Mining Waste Facility
A mining waste facility is any area designated for the accumulation or deposit of extractive waste whether in a solid or liquid state or in solution or suspension, for specified time periods. Mining Waste facilities are regarded as including any heaps, ponds and any associated structures including dams, necessary to contain, retain confine or otherwise support the facility however it is not permitted to contain an excavation void into which extractive waste is stored [1].
A site is only considered as a mining waste facility if extractive waste is stored at the facility long enough to meet the time requirements for the different types of waste. These are as follows:
- six months for facilities for unexpectedly generated hazardous waste;
- a year for facilities for non-hazardous non-inert waste; and
- three years for facilities for inert waste, unpolluted soil, non-hazardous prospecting waste and waste from the peat industry [1].
This applies unless the facility is a ‘Category A’ mining waste facility or if the facility is for hazardous waste [1].