Development of mining circular economy to realize the sustainable development and utilization of mineral resources

Mineral resources are an important part of natural resources, is an important material basis for the survival and development of human society. The development and utilization of mineral resources play an important role in promoting the progress of human society, prosperity and economic development. However, with the social and economic development, the need for minerals is also increasing, the consumption rate of mineral resources is also faster and faster, it is expected that after a few decades, some mineral resources will become extremely short of, or even depleted. According to the forecast of relevant experts, at present our country has proved reserves of 45 kinds of major minerals by 2010, only 23 kinds can guarantee the demand, by 2020 fell to 6 kinds. With the establishment of the goal of building a moderately prosperous society, China's mineral resources must have a new development strategy. The development of circular economy is an important way to realize the sustainable development of China's population, resources and the environment and effective measures, is the ideal choice for China's new strategy for mineral resources.

I. Overview of Circular Economy

Circular economy refers to follow the natural ecosystem of material cycle and energy flow law, reconstruct the economic system, so that it harmoniously integrated into the natural ecosystem of material and energy recycling process, with clean production, resource recycling and waste efficient recycling of ecological and economic development form.

The circular economy has three major operating principles, namely, "reduce, reuse and recycle", also known as the "3R" principle. Reduction belongs to the input-side method, aiming to reduce the flow of material and energy into the production and consumption process; reuse belongs to the process method, aiming to extend the time intensity of products and services; and recycling belongs to the output-side method, which requires that the items become renewable resources after completing the function of use.

The circular economy has the following differences compared with the traditional economy:

(1) the movement is a reticulated economy with a closed material-energy cycle (resource utilization --- green industry --- resource regeneration);

(2) resource recycling, scientific operation and management, low extraction and high utilization;

(3) zero or low emission of waste, which is friendly to the environment;

(4) the pursuit of the unity of the interests of economic interests, environmental interests and the interests of the sustainable development of the society;

(5) the mode of economic growth is the connotative type development;

(6) the environmental governance approach is prevention-oriented, the whole process control.

The circular economy and its characteristics show that it is an advanced economic form and development mode, and it is a necessary way to realize the sustainable development and utilization of mineral resources.

Second, China's current problems in the utilization of mineral resources

The development of mineral resources, on the one hand, to promote economic development and social progress, but some of the problems that exist at present is also quite serious, the mining industry for a long time along the traditional mode of economic development is a large amount of consumption of resources and rough operation. Heavy speed, quantity, light efficiency and quality; heavy epitaxial expansion of reproduction, light connotation digging potential; heavy development of mineral resources, light protection, resulting in excessive consumption of resources and huge waste of destruction, resources are facing depletion, the sustainable development of the mining industry is facing a huge challenge. At present, China's mining industry in the process of development problems are as follows:

(1) the depletion of mineral resources, reserve resource reserves are insufficient.

China's 20th century 50 ~ 60 years construction of the mine 2/3 into the old age, after decades of intensive mining, resources gradually depleted, more than 440 mines are about to close the pit or face the threat of closure of the pit. 20 century since the 90's, our country into the stage of rapid economic growth, so that many of the mineral resources consumed by the rate of increase; on the other hand, due to the order of China's mining industry is chaotic, the investment environment is poor, geological exploration investment is serious. On the other hand, due to the chaotic order of China's mining industry, poor investment environment, geological exploration investment is seriously insufficient, so that the geological and mineral exploration work by the previous "first officer" into the current "shelter team", the trend of mineral resources proved reserves is declining, the growth rate of reserve reserves has lagged behind the rate of consumption, the support of mineral resources to the social economy. The support of mineral resources to the social economy has been weakening. In the next few decades, with the acceleration of China's industrialization process, the demand for mineral resources consumption will also have several times the growth. As mentioned earlier, according to the forecasts of relevant experts, of the existing reserves of 45 major minerals in China, only 23 will be able to guarantee the needs by 2010, and only 6 will be able to meet the needs by 2020. From this, we can see that the supply and demand of mineral resources in China is very serious, and the reserve resources are seriously insufficient.

