During any mining operation, the rock or soil layer that needs to be removed to access the ore being mined and which does not contain toxic components, unlike tailings, is called Overburden. Overburden is also referred to as spoil or waste.
Along with occupying the huge land areas, overburden dumps possess a great threat to the nearby areas impacting flora & fauna.
These overburden dumps are not stable, create cracks, and collect the rainwater presenting a risk of flooding and mass erosion to the areas around. In addition, people living around these overburdened dumps usually use this land for different purposes such as agriculture and farmlands. For instance, the land used as pasture and for agriculture shows a high concentration of nickel and chromium in locations close to certain kinds of mines. It is also believed that heavy metals have already entered the food chain for an extended period due to this Overburden menace. The consequences are felt in the health, and social life of the inhabitants in the vicinity that may pass on to their future generations.
Depending on the nature of the mines, the overburden could consist of materials such as weathered sandstone or its sludge. Sand particles can be recovered by washing the overburden and separating sand particles by sedimentation and decantation methods. The recycled sand and aggregates have a range of uses in a variety of construction applications.
Each plant we design includes a variety of processing phases depending on your specific requirements:
