Mine Waste Deposits Research Articles

Mapping and modelling human exposure to uraniferous mine waste using a GIS-supported virtual geographic environment

The exposure of residents to large volumes of uraniferous mine waste deposits scattered across densely populated areas in the South African goldfields has long been identified as a potential health threat. To quantify this threat for selected locations numerous studies determined concentration levels of uranium and other radionuclides in different environmental media of the Witwatersrand basin including streams, soils, tailings deposits, mine water effluents, fluvial sediments, aquatic organisms as well as in the food chain (fish, cattle, crops, vegetables etc.). This paper describes how the secondary data were extracted from various sources in order to map the spatial extent and intensity of uranium pollution in selected goldfields and to quantify associated exposure of residents. Steps included geo-referencing, normalisation against selected benchmark values, and superimposition of complementary data sets in GIS. For easing access to the data base for non-GIS experts a virtual geographic environment (VGE) was used, offering updated satellite imagery and additional functionality that aided in modelling exposure of target populations. Exposure pathways considered here include ingestion of polluted water, food and soil (geophagia) as well as the inhalation of wind-blown tailings dust. In addition, anecdotal evidence and media-based reports on mining-related pollution and impacts were captured. Maps derived from the VGE were used to identify hot spots of radioactive pollution aiding the selection of suitable sampling sites for a screening survey on U-uptake by exposed residents using hair as a bio-indicator.

Potentially toxic metal contamination and microbial community analysis in an abandoned Pb and Zn mining waste deposit

Bioindicators have been widely used to assess the contamination of lead/zinc (Pb/Zn) in smelter areas, mining waste disposal areas and in areas containing slags from Pb ore smelting. In this context, the analysis involving microorganisms has gained prominence as a complementary tool in studies aimed at assessing contaminated sites. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the contamination of Pb, Zn and cadmium (Cd) in an area where a PbZn smelter operated, using the integration of geochemical and microbial data. The experimental analysis was conducted to characterize the soil collected at three different sites (samples NS, EW and EP). The analysis conducted was physicochemical, metal concentration, metal speciation and analysis of the microbial community through high-throughput sequencing technique. Through the results it was observed that the high concentrations of metals altered the bacterial community present in the soil. Differences were noted between the microbial communities according to the sampling site, especially in sample EP, collected at the margin of the dirt road, which presented higher metal concentrations and microbial diversity. The main phyla detected in the samples were: Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Acidobacteria. Bacteria tolerant to the presence of potentially toxic metals (PTM), such as Rhodoplanes, Kaistobacter, Sphingomonas and Flavisolibacter were identified in the analyzed samples. The phylogenetic groups identified in the study area are similar to those obtained in other studies in metal contaminated areas. The differences between the bacterial communities in each sample indicate that the concentration of PTM may have influenced the microbial community in the soil. Thus, it is noted the importance of the integration of geochemical and microbial data to evaluate the impact of the improper disposal of high PTM concentrated slags in natural soils.

Reprocessing of a mining waste deposit in the Harz mountains – How contaminated sites might become raw material deposits in the future

AbstractDerzeit steigt durch das weltweite Wachstum und Umweltbewusstsein das Interesse an der Rückgewinnung von knappen Rohstoffen aus anthropogenen Ablagerungen. Weitere Motive sind neben dem Rohstoffhunger der modernen Welt das Flächenrecycling und die Gefahrenabwehr. Der Bergeteich Bollrich ist eine feuchte Ablagerung von Aufbereitungsrückständen aus dem Bergbau mit hohen Wertstoffanteilen. In diesem Beitrag wird eine in dem Forschungsprojekt REWITA entwickelte Aufbereitungsroute zur Rückgewinnung verschiedener Rohstoffe bei gleichzeitiger Reduktion von Schadstoffen und des Rückstands vorgestellt. Die Hauptverfahren sind Flotation, Laugung und ionenselektive Anreicherung.

