a methodology for comprehensive resource and environmental assessment of industrial mineral facilities, which is necessary for transitioning to closed-loop production cycles.

A cluster approach to the resource and environmental assessment of technogenic waste disposal
Область исследования:
Geotechnical Engineering and Engineering Geology
Keywords:
waste from high-temperature processes slags from SMW incineration resource and environmental assessment circular economy correlation analysis fuzzy clustering method ranking of industrial facilities
Funding:

None

Go to volume 281

References

  1. Ignatyeva M.N., Yurak V.V., Dushin A.V., Strovsky V.E. Technogenic mineral accumulations: problems of transition to circular economy. Mining Science and Technology. 2021. Vol. 6. N 2, p. 73-89. DOI: 10.17073/2500-0632-2021-2-73-89
  2. Varavin Ye.V., Makovetsky M.Yu., Komarova A.S. The problems of ensuring the transition to circular economy. Bulletin of Moscow Witte University. Series 1. Economics and Management. 2022. N 1 (40), p. 42-51 (in Russian). DOI: 10.21777/2587-554X-2022-1-42-51
  3. Lopes P.P., da Cunha Rodovalho E., El Hajj T.M. Brazilian mining sector and its environmental impact: a review of cradle-to-cradle options applied to residues, waste and tailings. Holos. 2022. Vol. 6. N e9413. DOI: 10.15628/holos.2022.9413
  4. Chanturia V.A., Shadrunova I.V., Gorlova O.E. Innovative processes of deep and environmentally safe processing of tech-nogenic raw materials in the conditions of new economic challenges. Sustainable Development of Mountain Territories. 2021. Vol. 13. N 2 (48), p. 224-237 (in Russian). DOI: 10.21177/1998-4502-2021-13-2-224-237
  5. Chanturiya V.A., Masloboev V.A., Suvorova O.V. et al. Justification of technologies for processing and reducing the envi-ronmental danger of waste from mining enterprises: the main results and prospects of scientific cooperation. Transactions of the Kola Science Centre of RAS. Series: Natural Sciences and Humanities. 2022. Vol. 1. N 2, p. 9-19. DOI: 10.37614/2949-1185.2022.1.2.002
  6. Shadrunova I.V., Zelinskaya E.V., Orekhova N.N. et al. ESG-transformation in processing of man-made mineral raw mate-rials. Russian Mining Industry. 2023. N 1, p. 71-78 (in Russian). DOI: 10.30686/1609-9192-2023-1-71-78
  7. Erznkyan B.A., Fontana K.A. The potential of a circular economy and “nature-based solutions” as a possibility to achieve sustainable development. Economic Analysis: Theory and Practice. 2022. Vol. 21. Iss. 4 (523), p. 616-642 (in Russian). DOI: 10.24891/ea.21.4.616
  8. Volinkina E.P. Analysis of the state and problems of man-made waste recycling in Russia. Bulletin of the Siberian State Industrial University. 2017. N 2, p. 43-49 (in Russian).
  9. Ivankov S.I., Shubov L.Ya., Troitskii A.V. et al. Rational patented technologies for processing and management of solid industrial waste (review) (part 1). Nauchnye i tekhnicheskie aspekty okhrany okruzhayushchei sredy. 2021. N 5, p. 2-100. DOI: 10.36535/0869-1002-2021-05-1
  10. Skobelev D.O., Marev V.A., Shubov L.Ya. et al. Wastes of the mining and metallurgy industry: the systematization of the technological decision of the ecological tasks. Part I. Ecological Systems and Devices. 2018. N 12, p. 29-37 (in Russian). DOI: 10.25791/esip.12.2018.305
  11. Yarusova S.B., Makarova V.N. Air contamination in metallurgical slag dumps in Dnipropetrovsk oblast (Ukraine). Geografiya i prirodnye resursy. 2020. N 2, p. 168-172. DOI: 10.21782/GIPR0206-1619-2020-2(168-172)
  12. Semenova Yu.E., Mamina K.R., Voronko V.D. The Impact of Metallurgical Enterprises on the Environment. Science and Business: Ways of Development. 2020. N 10 (112), p. 88-90 (in Russian).
  13. Yuganova T.I., Putilina V.S. Residues from municipal solid waste incineration: composition, groundwater pollutant leaching, treatment to reduce environmental impact. Geoekologiya. Inzhenernaya geologiya. Gidrogeologiya. Geokriologiya. 2023. N 5, p. 65-78 (in Russian). DOI: 10.31857/S0869780923040094
  14. Tugov A.N. Municipal Solid Wastes-to-Energy Conversion: Global and Domestic Experience (Review). Thermal Engineer-ing. 2022. Vol. 69. Iss. 1, p. 909-924. DOI: 10.1134/S0040601522120084