(2) The comprehensive utilization of mineral resources laws and regulations are not sound, the comprehensive utilization of mineral preferential policies are not in place.

Comprehensive utilization of mineral resources, whether with the country and the people are a hundred percent and no harm, but at present China's mining economy from the planned economic model into a market economy model of the transition period, due to the mining industry in the past heavy production, light management, light efficiency, the transition process must also be the country to introduce the appropriate laws and regulations as a guide to encourage the guidance and guidance and even constraints. In this regard, the state has also introduced a mineral resources law as the main body of laws and regulations and policies, but the comprehensive utilization of mineral resources to encourage enterprises, constraints on policies and regulations are not very clear. For example, the use of both rich and poor utilization of low-grade ore, carry out comprehensive utilization of recycling *** accompanied by useful components, due to the recovery of this part of the resources of the production process is relatively complex, high production costs and low profits and even need capital subsidies, tax collection according to the quantity not according to the quality of the amount of mining, according to the amount of collection, increasing the cost of utilization, engage in comprehensive utilization instead of affecting the economic efficiency of the enterprise, and therefore the enterprise's enthusiasm for the comprehensive utilization of resources is not high! Therefore, the enthusiasm of enterprises to comprehensively utilize the resources is not high, and even lead to the extraction of the rich to abandon the poor. On the mining industry "three wastes" and other secondary resources, such as the collection, recycling and other related policies are still a lack of relevant laws and regulations to define.

(3) The comprehensive survey and comprehensive evaluation of **** (associated) components in mineral deposits are insufficient, and the industrial sector utilizes a single useful component of minerals.

At present, China's comprehensive utilization of minerals in scientific research is still very weak, the depth and breadth of the comprehensive utilization of minerals research is also very insufficient. Because the industrial sector is scattered, therefore, the scientific research personnel of the earth and minerals are not concentrated, the power is scattered, the instruments, equipment, equipment is backward, can not form a fist. On the other hand, there is a serious shortage of basic research power for the comprehensive utilization of mineral resources. In the deployment of geological prospecting work, did not deploy at the same time with the comprehensive evaluation, comprehensive utilization of research experimental research work.

(4) The proportion of mines for comprehensive utilization of mineral resources is low, and the level of comprehensive utilization of many small and medium-sized mines is very low.

China's metal mines ***, associated elements are quite rich in resources, but the overall comprehensive utilization is low. Small and medium-sized mining enterprises comprehensive utilization is relatively poor, most small mining enterprises and small mines do not carry out comprehensive utilization at all, can not do both rich and poor mining, comprehensive utilization rate of 70% of non-ferrous metal mines accounted for only 2%, the comprehensive utilization rate of 50% of the mines is less than 15%, 75% of the comprehensive mineral enterprises comprehensive utilization rate of less than 25%, the domestic comprehensive utilization of non-ferrous metal mineral resources than foreign The comprehensive utilization rate of domestic non-ferrous metal mineral resources is 20% to 30% lower than the advanced level abroad.

(5) *** raw, associated useful components of the comprehensive utilization index is low, the recovery of useful components is small.

The comprehensive utilization rate of mineral resources is low, the operation of mineral resources is rough, and the recovery rate of useful minerals is low. China's ***, associated minerals are many, in the developed minerals, *** associated minerals accounted for 87 kinds of ***, associated minerals for comprehensive development of only 1/3, the comprehensive recovery rate is less than 20%. At the same time, due to the backwardness of China's mineral processing technology and equipment, low level of technology, making the recovery rate of many useful minerals is low. Due to the metallurgical level and foreign countries have a gap, China's total recovery rate of mineral resources is only 30% to 40%, 10% to 20% lower than the international level.

(6) The treatment and utilization of mining waste residue, waste gas and waste water, especially the development and utilization of a large number of tailings and solid waste is still in its infancy.