Bi-level depth assessment of an abandoned tailings dam aiming its reprocessing for recovery of valuable metals

The present work was developed in the scope of ERA-MIN/0007/2015 REMinE project, aiming recover of valuable metals through reprocessing of abandoned mine waste deposits. Cabeço do Pião site, the Portuguese case study in this project, is an old tailings disposal whose property was transferred from Panasqueira Mine to the Municipality of Fundão. The material deposited in the dam constitutes a risk to the environment, in particular to Zézere’s river that flows close to the bottom of the tailings pile and is a relevant contributor for the supply of drinking water. The study area was sampled at two different depths according to a regular grid. About fifty samples were collected and analyzed by X-ray fluorescence. The multivariate analysis of the chemical and the particle size data, allowed to establish mineralogical associations, proving to be a useful planning tool in a future selective re-mining of the tailings pile. Information extracted from the results of the principal component analysis was corroborated by the results of the geostatistical techniques applied to the analytical data.

Technology of fine coal grains recovery from the mining waste deposits

Mining waste deposits (heaps) consist mainly of the waste rock, however, they may contain significant amount of coal, which was left after the coal beneficiation process. The laboratory tests, that verified possibilities of applying the technology used in the process of gravitational separation of raw minerals for recovery of grain class 6-0 mm are presented. The concept of recovering the combustible materials from mine waste by integration of the jig beneficiation technology with autogenous suspension bed technology is discussed.

Contents of arsenic and some other elements in stream sediments and waters of the Medija drainage basin, central Slovenia

In Znojile, north of the Kotredež village, a small antimonite mine was operating in the first half of the 20th century. After flooding in 1994 and 2010, when part of the material from the mine waste deposit was washed away, a number of investigations on soil and plants contamination in the area of Zagorje ob Savi municipality were carried on. It was established that the area of Kotredeščica valley, between Rove and Znojile settlements, is enriched with arsenic. In 2017 river sediments and water at 13 locations in Kotredeščica and Medija valleys were sampled in order to establish the sources of increased arsenic and antimony contents. 7 samples were taken from Kotredeščica, 2 samples from Orehovica and 4 samples from Medija. The determined median for As in sediment samples is 29.5 mg/kg. As contents are the highest in the upper course of Kotredeščica and decrease downstream. The established median for Sb in sediment samples is 6.4 mg/kg. The highest contents were determined in the sediments in the upper course of Kotredeščica and in Orehovica. In water samples the determined medians for As and Sb are 0.85 µg/l and 2.39 µg/l respectively, the highest concentrations were measured in Kotredeščica. With SEM/EDS analysis of sediments it was established that As is mostly present in the form of iron oxyhydroxy sulphates with smaller amounts of As and to a lesser extent in the form of mineral arsenopyrite. Sb is bound to somewhat porous mineral grains of antimonite. We assume that increased As and Sb contents in sediments and waters are the consequence of washing out and dissolution of the material from mine waste deposits as well as the increased natural background for As and Sb in this area, which is the consequence of the natural ore occurrences.

The dry closure of the Almagrera tailings dam: detailed modelling, monitoring results and environmental aspects

The Aznalcollar tailings dam failure moved the Spanish authorities to pay attention to tailings deposits. The Almagrera tailings dam holds one of the largest mining waste deposits in Andalucia. The dry closure of this dam has been detailed in this manuscript. Some serious difficulties had to be solved. Firstly, the dam had undergone up to five raisings before the closure operations started, and this process had not been properly documented. Secondly, the reservoir water was contaminated by the toxic tailings placed several metres below and, due to the high acidity of this water, the geotechnical characterization of the tailings deposit has been really challenging. Thirdly, the definition of the model itself has been a complex task due to the consideration of many phases and different hypotheses. In the finite element calculation, a constitutive model of perfect non-associated plasticity has been used for the dam and a soft soil creep model for the tailings. Next, it has been decided to decontaminate a closed mine by placing its abandoned material—Las Vinas fill—on top of the tailings deposit inside the reservoir. This operation generated important settlements on the tailings deposit. These settlements had to be accelerated by placing drainage wells to avoid the cracking of the final cap. The safety factor during the dry closure operations under dynamic loading was insufficient and a compacted rockfill reinforcement had to be laid on the downstream slope of the dam. Very few papers describe a successful dry closure of a tailings dam as is done here.

Oxidative weathering decreases bioaccessibility of toxic metal(loid)s in PM10 emissions from sulfide mine tailings.

