Abstract

The re-processing of mine tailings to obtain critical raw materials (CRMs) could reduce the mining of new deposits as well as ensure the profitable use of the waste materials. Though, it requires large scale industrial installations and the development of specialized technologies to obtain CRMs. New investment in mining activities is an operation, engaging for considerable financial resources involved. The scale of such an endeavor makes a new mining activity a high-risk operation due to several uncertainties present. Therefore, there is an acute need to use new tools to assess the risk associated with the planning and development of new mining activities.