Because of the low comprehensive utilization rate, a large number of valuable elements in the tailings and the use of non-metallic minerals left in the solid waste. At present, China's utilization of fly ash and coal gangue is less than half of its output; the country's various types of mines discharged 3 billion tons of wastewater each year, of which the utilization rate of the concentrator back to only 65% to 70%, has not yet reached the domestic requirements of the utilization rate of back to 80% of the level of the comprehensive utilization of the poorest degree of tailings is to produce the largest amount of tailings. Mining and metallurgical production and processing of a large amount of dust and emissions containing sulfur, arsenic and nitrogen oxides of the exhaust gas, the environment has also caused a great impact. Mining industry "three wastes" management and utilization, especially the large amount of tailings and solid waste development and utilization needs to be strengthened.

(7) There is a lack of comprehensive utilization technology adapted to the characteristics of China's resources.

The large-scale development and utilization of complex multi-element ****-generating ores, poor ores and difficult-to-process ores has been imminent, and the traditional mineral processing production process is complicated, with a long flow, high cost and lack of international competitiveness of the products. Compared with foreign advanced level, the domestic automatic control level of metallurgical process is about 15 years behind. The lack of adapted, highly efficient and economical mineral processing metallurgical processing technology has seriously restricted the development and utilization of these resources. China's large-scale high-efficiency and low-consumption metallurgical processing equipment research backward; lack of tailings, slag and other solid wastes for the comprehensive recycling of equipment. These problems have constrained the benefits of comprehensive utilization of minerals and the comprehensive utilization of poor, miscellaneous, micro-fine composite ores.

Three, Nanyang City, the development and utilization of mineral resources situation

Nanyang City is located in the southwest of Henan Province, rich in mineral resources. Petroleum, gold, silver, rutile, natural alkali, high-aluminum refractories, graphite, building materials and other mineral resources reserves in the province; in recent years, relying on the resource advantages and location advantages, the establishment of petroleum, polymetallic, building materials, chemical industry, jade processing industry base, these mineral resources-based industries have now become the city's economic development of the pillar industries. At the same time, there are some problems in the process of mineral resources exploration, development and utilization and its management, mainly in the following areas:

(1) mineral resources exploration and investment decline, the difficulty of increasing reserves. In the state-funded survey investment decline at the same time, the commercial survey investment increase is not large; survey registration area of up to 140, but the actual survey capital investment is limited, the survey effect is poor; deep search for both the lack of capital investment, but also the lack of advanced and feasible means of survey technology, and the future focus on the exploration of deep hidden minerals as the direction of the search for minerals is not compatible.

(2) The resource situation is quite severe. Pillar minerals oil, natural gas has been extracted nearly 80% of the recoverable reserves, the remaining recoverable reserves of about 22.36 million tons, the degree of resource assurance is low, the mining is difficult, and the potential for additional reserves is limited. The new resources of gold, silver, copper and other minerals with significant benefits are far lower than the resources consumed by mining. Dahe copper mine is in the stage of mine closure; most of the gold mines in the western counties are in the state of semi-suspension due to resource depletion. Non-ferrous metals lead, zinc, tungsten, molybdenum, antimony and ferrous metals iron, manganese, chromite, etc. are mostly small mines, and most of the mines have been mined out of resources.

(3) part of the mineral processing technology challenges for a long time, restricting the development of resources. Rutile, high-aluminum trilithon resources reserves, but the beneficiation of technical problems for a long time, seriously restricting the development and utilization of resources.

(4) mining enterprise structure is not reasonable. Highlighted in the number of non-metallic mines, small-scale, scattered layout. Marl, marble, building stone and other non-metallic minerals such as large mines and small open, a mine more than the phenomenon is serious. Cement factories and other parts of the large non-metallic mineral processing enterprises do not have their own mines, is the main cause of large mines and small openings, excellent mines and poor use of the main reason.

(5) the level of comprehensive utilization of mineral resources and deep processing capacity is low. Part of the comprehensive development and utilization of mining enterprises and the comprehensive utilization of mine solid waste is poor; mineral products of low scientific and technological content, deep processing capacity is weak; non-metallic mineral products lack of finishing products, high-grade products, high grade cement and special cement in the products accounted for a low proportion.