Environmental contamination from legacy mine waste deposits is a persistent problem due to the long history of hard‐rock mining. Sulfide ore deposits can contain elevated levels of toxic metal(loid)s that, when mobilized by weathering upon O2 and H2O infusion, can result in groundwater contamination. Dry climate and lack of vegetative cover result in near‐surface pedogenic processes that produce fine‐particulate secondary minerals that can be translocated as geodusts leading to ingestion or inhalation exposure in nearby communities. In this study, in vitro bioassays were combined with synchrotron‐based X‐ray spectroscopy and diffraction to determine the potential risk for toxic element release from dust (PM10) samples into biofluid simulants. PM10 were isolated from across the oxidative reaction front in the top meter of tailings subjected to 50 years of weathering under semiarid climate and introduced to synthetic gastric and alveolar fluids. Aqueous concentrations were measured as a function of reaction time to determine release kinetics. X‐ray diffraction and absorption spectroscopy analyses were performed to assess associated changes in mineralogy and elemental speciation. In vitro bioaccessibility of arsenic and lead was highest in less‐weathered tailings samples (80–110 cm) and lowest in samples from the suboxic transition zone (40–52 cm). Conversely, zinc release to biofluids was greatest in the highly weathered near‐surface tailings. Results indicate that bioaccessibility of As and Pb was controlled by (i) the solubility of Fe2+‐bearing solids, (ii) the prevalence of soluble SO4 2−, and (iii) the presence of poorly crystalline Fe(III) oxide sorbents, whereas Zn bioaccessibility was controlled by the pH‐dependent solubility of the stable solid phase.

Selenium and Other Trace Element Mobility in Waste Products and Weathered Sediments at Parys Mountain Copper Mine, Anglesey, UK

The Parys Mountain copper mining district (Anglesey, North Wales) hosts exposed pyritic bedrock, solid mine waste spoil heaps, and acid drainage (ochre sediment) deposits. Both natural and waste deposits show elevated trace element concentrations, including selenium (Se), at abundances of both economic and environmental consideration. Elevated concentrations of semi-metals such as Se in waste smelts highlight the potential for economic reserves in this and similar base metal mining sites. Selenium is sourced from the pyritic bedrock and concentrations are retained in red weathering smelt soils, but lost in bedrock-weathered soils and clays. Selenium correlates with Te, Au, Bi, Cd, Hg, Pb, S, and Sb across bedrock and weathered deposits. Man-made mine waste deposits show enrichment of As, Bi, Cu, Sb, and Te, with Fe oxide-rich smelt materials containing high Pb, up to 1.5 wt %, and Au contents, up to 1.2 ppm. The trace elements As, Co, Cu, and Pb are retained from bedrock to all sediments, including high Cu content in Fe oxide-rich ochre sediments. The high abundance and mobility of trace elements in sediments and waters should be considered as potential pollutants to the area, and also as a source for economic reserves of previously extracted and new strategic commodities.

The environmental and geomorphological impacts of historical gold mining in the Ohinemuri and Waihou river catchments, Coromandel, New Zealand

Between 1875 and 1955 approximately 250,000Mgyr−1 of mercury-, arsenic-, and cyanide-contaminated mine tailings were discharged directly into the Ohinemuri River and its tributaries, in the Coromandel Region, North Island, New Zealand. A devastating flood on 14 January 1907 deposited large amounts of mine waste across the floodplain of the Ohinemuri and Waihou rivers in the vicinity of the township of Paeroa. The 1907 mine-waste flood deposit was located as a dirty yellow silt in cores and floodplain profiles, with a thickness ranging from 0.15–0.50m. Geochemical analysis of the mine waste shows elevated concentrations of Pb (~200–570mgkg−1) and As (~30–80mgkg−1), compared to early Holocene background concentrations (Pb<30mgkg−1; As<17mgkg−1). Bulk sediment samples recovered from the river channel and overbank deposits also show elevated concentrations of Pb (~110mgkg−1), Zn (~140–320mgkg−1), Ag (~3mgkg−1), and Hg (~0.4mgkg−1). Using the mine-waste deposit as a chronological marker shows that sedimentation rates increased from ~0.2mmyr−1 in the early Holocene, to 5.5–26.8mmyr−1 following the 1907 flood. Downstream trends in the thickness of the flood deposit show that local-scale geomorphic factors are a significant influence on the deposition of mine waste in such events. Storage of mine waste is greatest in the upstream reaches of the floodplain. The volume of mine waste estimated to be stored in the Ohinemuri floodplain is ~1.13Mm3, an order of magnitude larger than recent well-publicised tailings-dam failures, such as the 1996 South America Porco, 2000 Romanian Baia Mare and Baia Borsa accidents, and constituted, and was recognised at the time, a significant geomorphological and environmental event. The mine-waste material remains in the floodplain today, representing a sizable legacy store of contaminant metals and metalloids that pose a long-term risk to the Ohinemuri and Waihou ecosystems.

