It is reported that the Norwegian Hydro Company switched to the dry backfill technology of bauxite tailings to replace the previous tailings dam, thereby improving the safety and environmental protection of mining.
During the testing phase of this new solution, Hydro invested approximately US$5.5 million in the final disposal of the tailings in the mining area and obtained an operating permit issued by the Para State Secretariat for Environment and Sustainability (SEMAS) certificate.
John Thuestad, Executive Vice President of Hydro’s bauxite and alumina business, said: “Hydro has always been committed to promoting the sustainable development of the aluminum industry, so we have made efforts to implement this attempt to avoid bauxite mining. The establishment of new permanent tailings ponds during mining causes environmental hazards.”
Hydro’s solution is the latest attempt to dispose of bauxite tailings in the industry. Since July 2019, Hydro has been testing this technology at the Minerao Paragominas bauxite mine in northern Para state. It is understood that the program does not require continuous construction of new permanent tailings dams, or even adding layers to the existing tailings dam structure, because the program uses a method called “dry tailings backfilling”. , That is, backfill inert dry tailings in the mined area.
The testing phase of this new solution of Hydro is carried out under the long-term monitoring and tracking of environmental agencies, and follows the technical standards of the Environmental Committee (Conama). The application of this new solution in Brazil is an important step towards sustainable development, improving operational safety and reducing Hydro’s environmental footprint. Project testing was completed at the end of 2020, and the Para State Secretariat for Environment and Sustainable Development (SEMAS) was approved for operation on December 30, 2020.