Abstract
Mine tailings represent a significant opportunity in Canada as potential sources of critical minerals, residual material repurposing, carbon capture and footprint reduction, and cost savings from the offset of long-term monitoring and liability mitigation, land reuse and economic rehabilitation. However, it is necessary to first expand the understanding of how to characterize tailings effectively to fully evaluate a site for its potential value.
In 2024, along with continued advancement on the development of a Canadian Mine Tailings Inventory, CanmetMINING, in collaboration with GSC-Atlantic, and the Nova Scotia Department of Resources and Renewables, carried out a systematic tailings sampling program at a historic tailings site in Nova Scotia. This case study set out to collect a series of sample material which could be used for in depth characterization studies in the assessment of tailings for critical minerals potential and to inform future desulphurization of high risk tailings RD&D, metallurgical analysis, and reprocessing flowsheet development at CanmetMINING. This case study was also carried out to reflect current industry standards, and reported in accordance to NI 43-101, such that data collected may be used in future applications to meet requirements for mineral resource estimation programs.
This presentation will provide an update on the continued advancement of the Canadian Mine Tailings Inventory; and will offer an overview of the results of the tailings sampling case study completed in 2024. An expanded Mining Value from Waste Tailings Sampling RD&D program is being considered/proposed by CanmetMINING, to extend support to Provinces, Territories, and Indigenous nations in future tailings characterization studies.