Vol 281 Iss. 1

The problem of placing vast quantities of accumulated waste on the Earth's surface – with the mining industry and its associated processing facilities accounting for the largest share – underscores the need to improve the information support systems for waste management. The aim of this study is to substantiate and analyze materials characterizing the cadastral registration of technogenic mineral formations (TMF) and to develop measures to improve cadastral development activities. The information base of the study consists of data from scientific databases, materials from scientific reports and analytical papers, as well as regulatory and legal sources. The theoretical and procedural basis of the study comprises the systems approach, as well as methods of structural analysis, analogy, generalization and systematization, comparison, grouping, and logical-economic analysis. The study focuses on the period from the 1920s to the present. The study demonstrates the link between the approaches to data collection for cadastral registration and the classification criteria used for TMF and technogenic deposits (TD). Based on an analysis of classifications of TMF, TD and classification of facilities having a negative impact on the environment, the fundamental classification criteria regarding waste have been substantiated. The article outlines the evolutionary changes in the content of cadaster and identifies the stages in development of cadastral registration in Russia. The article also demonstrates the need to expand the information base by taking into account the following factors: the environmental situation of the area where the TMF is located; mineral associations with sulfate-bearing ores and their oxidation; and economic indicators – specifically, the economic damage associated with the TMF. Furthermore, the paper justifies the need to establish eight information blocks within the cadasters and proposes an algorithm for their construction. The study also offers proposals for improving the cadastral registration of TMF, thereby enhancing the information support for activities related to their formation and use.

Large-scale mineral mining, including critical minerals of oil, gas and coal, conditions withdrawal of vast land from the agricultural sector. The relevance of this problem is connected with prevention and elimination of disamenity of the subsoil use. It is necessary to determine a strategy of mining-disturbed land reclamation. The authors propose an integrated assessment of mining-disturbed land, which allows a comprehensive analysis of current condition of these man-made sites. The proposed procedure can serve as a framework for the development of recommendations on reclamation trend selection. It enables simultaneous sequential or parallel application of parameters and criteria from a compiled list. In the aggregate, these parameters and criteria describe features of man-made objects and their condition by quantitative and qualitative indicators determined during field study, field survey, lab-scale testing and office analysis. As a case study of the Novosibirsk Region, the necessity is demonstrated and a matrix is constructed for the mining-disturbed land assessment by the level and nature of the environmental impact, with the determination of boundaries and sizes of damage areas. The basis for ranking man-made objects was classification, typification and clustering of attributes which govern peculiarities of the external impacts on the environment (rocks, soil, artificial ground, surface water, groundwater, etc.). These attributes are characterized by parameters and quantitative indicators measured on various scales, which identify admissible and hyperadmissible environmental load. The proposed approach allows the integrated analysis of mining-disturbed land areas with a view to their further ranking by the environmental load, and for developing an expert system of the optimized selection of new application ranges for such land.

The article examines the mechanisms of metal migration and immobilization in the soils of the Western Siberian Subarctic resulting from contamination associated with hydrocarbon development. The research is based on the analysis of 106 soil and soil solution samples for metal content (Na, Ca, K, Fe, Mn, Cd, Cr, Zn, Sr, Cu, Ni, Ba, Pb, Co, V) and petroleum hydrocarbons in the soil, collected at oil fields and background sites in the Nadym-Pur-Taz interfluve. Statistical modeling based on geochemical data was conducted using multivariate statistical methods. The first stage involved data factorization and factor interpretation, identifying drilling cuttings, formation waters, and motor vehicles as primary sources of pollution. Discriminant analysis enabled the grouping of samples based on the nature of the impact. Multivariate analysis of variance made it possible to identify the key factors governing metal mobility potential in soils. These factors were subsequently used as predictors in multiple regression analysis (MRA). MRA revealed the primary mechanisms of metal mobilization into solution: competitive sorption (Mn, Sr, Co, Pb, Cr, Ca, Ba, Zn), solution ionic strength (Na, Mn, Zn), soil alkalinization (Cr, V), and hydrophobization by petroleum hydrocarbons (Sr, Zn). It has been established that immobilization is most effective during ion-exchange sorption processes involving amorphous oxyhydroxides of Fe (Na, Ca, Mn, Sr, Zn) and Mn (Ba, Co, Cr, Pb), as well as organic matter of the humic series (Sr, Ba). A detailed characterization of metal behavior under contamination conditions is provided. It has been shown that the lateral migration of metals under the studied conditions ranges from 150 to 200 m. The reliability of multiple regression models was assessed, and internal validation was performed using experimental data. Based on an analysis of metal mobilization and immobilization mechanisms, recommendations are provided for reducing the migration potential of pollutants.

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.