Quantitative Assessment of Landscape Load Caused by Mining Activity

Abstract In Hungary, not only the aftermath of the extraction in the past nearly 150 years, but also the economic changes taking place in the past two decades have had significant environmental consequences manifested, above all, in the landscape. It is, however, not sufficient to investigate the landscape components separately; it is necessary to explore connections within the landscape. Accordingly, the chief aim of this presentation has been, on the one hand, to work out the method of landscape load index, based on a quantitative database of mining claims and deposits of mining waste, which has revealed their impacts on the landscape as well. On the other hand, we have also aimed at developing the method of the mining load index of certain geographical landscape units. By calculating and analysing the indices, we have intended to build a quantitative database suitable for investigating the impacts of mining activities on the landscape. On the basis of the indices, the impacts and consequences could be ranked, and it was also possible to compare the impacts of different mining claims and waste deposits in three different landscape categories. With the main result of our examination, this will make it possible to investigate concrete problems and landscape conflicts caused by the landscape use of mining or its aftermath in different landscape units with a high load index.

Mechanism of removal and retention of heavy metals from the acid mine drainage to coastal wetland in the Patagonian marsh

The attenuation of the acid mine drainage is one of the most important environmental challenges facing the mining industry worldwide. Mining waste deposits from an ancient metallurgical extraction of heavy metals were found near to the San Antonio marsh in Patagonia. The aim of this work was to determinate which mechanisms regulate the mobilization and retention of metals by acid drainage. A geological and geomorphological survey was carried out and samples from the mining waste deposits and the marsh were collected to determine soil texture, Eh pH, organic matter, Cu, Pb, Zn and Fe content, and soil mineralogical composition. Metals in marsh plants were determined in above- and below-ground structures. In the mining waste deposits polymetallic sulphides were recognized where the oxidation and formation of oxy-hydroxides and sulphates of Fe, Cu, Pb and Zn occurs. Then, by the alteration of those minerals, the metals enter in solution and are mobilized with the surface drainage towards the marsh where adsorption in the soils fine fraction and organic matter and/or by plants occurs. Locally, in the mining waste deposits, the precipitation/dissolution of Cu, Pb, and Zn sulphates take place in small centripetal drainage basins. In topographically lower portions of the marsh desorption and removal of metals by tidal flow could also be happen. The results allow to concluding that the marsh adjacent to the mining waste deposits is a geochemically active environment that naturally mitigates the contamination caused by acid drainage.

Geochemical processes controlling the distribution and concentration of metals in soils from a Patagonian (Argentina) salt marsh affected by mining residues

Heavy metal pollution that affects salt marshes is a major environmental concern due to its toxic nature, persistence, and potential risk to organisms and to human health. Mining waste deposits originated four decades ago, by the metallurgical extraction of heavy metals, are found near to the San Antonio salt marsh in Patagonia. The aim of the work was to determine the geochemical processes that control the distribution and concentration of Cu, Fe, Pb and Zn in the soils of this Patagonian salt marsh. A survey of the mining waste deposits was carried out where three dumps were identified. Samples were collected to determine soil texture, Eh pH, organic matter and metal contents and the soil mineralogical composition. The results shows that the soils developed over the mining waste deposits are predominantly reddish constituted mainly by iron oxide, hydroxide and highly soluble minerals such as Zn and Cu sulphates. The drainage from these deposits tends to move towards the salt marsh. Within the salt marsh, the highest concentrations of Cu, Pb and Zn occur in the sectors closest to the mining wastes deposits. The sulphide oxidation and the dissolution of the Cu, Pb and Zn sulphates could be the mainly source of these metals in the drainage water. The metals in solution that reach the salt marsh, are adsorbed by the organic matter and the fine fraction of the soils. These adsorbed metals are then remobilized by tides in the lower sectors of the marsh by desorption from the cations present in the tidal flow. On the other hand, Fe tends to form non soluble oxides, hydroxides and sulphates which remain as altering material within the mining waste deposit. Finally, the heavy metal pollutants recorded in the San Antonio salt marsh shows that the mining waste deposits that were abandoned four decades ago are still a source metal contamination.

