Characterization of Solid Mining Waste in the Urbanized Area of Zimapan, Hidalgo, for the Identification of Economically Valuable Elements and Trace Elements

In the mining district of Zimapan, tons of mining wasteMining waste from Cu, Pb, and Zn ore beneficiation plants are accumulated in urbanized areas. These solid wastesWaste contain a diverse elemental composition, where characteristic mineral species from the exploited deposits still prevail and are subjected to erosion agents that allow their transport and accumulation in surrounding areas. This study reports the characterizationCharacterization of such mineral solids to establish the distribution of potentially toxic elements at different particle sizes, as well as the calculation of cut-off grades that allow the classification of the residual dust as a source of secondary extraction that can subsequently be reintegrated into mining activities. The analysis conducted through ICP showed a high concentration of Fe at different particle sizes. However, the calculation of enrichment factorsEnrichment factor determined that it is an abundant element associated with the parent rock, as corroborated by XRD and SEM–EDS techniques, which confirmed the presence of Hedenbergite [96-100-1815] and Cubanite [96-900-1498] in the matrix. Therefore, Fe is not considered a potential contaminant. On the other hand, elements such as Ag and Pb contain an appropriate concentration to be considered as sources of secondary extraction and potentially toxic elements, so their extraction involves feasible reintegration with lesser environmental impactsEnvironmental impact.