(6) mining ecological and environmental problems are more serious. According to incomplete statistics, mineral development damage to the total land area of 1454 hectares, soil pollution area of 140.5 hectares, water pollution area of 118.3 hectares, oil exploration and development of ecological damage caused by the area of 1471 hectares; tailings and solid waste stockpiles of 15,763,900 cubic meters, accounting for the suppression of arable land of 1673.37 hectares; mining activities induced by the ground collapse, mudslides, ground cracks, collapse, landslides and other environmental problems. cracks, collapses, landslides and other secondary geologic hazards in as many as eight hazardous areas; the destruction of vegetation and geomorphology induces soil erosion and vegetation degradation, leading to the deterioration of the ecological environment.

Fourth, the necessity and feasibility of developing circular economy in the field of mineral resources

(1) The necessity of developing circular economy in the field of mineral resources

1. The realization of sustainable utilization of mineral resources requires the development of circular economy

One of the key issues in realizing sustainable development of mineral resources is how to improve the utilization rate of the resources or even to utilize the resources in a sustainable manner, and how to guarantee the safety of the resources. Security. At present, the comprehensive utilization rate of mineral resources is low, and the extraction of rich and abandonment of the poor cause great waste and destruction of mineral resources. Circular economy requires reducing the input and loss of resources in the development and utilization of mineral resources, using science and technology to improve the comprehensive utilization rate of resources, extending the industrial chain, deepening the processing of minerals and their by-products, and reducing the emission of waste. This requirement and result of circular economy is the best way to completely solve the low comprehensive utilization rate of mineral resources and serious waste of resources.

2. Solving the environmental problems caused by the development and utilization of resources requires the development of circular economy

The development of mineral resources has polluted and induced a variety of geological disasters in mines and their surroundings, and damaged the ecological environment. Circular economy requires clean production in the development and utilization of mineral resources, and strive for material and energy recycling, development and utilization and environmental protection, respect for the laws of ecology, pay attention to the restoration of the ecological environment of the mining area and the protection of an environmentally friendly development model. Only the development of circular economy, reduce the generation of pollutants from the source, reduce the intensity of pollutant emissions, in order to establish the economic development on the basis of environmental sustainability, to achieve the coordinated development of the economy and the environment.

3.Traditional resource industry transformation needs to develop circular economy

The traditional resource development industry is rough, is "high capital investment, high resource consumption, high pollution emission" as the price, not sustainable. The traditional resource industry must be combined with science and technology, take the road of circular economy.

(2) China's mineral resources in the field of the feasibility of the development of circular economy

After several years of practice, China in the development of circular economy has accumulated a certain foundation, with the feasibility of the development of circular economy.

1. The government attaches great importance to it

The central government has put forward the policy of effectively transforming the mode of economic growth, implementing the strategy of sustainable development and "giving equal importance to the development and conservation of resources, and putting conservation in the first place"; and the state has given the preferential policy of tax reduction and exemption to the conservation and comprehensive utilization of resources, which strongly promotes the conservation and comprehensive utilization of resources; The State vigorously promotes clean production and strengthens industrial pollution prevention. In the Opinions of the State Council on Accelerating the Development of Circular Economy issued on July 20, 2005, the State Council takes "promoting clean production and vigorously carrying out the comprehensive utilization of resources" as one of the key tasks in the development of circular economy, and puts the "promotion of advanced and applicable mining technologies, techniques and equipment, and improvement of the recovery rate of mining, ore dressing and smelting recovery rate" as one of the key tasks in the development of circular economy. It takes "promoting advanced and applicable mining technologies, techniques and equipment, improving the recovery rate of mining, ore dressing and smelting, vigorously promoting the comprehensive utilization of tailings and waste mines, and vigorously improving the comprehensive recycling rate of resources" as one of the key links in the development of circular economy. The provincial government has also taken the strengthening of comprehensive utilization of resources and the development of circular economy as the focus of building a saving society. This positive attitude of the State Council and the provincial government has provided policy guidance and support for the development of circular economy in the mining industry.