  15. Shadrunova I., Kolodezhnaya E., Gorlova O., Vorobyev K. Development of a Concept for Integrated Processing of Waste Incinerator Plants. Ecology and Industry of Russia. 2025. Vol. 29. N 2, p. 4-11 (in Russian). DOI: 10.18412/1816-0395-2025-2-4-11
  16. Chunyin Zhang, Yingyi Zhang, Zhenghao Zhang, Guangqiang Zhang. Effective separation and recovery of valuable metals from copper slag: A comprehensive review. Environmental Research. 2025. Vol. 283. N 122145. DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2025.122145
  17. Zakharova I.V., Yanbekova O.Yu., Velyuzhinets G.A., Dzansolov I.V. Research of concentratio of waste metallurgical slags of the MMC Norilsk Nickel Polar Division by radioisotope separation. Tsvetnye metally. 2025. N 6, p. 24-30 (in Russian). DOI: 10.17580/tsm.2025.06.04
  18. Mansourkiyaei S., Golzary A. Innovative approaches to circular economy in copper slag management: Maximizing resource efficiency and sustainability. Results in Engineering. 2025. Vol. 27. N 106903. DOI: 10.1016/j.rineng.2025.106903
  19. Mal U., Adhikari K., Tripathi A. Steel plant slag dumps: A potential source of groundwater contamination. Journal of Earth System Science. 2002. Vol. 131. Iss. 1. N 45. DOI: 10.1007/s12040-021-01776-y
  20. Wróbel M., Pieśniewska A., Zeynalli F. et al. Is the Slag Heap of a Former Ferrochromium Plant a Significant Environmental Hazard? Applied Sciences. 2023. Vol. 13. Iss. 3. N 2001. DOI: 10.3390/app13032001
  21. Stepanova L.P., Pisareva A.V., Tsukanavishute V.E. Toxicological Assessment of the Impact of Metallurgical Industry Waste on the Environmental Properties of Light Gray Forest Soils. Ecology and Industry of Russia. 2020. Vol. 24. N 6, p. 54-59 (in Russian). DOI: 10.18412/1816-0395-2020-6-54-59
  22. Zolotova E.S. Research of soil and vegetation cover in the zone of influence of slag dumps of ferrous metallurgy. News of the Ural State Mining University. 2024. Iss. 1 (73), p. 97-105 (in Russian). DOI: 10.21440/2307-2091-2024-1-97-105
  23. Pashkevich M.A., Kulikova Yu.A. Lithification of leachate from municipal solid waste landfills with blast furnace slag. Journal of Mining Institute. 2024. Vol. 267, p. 477-487.
  24. Piatak N.M., Ettler V., Hoppe D. Geochemistry and Mineralogy of Slags. Metallurgical Slags: Environmental Geochemistry and Resource Potential. Royal Society of Chemistry, 2021, p. 59-124. DOI: 10.1039/9781839164576-00059
  25. Power G. Use of Residues from the Metallurgical Industry in Construction. Advances in Mechanics of Materials for Envi-ronmental and Civil Engineering. Springer, 2023, p. 53-63. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-37101-1_4
  26. Hongxia Hu, Hongguang Zheng, Fengping Liu et al. Heavy metal contamination assessment and source attribution in the Vicinity of an iron slag pile in Hechi, China: Integrating multi-medium analysis. Environmental Research. 2024. Vol. 263. Part 3. N 120206. DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.120206
  27. Da Ding, Lingya Kong, Dengdeng Jiang et al. Source apportionment and health risk assessment of chemicals of concern in soil, water and sediment at a large strontium slag pile area. Journal of Environmental Management. 2022. Vol. 304. N 114228. DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.114228
  28. Makarov D.V., Konina O.T., Goryachev A.A. Dusting suppression at tailings storage facilities. Journal of Mining Science. 2021. Vol. 57. N 4, p. 681-688. DOI 10.1134/S1062739121040165
  29. Gorlova O.E., Orekhova N.N., Kolodezhnaya E.V. et al. Providing a Rationale for an Integrative Criterion to Predict the Potential Selective Disintegration of Technology-Related, Complex Structured Raw Materials. Vestnik of Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University. 2023. Vol. 21. N 3, p. 15-26 (in Russian). DOI: 10.18503/1995-2732-2023-21-3-15-26
  30. Zolotova E., Kotelnikova A. Elements Migration from the Flotation Tailings of Copper Smelter Slags after Leaching to the Soil and Plant. Pollution. 2025. Vol. 11. Iss. 1, p. 161-174. DOI: 10.22059/poll.2024.377322.2400
