Abstract

The complex composition and potential environmental hazards of mining tailings necessitate developing sustainable valorization routes to mitigate the ecological impact of their disposal and reuse. Accordingly, this study investigates the environmental impact of tailing valorization routes for producing ceramic foam using a life cycle approach. The analysis compares scenarios using glycerine and sodium silicate as sintering agents with two types of tailings (high and low sulfur). High-sulfur tailings valorization routes lead to greater environmental impacts compared to low-sulfur tailings routes, particularly in water consumption, due to the extensive water usage in the sorting and flotation processes. Environmental results indicate that the use of fluxing (sodium carbonate) and sintering agents (glycerine and sodium silicate) heavily impacts the environmental profile, accounting for over 40% of the total impact. This requires the investigation of alternate chemical reagents and dosages optimization. These efforts will help to the progress of sustainable mining practices, adding value of mining tailings.