2. Enterprises welcome

For enterprises, the development of circular economy is the deepening and perfecting of comprehensive utilization of resources, which can help enterprises to change their business mode from extensive to intensive; help enterprises to realize the "win-win situation" of the environment and efficiency goals; comply with the laws of natural ecological operation, which can help mineral mining enterprises to maximize profits. Mineral mining enterprises to maximize profits to achieve the business objectives; help to effectively broaden the idea of sustainable development.

3. Technical guarantee

The continuous deepening of the theory of circular economy and applied research and the continuous improvement of the scientific and technological level of resource development have provided a reliable technical guarantee for the development of circular economy. And with the progress of society, civilization, our citizens' awareness of resources, environmental protection has been significantly increased, for the popularization and promotion of circular economy in the whole society has laid the foundation.

Five, the development of circular economy, the realization of sustainable development and utilization of mineral resources countermeasures

The development of mining circular economy should adhere to sustainable development and the scientific concept of development as the theoretical guidance, adhere to the development and protection, utilization and conservation of the idea of equal importance. Specifically in practice, to realize the sustainable development and utilization of mineral resources through the development of circular economy, should do the following aspects of work.

(A) awareness-raising, changing attitudes

Circular economy is a new mode of economic development, the current stage of society's lack of understanding, the promotion of the circular economy is a long-term process, is a systematic project that requires all levels of government, various types of enterprises and the majority of citizens to actively cooperate with the **** with the efforts. Existing management concepts and ways of working are not yet able to adapt to the development requirements of the circular economy. Especially some of the leading cadres of the circular economy there is still a bias in the understanding of the government departments and mining enterprises lopsided emphasis on economic growth and ignore the mutual coordination of man and nature and ecology; some of the leaders also talk about the circular economy, but the connotation of the circular economy and its construction mechanism and safeguard policies and so on have to be further grasped. Therefore, the development of mining circular economy must first improve the deep understanding of the circular economy, change the traditional concept. Specifically to realize three changes.

(1) by the protection program management to environmental protection diversified business transformation. In this transformation, the role of the government to be located in the provision of systems and standards, rules, policies and laws and regulations. Environmental protection should be led by the government to strive towards socialization, industrialization, specialization and entrepreneurship, and strict social and corporate, especially mining enterprises' responsibility for environmental protection.

(2) from the traditional one-way thinking to a new type of multi-directional thinking. Each mineral resources development and utilization projects must be integrated consideration of resource development, pollution prevention and treatment, clean production, environmental protection and other aspects of the circular economy concept as a guide to achieve rational and efficient development and utilization of resources and effective protection of the environment.

(3) From a single economic operation to the environment, economic **** with the development of change. Mining enterprises should not only create wealth, but also maximize resource conservation, reduce costs, and strive to realize the green mine strategy, to achieve the environment and the economy industry **** the same development.

(ii) actively carry out pilot work

Circular economy is still in the pilot stage at the national level, in the field of mineral resources development is no practical experience, so it is necessary to grope in practice, and continue to accumulate experience in promoting the pilot work. Pilot units and the success of typical enterprises and lessons learned are other units and enterprises to promote the circular economy is a valuable asset, according to the region and the different types of mineral resources, choose different pilot enterprises, through the pilot, and continue to accumulate experience in the exploration of continuous development, while the land and resources departments to strengthen cooperation with other relevant departments **** with a good pilot work.

(C) improve the technical level of comprehensive utilization of mineral resources, extend the industrial chain

China's mineral resources are generally characterized by: many types of minerals, but *** raw minerals, single minerals less; poor minerals, rich minerals less, the comprehensive utilization of minerals has a great future. At present, China's comprehensive utilization of mineral resources is low, many mineral resources thrown away for nothing, the key lies in the low level of process technology. Therefore, we must strengthen the basic theoretical research of mineral recycling technology, continuous innovation, especially to develop new technologies, new processes, and make them penetrate into all areas of mineral resources recycling, extend the industrial chain. Through the use of new technologies, mine waste residue, by-products and other deep processing and reuse, extend the industrial chain, not only can achieve economic benefits, but also reduce waste emissions, reduce environmental pollution, to achieve a win-win situation for the economy and the environment.

