Problems of natural environment preservation of transboundary territories in uranium mining

Abstract

Within the transboundary territories of Far Eastern Russia, China and Mongolia, various non-ferrous and expensive rare earth metals are actively mined, with uranium being most actively developed among all of them. The extraction of radioactive ores creates an increased threat to population of transboundary territories and forms the problem that requires coordinated solution to life safety issues. Establishing unified extraction and mineral processing complex within these territories could potentially reduce danger to the environment and increase economic efficiency of metal mining. Decontaminated ore utilisation can become an effective factor in strengthening raw material resource base of metallurgy in both, mining and processing within consolidated regions of the Far Eastern regions. Leaching technology options are a real step towards creation of low and waste-free mining based on combination of physical and technical & chemical processes of metal mining. Peculiarities of natural resource localization and extraction within territories of Russian Far East, China and Mongolia create favorable conditions in establishing environmentally safe and highly profitable metal mining cluster development of deposits of exposed metal ores. Collective use of modern equipment, based on leaching processes can significantly improve environmental, economic and social indicators of regional metal deposits development.