Preface to the Thematic Section: Mine tailings – Problem or opportunity? Towards a combined remediation and resource recovery approach

Since the earliest days of the Industrial Revolution, Europe has been discarding vast quantities of mining residues, commonly referred to as “extractive waste.” Even today, 900 Mton/year of extractive waste is being generated and stored in tailing facilities or ponds. This 900 Mton/year fgure corresponds to 26% of the EU’s current waste output . Without proper management, tailing ponds can lead to environmental problems, ranging from acid mine drainage (AMD) and water contamination to dam bursts and fooding, air pollution, and soil erosion and contamination.