RIS-CuRE: Zero waste recovery of copper tailings in the ESEE region (HORIZON 2020 Programme Project)

Although mining and processing tailings can present a substantial risk to the environment, on the other hand, they represent valuable sources of secondary and in particular critical raw materials. Serbia and FYR Macedonia have an abundance of Cu mines which have been exploited since ancient times. These activities generated about 920 M tonnes of different types of mining, floatation and metallurgical tailings, containing approximately 1.3 M tonnes of Cu, 128 tonnes of Ag and 23 tonnes of Au, which presents a valuable resource for the European raw materials market sector