This study addresses the loss of land for other uses resulting from economic activities and waste disposal, highlights the need to develop alternative fertilizers suitable for the biological stage of land reclamation and subsequent landscaping, and examines the resource potential of industrial wastes for producing nutrient amendments. The most promising waste processing approaches involve producing sewage sludge-based fertilizers through composting with other industrial wastes of various origins. A combined computational and experimental approach was used to develop composting mixtures, enabling optimization of the C:N, moisture content, and pH while incorporating visual assessments during laboratory trial mixing. The fertilizers produced were assessed qualitatively and quantitatively for veterinary, sanitary, hygienic, toxicological, and agrochemical parameters in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements. A plant growth experiment using artificial soil demonstrated their effectiveness in improving key plant productivity parameters, including seed germination, plant biomass, and maximum plant height. Potential factors limiting fertilizer application were identified as toxic element contents and possible imbalances between moisture retention and air exchange caused by reduced soil substrate density at high fertilizer mass fractions. These findings confirm the feasibility of reusing wastes of various origins to restore land quality and expand the range of alternative fertilizers.

The problem of waste disposal in the mining industry is urgent for the Arctic zone of Russia. Significant volumes of overburden rocks from the Kovdor phlogopite deposit, represented by poor vermiculite-sungulite ores, require the development of environmentally safe methods for their integration into economic circulation. The aim of the study is to assess the potential of vermiculite-serpentine concentrate (VSC) obtained from overburden rocks for the remediation of anthropogenically disturbed soils. The prospect of using VSC for improving soil properties is due to its favourable mineral composition (serpentine 30-35, vermiculite 28-31 wt.%). Laboratory experiments prepared mixtures of VSC with agrosoil (10-60 wt.%) and samples of urban soils from three cities in the Murmansk Region (Apatity, Kirovsk, and Monchegorsk) (20 wt.%), differing in the level of anthropogenic impact. The content of chemical elements in two mobile fractions was studied, phytotesting was carried out with French marigolds (Tagetes patula). VSC has an alkaline reaction (рН_Н2О 8.9) due to the presence of minerals in the composition capable of concentrating Ni; the gross content of this component is 730 mg/kg. It was found that the introduction of VSC increases the alkalinity of soil mixtures and the content of mobile forms of Ca and Mg. In slightly contaminated agrosoil, the content of mobile nickel when adding 10-50 % VSC increases from 1.5 to 2.5 mg/kg, with a content of more than 60 % it decreases below background values. Phytotesting showed that in the range of 10-60 % VSC, the root mass increased from 0.09-0.1 to 0.13-0.18 g/plant, there were no signs of phytotoxicity. For soils of Monchegorsk, characterized by a high level of anthropogenic contamination with nickel and copper, the introduction of concentrate, on the contrary, led to a steady decrease in the content of mobile forms of both metals. Vermiculite-serpentine concentrate can be recommended as a meliorant for soil remediation, poor in macroelements and contaminated with heavy metals.

The article focuses on developing an effective method for reclaiming anthropogenically disturbed areas through optimization of the composition of technosol substrates that incorporate industrial mineral waste and sewage sludge. The relevance of the study stems from the need to eliminate the negative consequences of mineral extraction and processing, which lead to the formation of vast tailings storage areas that adversely affect the environmental situation in the region. We investigated the physicochemical properties of dressing tailings and the differences in their properties upon addition of sewage sludge from three mining enterprises in the Murmansk Region: the loparite tailings storage facilities Karnasurt-1 and Umbozero (Revda settlement), and the apatite-nepheline tailings storage facility ANOF-3 (Kirovsk). Under laboratory conditions, we determined the component proportions in the technosol substrate, providing a reduction of pH to neutral values, an increase in the moisture-holding capacity of the substrates, and an improvement in the availability of essential plant nutrients. Phytotoxicity test confirmed the high biological activity of the formulated soil substrates and the positive effect of the introduced additive on the development of the test crops: radish (Raphanus sativus L.) and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). The study identified the optimal balance between mineral tailings and sewage sludge, ensuring the best plant adaptation and the maximum reclamation efficiency for disturbed areas. The results obtained hold significant practical importance for land reclamation in areas with high load from the mining industry, contributing to the minimization of environmental risks, substrate stabilization, the formation of a sustainable vegetation cover, and the sustainable use of industrial and municipal waste. We noted the need to confirm the effectiveness of the proposed approach under long-term experimental conditions. The practical implementation of this technology will ensure environmentally sustainable economic activities in regions with intensive exploitation of raw material reserves, including the northern regions of Russia.

The operations of non-ferrous metallurgy industries lead to the formation of persistent polymetallic contamination in the soil cover of the surrounding areas, which leads to the degradation of the soil and vegetation cover following prolonged negative exposure. Given the scale of the problem, the authors conducted a series of experimental studies to model plant growth on highly contaminated acidic soils to find a comprehensive solution for recovering the soil and vegetation cover. The experiment involved identifying the most effective soil additives for restoring the acidic soils of the town of Karabash in the Chelyabinsk Region, which are characterized by high levels of heavy metal contamination. Based on the results of theoretical studies, lime, low-moor peat, vermiculite, biochar, and melatonin were selected as soil-improving additives for the experiment. The results of laboratory studies on the soil composition and properties before and after the experiment are presented, as well as the results of visual, quantitative, and chemical assessments of plant biomass. Based on the experimental studies, the most effective soil amendments were identified, which not only reduce the impact of heavy metals on plants but also increase their biomass. The best results were obtained by neutralizing the soil with lime, improving its physical and mechanical properties through the addition of vermiculite, increasing the organic matter content using low-moor peat, and adding broad-spectrum soil-improving additives such as biochar and melatonin. The combination of soil additives made it possible to neutralize highly acidic soils to a pH of 6.6-7.5, reduce the concentration of mobile copper – the primary contaminant – by a factor of four or more, and grow sustainable root and above-ground plant parts.

