Utilization of mining waste rock for infrastructure construction in North Savo

Objectives of the project

The project offers a new approach to organize the management of mining and natural stone waste rock in areas where there is high quarrying volume. The project will create a tool for the natural stone and mining industry to develop products from waste rock referring to requirements of construction as part of mine planning during the active life cycle of the mines. The purpose of the project is to integrate waste rocks and stone-based extractive waste of the mines and quarries into a part of regional construction aggregates accounting, land-use planning and stone raw materials trading, in which case they could be taken into account in the future design of the building as a source of raw material.

The project will be implemented as a pilot in North Savo 2013-2014 and the model produced in it can be applied in the future in separate projects elsewhere in the country. The project will generate direct and indirect benefits to decision-makers, licensing authorities, land-use planners, as well as mining and construction companies. The project will support the North-Savo natural resource economy strategy, and in particular development of the mineral plan towards the regional strategic program goals. The project offers directly usable knowledge base for ongoing mineral economy database development and for secondary materials accounting. The results will be used, above all, by companies and authorities.

Implementation of the project

The project consists of three functional modules:

Waste rock reserves of the pilot areas will be defined (current and formed during mining) and the materials used are classified as environmentally inert (direct benefit), and as actual extractive waste. Suitability of inert materials for different applications and infrastructure construction will be determined referring to quality standards. Procedures for developing the waste rock into products as part of the mine planning will be created for producers. It will be determined the potential of the actual extractive waste to be used in different applications, as well as the necessary processes, which are required for that.

The module M2 consists of assessment of end use and logistical possibilities within feasible area around the site, taking into account the volume and quality specifications of inventory phase, the needs and demand of regional industry, and the regional construction and planning according to short and long- term plans.

Marketing and Communications Module (M3) includes not only distribution and presentation of the results of the project to stakeholders and the public, but also implementation of the results of projects as part of the aggregate supply systems. In addition, the project will produce training package of the waste rock resources and their utilization possibilities.

Expected results