Environmental impact of phosphate mining and beneficiation: review

Although the subject of mining and its environmental impacts are very wide to be covered in this review concerns about the impact of phosphate mining and processing typically emphasis on its potential effects on water pollution air pollution and human health were accessed We reviewed published information at different stages of mining current mines closed old mines and reclaimed mines and at different complexity of mining surface mining underground mining and sea bed phosphorite mining Information was analyzed to understand the association of toxic metals and radioactive elements in the phosphate rocks and to trace the transfer pathways of toxic metals and radioactive elements from the phosphate rocks to the environment According to the reviewed results the major environmental impacts of phosphate mining and processing on the water resources were impacts on the hydrology by phosphate industry water usage and landscape changes and impacts on water quality by discharges of industry wastewater into the waterways Dust was a common air quality problem throughout all mining activities fluoride emissions and radon gas emission were also serious problems Toxic metals and radioactive elements of significant human health problems were Pb Cd Hg Cr As U Th and Ra Most researches agreed that Ra is considered as one of the most toxic radionuclide The nuclide is of further importance as the parent nuclide of the gaseous Rn which along with its solid decay products constitutes a significant source of radiation exposure Scientific researches on mine water drainage and phosphate mining relationship may help to understand the environmental impacts associated with water resource and water quality