The scale of the environmental problem associated with the pollution of vast areas of industrial zones in the oil industry is significant and requires the use of new technological approaches in solving it. A developing technology in this field is the use of electrochemical remediation, i.e., the removal of petroleum products and associated aqueous contaminant solutions from environments using low-voltage electric currents. The advantage of this method is the purification of both the surface fertile soil and the deeper soil layers. A current trend in the deve-lopment of electrochemical remediation methods is their integration with other remediation technologies, which increases remediation efficiency through oxidation or pollutant extraction, as well as significantly reduces the time required for remediation. This work is devoted to combining the treatment of oil-contaminated soils with direct electric current with the adding of the oxidizing component, calcium peroxide. The creation of a reactive geochemical barrier made of calcium peroxide in the interelectrode zone is proposed. This barrier will act as an inductor of oxidative reactions that promote the gradual mineralization of petroleum hydrocarbons. The formation of a directed contaminated electrophoretic flow moving from the anode to the cathode through a layer of calcium peroxide is simulated under laboratory conditions, and the characteristics of the purification process are investigated. The dynamics of such important environmental parameters as voltage, acidity of the treated medium, volume of the generated electrophoretic flow and the content of petroleum products in the solid (soil) and liquid (water) phases after cleaning are studied.

This study evaluates the effectiveness of industrial waste-based ameliorants for the phytoremediation of disturbed lands. To conduct an experiment surface soil samples characterized by an acidic pH, polymetallic contamination, and heavy physical and mechanical composition were collected from industrial wastelands in the Arctic region. Lime and industrial waste, such as smelter slag, pulp and paper mill (PPM) ash, and ash from the combustion of alternative fuels based on municipal solid waste (MSW), were used to neutralize these samples. To assess the efficiency of soil neutralization and detoxification following the application of various ameliorants, the pH of aqueous and salt extracts of the original soil and the soil mixtures, as well as the content of mobile and water-soluble forms of heavy metals, were determined. A pot experiment with Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) was conducted to comprehensively assess soil mixtures availability for phytoremediation, followed by an assessment of the biometric parameters of its aboveground biomass and a determination of the rate of heavy metal accumulation in plant shoots and roots. Brassica juncea demonstrated high tolerance to polymetallic contamination, with good germination and survival. Phytostabilization was also found to be the primary mechanism for reducing of soil pollution levels. The studied industrial wastes demonstrateda high potential for neutralizing acidic soils contaminated with heavy metals, compared to traditional ameliorants. A decrease in soil acidity and an improvement in their physical and mechanical properties and elemental composition were observed. To obtain productive soil mixtures, the application rates of the studied industrial wastes into acidic soils contaminated with heavy metals, as well as the duration of the treatment period, were experimentally determined: 16-33 g/kg of slag (8-week neutralization), 7-14 g/kg of MSW ash, and 20-39 g/kg of PPM ash (3-4 weeks neutralization). Future research will explore the synergistic effects of adding humic and fulvic acids into contaminated soils.

The article presents the results of a comprehensive study of the stored waste from the Berikul gold mining plant (Kemerovo Region), using geochemical, geophysical, and econometric methods. Using electrical tomography method, geoelectric sections (transverse and along the dam’s contour) and a 3D model of the storage facility were constructed; they describe the location of zones with a specific electrical resistance varying within the range of 3-800 Ohm·m, which makes it possible to determine the configuration of conductive zones in the internal structure. From the stored waste, which has a thickness of 5-7 m, mineralized water filters into the underground horizons, resulting in the formation of a depression characterized by an electrical resistivity (ER) of ~200 Ohm·m, which is significantly lower than the ER of the surrounding rocks. The zone of reduced resistance extends deeper than 40 m, which clearly indicates the vertical spread of the drainage system, possibly along a weakened zone in the granodiorite massif. Additionally, the formation of highly conductive areas is clearly visible on resistance maps up to 20-40 m. Samples of solid matter and water were taken from the resulting small bodies of water to determine their chemical composition. The stored waste is characterized by a contrasting composition in different parts of the storage facility; accordingly, both the physicochemical parameters and the ability of elements to transfer into solutions vary over a wide range. The majority of the waste material produces an acidic reaction in the pore waters and has a high mineralization. Water extracts from the samples cakes indicate a significant proportion of easily soluble compounds in the waste material. The content of metals and metalloids in water from surface ponds (maximum Fe 7800, Al 590, Zn 160, As 1600, Be 0.022 mg/l) indicates a high environmental hazard posed by these waste materials, while also suggesting the potential attractiveness of the site for the further recovery of useful components. An assessment has been carried out of the damage caused by the storage facility to water bodies within its influence zone – 470 million rubles.