Trace metal content in inhalable particulate matter (PM2.5-10 and PM2.5) collected from historical mine waste deposits using a laboratory-based approach.

Mine wastes and tailings are considered hazardous to human health because of their potential to generate large quantities of highly toxic emissions of particulate matter (PM). Human exposure to As and other trace metals in PM may occur via inhalation of airborne particulates or through ingestion of contaminated dust. This study describes a laboratory-based method for extracting PM2.5-10 (coarse) and PM2.5 (fine) particles from As-rich mine waste samples collected from an historical gold mining region in regional, Victoria, Australia. We also report on the trace metal and metalloid content of the coarse and fine fraction, with an emphasis on As as an element of potential concern. Laser diffraction analysis showed that the proportions of coarse and fine particles in the bulk samples ranged between 3.4-26.6 and 0.6-7.6%, respectively. Arsenic concentrations were greater in the fine fraction (1680-26,100mgkg-1) compared with the coarse fraction (1210-22,000mgkg-1), and Co, Fe, Mn, Ni, Sb and Zn were found to be present in the fine fraction at levels around twice those occurring in the coarse. These results are of particular concern given that fine particles can accumulate in the human respiratory system. Our study demonstrates that mine wastes may be an important source of metal-enriched PM for mining communities.

Indoor-outdoor concentrations of fine particulate matter in school building microenvironments near a mine tailing deposit

Indoor air quality in school classrooms is a major pediatric health concern because children are highly susceptible to adverse effects from xenobiotic exposure. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) emitted from mining waste deposits within and near cities in northern Chile is a serious environmental problem. We measured PM2.5 in school microenvironments in urban areas of Chanaral, a coastal community whose bay is contaminated with mine tailings. PM2.5 levels were measured in six indoor and outdoor school environments during the summer and winter of 2012 and 2013. Measurements were taken during school hours on two consecutive days. Indoor PM2.5 concentrations were 12.53–72.38 μg/m3 in the summer and 21.85–100.53 μg/m3 in winter, while outdoor concentrations were 11.86–181.73 μg/m3 in the summer and 21.50–93.07 μg/m3 in winter. Indoor/outdoor ratios were 0.17–2.76 in the summer and 0.64–4.49 in winter. PM2.5 levels were higher in indoor microenvironments during the winter, at times exceeding national and international recommendations. Our results demonstrate that indoor air quality Chanaral school microenvironments is closely associated with outdoor air pollution attributable to the nearby mine tailings. Policymakers should enact environmental management strategies to minimize further environmental damage and mitigate the risks that this pollution poses for pediatric health.

Man-made Changes of the Relief Due to the Mining Activities within Husnicioara Open Pit (Mehedinţi County, Romania)

Depending on the relief, the technological process for lignite extraction from Husnicioara open pit uses 2 or 3 excavation steps of the mine waste deposits that lie over the coal strata (I+IV); first, the mining waste is deposited in the outer spoil tip and then in the inner tip, followed by coal excavation on another step. So far, the mining activities have affected 3.5 sqkm, including part of the Lungă and Lacului Valleys, and Faţa Lacului and Pădurea Dumbrava hills. The area of the mining exploitation is an artificial space that functions according to new rules. Consequently, the study attempts to identify the man-made changes of the relief due to the mining activities using field measurements, Landsat satellite images and NDVI index. The results reveal that the lignite exploitation implies the dislocation, relocation and storage of materials, which has caused a significant change of the local geomorphological context, leading to the construction of some anthropic structures such as cavities and prominent relief forms.

The influence of a metal-enriched mining waste deposit on submarine groundwater discharge to the coastal sea

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) was investigated at El Gorguel Bay (Cartagena-La Unión Pb–Zn mining district, Murcia, Spain), a Mediterranean region where mine tailings have been accumulated for decades at the shoreline. At this site, groundwater may become enriched in metals prior to discharge to the coastal sea and may lead to significant releases that can contaminate the coastal environment. The distribution of dissolved metals and Ra isotopes were studied in seawater and groundwater samples collected during the summer season in 2013. Cross-shore gradients of 224Ra in the bay allowed the calculation of a SGD flow of (39±14)103m3day−1. SGD-driven metal fluxes were 47–180molday−1km−1 for Zn, 0.20–0.60molday−1km−1 for Pb, 4–32molday−1km−1 for Fe, 0.8–2.3molday−1km−1 for Cu and 0.9–2.8molday−1km−1 for Ni. Compared to other coastal zones not affected by mining activities, SGD-driven metal fluxes were especially significant for dissolved Zn and Pb. The magnitude of these SGD-driven metal fluxes indicates that SGD is a relevant pathway in delivering metals to the coastal environment at El Gorguel Bay. This fact highlights the importance of investigating the role of SGD as a possible source of contamination to the sea in mining districts located in the proximity of the coast.