(D) efforts to improve the mineral resources waste resource management system

Mineral resources waste is summarized into two categories: one is tailings, that is, the solid waste discharged in the beneficiation process; the other is waste rock, that is, in the mining process of stripping out the rock and soil materials. These mineral resource wastes, due to improper treatment and disposal, have caused serious harm to society, the economy and the environment, leading to a series of problems such as aggravation of engineering disasters, waste of resources, pollution of water bodies and destruction of vegetation. Mineral resource waste has the characteristic of being utilizable while having the hazardous nature, which is a valuable secondary resource. Mineral resources waste resources can do, to strengthen the resource recovery and utilization of laws and regulations and the development of supporting measures, to solve the technical problems of resource recovery and utilization, while using the necessary economic means, in accordance with the concept of circular economy, to improve the metallurgical technology, tailings resources exploration, evaluation and material sorting, accelerate the transformation of the crude, predatory production mode, and actively promote the mining industry circular economy

(E) mining ecological environment restoration and governance

Some mining areas due to the long-term insufficient investment in mine environmental governance, mine legacy of environmental problems; part of the mining enterprises only mining not governance phenomenon is more prominent, slag pile phenomenon is common. As a result, serious soil erosion in mining areas, mudflow, ground subsidence, landslides and other disasters occur from time to time, and the ecological environment in mining areas has been seriously damaged. This not only threatens the ecological safety of the mining area, but also seriously affects the safe development of neighboring mineral resources, and causes the destruction and occupation of a large number of land resources. The circular economy model pursues the double improvement of the economic benefits of the mining industry and the ecological benefits of the mining area. The sustainable development and utilization of mineral resources not only lies in the improvement of the comprehensive utilization rate of mineral resources, the recycling and economical utilization of mineral resources, but also in the general maintenance and improvement of the mining area and even the overall environmental quality. Good mining ecological environment is to realize the sustainable development and utilization of mineral resources is the premise and guarantee. In order to make the circular economy in the field of mineral resources to truly realize the "cycle", the natural ecosystem must be restored to a state of virtuous cycle. In this regard, it is necessary to do a lot of work, should be played at all levels of government and the enthusiasm of the farmers, *** with efforts to attack.

(F) the development of legislation and policies related to the development of a circular economy, and strengthen the administrative management of mineral resources

The mining industry circular economy must have legislation and policies to support its development. Not only should there be a set of laws and regulations to regulate people's mineral development and utilization behavior, so that the development of circular economy can be based on the law, but also have the relevant laws and regulations and policies to encourage, promote and guide the healthy development of mining circular economy. At the same time to establish and improve the system of mineral resource management, improve the quality of supervision and law enforcement personnel, so that there is a law, law enforcement must be strict, and violations of the law must be investigated. To rationalize the provincial, municipal and county levels of government and government departments between the ownership of mineral resources management, to achieve clear powers and responsibilities, to ensure that the geology and minerals department can really in accordance with the responsibilities entrusted by the state to its jurisdiction in the area of mineral resources to achieve the management and protection of law, scientific and rational development and utilization. At present, it is necessary to improve the system of laws and regulations relating to the security of land and resources as soon as possible, further improve and perfect the various individual resource and environmental protection laws, amend and supplement the Chinese People's **** and the State Mineral Resources Law and other relevant laws, and strengthen the protection and reuse of mineral resources. In addition, the construction of mineral resources circular economy also involves the construction and improvement of many policies, such as the national preferential policies for the comprehensive utilization of resources, support for the recycling of mineral resources, finance, taxation, investment, technology, policy system.

To realize the recycling of mineral resources, mining enterprises around the world must develop specific countermeasures and measures for their own actual situation, relying on technological innovation and theoretical breakthroughs, the effective development and utilization of mineral resources, the use of new process technology, new types of equipment, and to strengthen the research on the recycling of mineral resources. Only in this way can we realize the sustainable development of mining enterprises.