  31. Zhu Xiaomin, Yao Bo, Jiang Xi et al. Study on Leaching Characteristics of Heavy Metals from a Magnetic Separation Tailings Yard of Steel Slag in Yunnan Province Under Simulated Rainfall. Journal of Kunming Metallurgy College. 2024. Vol. 40. N 2, p. 63-72. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1009-0479.2024.02.010
  32. Danilov A.S., Lozovaya A.S. Criteria-assessment tools for inventory of accumulated environmental harm objects. Sustainable Development of Mountain Territories. 2024. Vol. 16. N 3, p. 861-872 (in Russian). DOI: 10.21177/1998-4502-2024-16-3-861-872
  33. Prokhorov D.O., Kukhar V.D., Sarychev V.I., Podkolzin A.A. Improving classification technogenic mineral formations. News of the Tula State University. Sciences of Earth. 2021. Iss. 1, p. 501-512 (in Russian). DOI: 10.46689/2218-5194-2021-4-1-501-512
  34. Yevle D.V., Mann P.S. Artificial intelligence-based classification for waste management: a systematic review and future direction. Iran Journal of Computer Science. 2025. Vol. 8. Iss. 4, p. 1291-1330. DOI: 10.1007/s42044-025-00336-7
  35. Prokhorov D.O., Stas G.V., Bolgova A.I., Ovsyannikov M.S. Ranging technogenic mineral formations by the degree of influence on the surrounding land. News of the Tula State University. Sciences of Earth. 2022. Iss. 1, p. 113-124 (in Russian). DOI: 10.46689/2218-5194-2022-1-1-113-124
  36. Frantsuzov B.V., Ignatieva M.N., Moor I.A. Technogenic deposits: cluster approach to development. Discussion. 2025. N 8 (141), p. 180-188 (in Russian). DOI: 10.46320/2077-7639-2025-8-141-180-188
  37. Bezdek J.C. Elementary Cluster Analysis. Four Basic Methods that (Usually) Work. New York: River Publishers, 2021, p. 550. DOI: 10.1201/9781003338086
  38. Nguyen T.T.D., Chernenkaya L.V. Factor analysis model based on fuzzy C-means clustering. News of the Tula State University. Sciences of Earth. 2023. Iss. 1, p. 329-337 (in Russian). DOI: 10.24412/2071-6168-2023-1-329-337
  39. Kolesnikov A.S., Serikbaev B.E., Zolkin A.L. et al. Processing of Non-Ferrous Metallurgy Waste Slag for its Complex Recovery as a Secondary Mineral Raw Material. Refractories and Industrial Ceramics. 2021. Vol. 62. N 4, p. 375-380. DOI: 10.1007/s11148-021-00611-7
  40. Yücel O., Turan A., Benzeşik K. et al. Combined Evaluation of EAF Steel and Aluminum Smelting Wastes. Energy Tech-nology 2025. Springer, 2025, p. 27-35. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-80688-9_3
  41. Smirnov L.A., Demin B.A., Sorokin Yu.V. Promising areas of slag processing in ferrous metallurgy. Ferrous Metallurgy. Bulletin of Scientific, Technical and Economic Information. 2024. Vol. 80. N 8, p. 66-80 (in Russian). DOI: 10.32339/0135-5910-2024-8-66-80
  42. Khobotova E.B., Ignatenko M.I., Kalyuzhnaya Yu.S. et al. Toxic properties and hydraulic activity of dump waste blast fur-nace slag. Izvestiya. Ferrous Metallurgy. 2020. Vol. 63. N 9, p. 693-698. DOI: 10.17073/0368-0797-2020-9-693-698
  43. Sreevalsan-Nair J. Fuzzy C-Means Clustering. Encyclopedia of Mathematical Geosciences. Springer, 2023, p. 447-449. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-85040-1_129
  44. Badanina N.D., Zinchenko A.A., Sudakov V.A. Ranking of objects based on fuzzy clustering. Keldysh Institute Preprints. 2022. N 68 (in Russian). DOI: 10.20948/prepr-2022-68
Access statistics
Abstract Views
43
Full-Text Views
12
Cited
Scopus:
0
Crossref:
0
Article Menu

Similar articles

A combined method for remediation of contaminated areas of the oil complex based on electrochemical treatment with the creation of a geochemical barrier
2026 Nikolai S. Shulaev, Valeria V. Pryanichnikova, Ramil R. Kadyrov
Use of material from poor vermiculite-serpentine ores for remediation of urban soils and agrosoils in the Arctic zone of Russia
2026 Irina P. Kremenetskaya, Aleksandra B. Khvostova, Natalya V. Saltan, Svetlana V. Drogobuzhskaya, Marina V. Slukovskaya, Tatyana K. Ivanova, Anna G. Petrova, Andrei I. Novikov
An approach to integrated assessment of mining-disturbed land
2026 Aleksandr V. Reznik, Natalya A. Nemova, Dmitrii A. Novikov, Evgeniya Yu. Zarubina, Vladimir L. Gavrilov, Aleksei A. Kolesnikov, Nikolai S. Kosarev
Using industrial waste to reclaim acidic, heavy metal-contaminated soils in Arctic areas
2026 Mariya A. Chukaeva, Yan V. Pukhalskii