Size-dependent characterisation of historical gold mine wastes to examine human pathways of exposure to arsenic and other potentially toxic elements.

Abandoned historical gold mining wastes often exist as geographically extensive, unremediated, and poorly contained deposits that contain elevated levels of As and other potentially toxic elements (PTEs). One of the key variables governing human exposure to PTEs in mine waste is particle size. By applying a size-resolved approach to mine waste characterisation, this study reports on the proportions of mine waste relevant to human exposure and mobility, as well as their corresponding PTE concentrations, in four distinct historical mine wastes from the gold province in Central Victoria, Australia. To the best of our knowledge, such a detailed investigation and comparison of historical mining wastes has not been conducted in this mining-affected region. Mass distribution analysis revealed notable proportions of waste material in the readily ingestible size fraction (≤250µm; 36.1-75.6%) and the dust size fraction (≤100µm; 5.9-45.6%), suggesting a high potential for human exposure and dust mobilisation. Common to all mine waste types were statistically significant inverse trends between particle size and levels of As and Zn. Enrichment of As in the finest investigated size fraction (≤53µm) is of particular concern as these particles are highly susceptible to long-distance atmospheric transport. Human populations that reside in the prevailing wind direction from a mine waste deposit may be at risk of As exposure via inhalation and/or ingestion pathways. Enrichment of PTEs in the finer size fractions indicates that human health risk assessments based on bulk contaminant concentrations may underestimate potential exposure intensities.

Concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb in the echinoid Paracentrotus lividus on the coast of Civitavecchia, northern Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy

This work assessed the levels of As, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb in soft tissues (gonads and gut) of specimens of Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck, 1816) collected from the coast of Civitavecchia, in the northern Tyrrhenian Sea. The average levels, in order of concentration, were 14.64 mg/kg As, 3.58 mg/kg Cr, 1.18 mg/kg Pb, 1.15 mg/kg Ni, and 0.07 mg/kg Cd. Dry weight concentrations described bioaccumulation of As and Cr, and, to a lesser extent, Ni and Pb. A hotspot of As at the station near the delta of Marangone stream reflected the effect of mine waste deposits of galena, pyrite, and marcasite in this basin. The As concentration in the northern part of the study area increased closer to the Mignone delta, and according to the prevailing winds, this could reflect enrichment from the combustion of coal at the Torrevaldaliga power plant. Comparing data with the literature, As in marine sediments show a ratio of 0.7 in the tissues of P. lividus from the Civitavecchia area. These results were also compared to those found in P. lividus in an environmental biomonitoring program currently ongoing to control the emissions from the coal-fired power plant in Torrevaldaliga Nord, highlighting a substantial quantitative correspondence. In view of the presence of various industrial activities in the study area that can influence the enrichment of these elements, this work emphasizes the need for performing further studies aimed at assessing the actual contribution of anthropogenic activities even when the background concentrations in marine sediments and marine organisms are high, because burning coal is considered the major anthropogenic source of many trace elements especially As.

Dust suppressant treatments: Quality control

The dust emissions caused by the wind effect from mining or industrial waste deposits and the transit of vehicles along unpaved roads constitute a problem that affects productive activities; the environment and the health of people living in the area of influence of the pollution. Social awareness and the environmental requirements regarding this issue have grown steadily in recent years in Chile, as has the range of available suppressors with different characteristics, application technologies; durability and resistance to climatic factors such as rainfall and solar radiation. This article presents the methodologies available in Chile to evaluate treatment with different suppressors and compare their effectiveness with objective information or in with the situation without treatment. A review has been made of the causes of dust emissions from different sources, the technologies available in Chile for dust suppression and the methodologies and standards for assessing the performance of the treated materials on waste deposits and unpaved roads. This enables the performance of any product to be evaluated and procedures to be applied that provide data for the selection of a suppressor, the optimization of the dose and the associated costs of treatment.