Normative applications in the Mine Closure in Mexico

Pérez Acosta, Gustavo Rodolfo(1), Briseño Senosiain, Olga Margarita(2)

(1)
Mexican Geological Survey. Management of Geohidrology y Environmental Geology.
Coordinator of Use Land. (2) Ministery of Environmental and Natural Resources. CEO of
Mining.

The planning of the Process of Mines Closure (PMC Mex) it is a complex process. In many
senses, it is as complex as the process of study of feasibility of the project that
culminates with the construction of a mine. The
horizon of the current planning is measured in
decades, instead of months or years. The
planners should keep in mind changing social,
economic and environmental parameters beyond
a generation (ICMM, 2009).
In the past in Mexico, the planning of the closing
was responsibility of the operative administration
and it was centered in environmental aspects,
inside those which the commitment of the
community often decreased to superficial
consultation processes. Of equal it forms, in
Mexico, the process of closing of mines is
managed in way very different to like he/she
understands each other in a large part of Latin
America and Europe.
The General Law for the Prevention and Integral
Administration of the Residuals (LGPGIR) he/she
settles down like instrument to the Plans of
Handling" whose objective is to minimize the generation and to maximize the
appraisement of residuals, in this case of the residuals mining, low approaches of
environmental, technological, economic and social efficiency, including the closing
plans. The article 7 fraction III of LGPGIR mentions sending Mexican official norms to
regulate the integral handling of the residuals of the mining industry as it is the case of
NOM-157-SEMARNAT-2009 o'clock that mentions the closing plans; NOM-XXX-
SEMARNAT-2010 that it establishes the requirements of environmental protection for
the systems of copper lixiviation and the NOM-155-SEMARNAT-2007 that it establishes
the requirements of environmental protection for the systems of lixiviation of minerals of
gold and silver. Three norms that will be axes to improve the acting in the mining
process and mainly the mine closure.
The three norms work in combined form for
Tabla 1. Clasificación de los residuos según la NOM-157
5.1.1 5.1.1.1 Terreros
Provenientes del 5.1.1.2 Tepetates
minado
each part of the process that generates 5.1.2.1.1 del beneficio a)
físico
Jales
separación
de la

magnética o

productos/residuos, beginning in the Chart 1 electrostática

b) Jales de la
concentración

and obtained of NOM-157 o'clock. A series of 5.1.2.1

concentración
de la5.1.2.1.2 residuos del
debeneficio físico -
gravimétrica
a) Jales de flotación
b) Reactivos gastados
minerales
elements that you/they work as complements
químico de los procesos de
flotación
5.1.2.1.3 Residuos del a) Jales cianurados
beneficio de minerales b) Mineral gastado de
to the environmental requirements exist and por procesos químicos sistemas de lixiviación
o bioquímicos en montones

that they are described in the Chart 2 for

5.1.2 Provenientes a) Escorias vitrificadas
del beneficio de b) Escorias carbonatadas
5.1 minerales c) Catalizador gastado
Clasificación

methodological annexes and 3 complements

d) Ladrillo refractario
de los 5.1.2.2 de procesos e) Lodos de limpieza de gases incluyendo
residuos pirometalúrgicos lonas filtrantes deterioradas
mineros
f) Lodos de tratamiento del ácido débil
of information. g) Lodos del almacenamiento de ácido
sulfúrico
h) Lodos de las purgas de las plantas de ácido
The PMCMex in a short term will be governed i) Polvos de hornos
j) Otros residuos

by the NOM that you here is mentioned as

a) Yesos (de la neutralización de purgas
ácidas
b) Lodos de la precipitación del hierro
(goethita, jarosita o hematita) incluyendo lonas
new axis in the environmental execution with 5.1.2.3 de procesos
filtrantes deterioradas
c) Lodos de la lixiviación en tanques
hidrometalúrgicos d) Lodos del ánodo electrolítico

self-regulation focus and of acceptance of e) Carbón activado gastado

f) Lodos de la extracción por disolventes
g) Azufre elemental proveniente de la

new approaches, provided they are validated lixiviación directa de concentrados de zinc
h) Otros residuos

by the science. Another norm that

supplements the Chart 1 is the Mexican Official NOM-052-SEMARNAT-2005 That it
Tabla 2. Anexos Normativos de las regulaciones al sector minero
establishes the
Norma de Anexo Anexo Anexo Clasificación Plan de Anexo Anexo Anexo
aplicación Normativo Normativo Normativo Mexicana de muestreo y Procedimiento Metodología Clasificación
Procedimient Prueba de Sistema patios manejo y para definir la para evaluar la de presas de
o de extracción de clasificado Intensidad de control de peligrosidad vulnerabilidad jales en la
lixiviación de constituyentes de suelos riesgo la muestra residuos acuífero R.M.
precipitación tóxicos (S.U.C.S) mineros
sintética
Presa de jales ___ X X ___ ___ X X X
141
Lixiviación ___ X X X ___ ___ ___ ___
oro 155
Planes de X X ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
manejo 157
Lixiviación X ___ X X X ___ ___ ___
cobre

characteristics, the identification procedure, classification and the listings of the

dangerous residuals, specifically in the listings 1 and 2 for quicker location. One
cannot interpret an alone norm for the case of the PMC Mex, but rather a combination of
normative and methodological annexes is needed, being these very friendly ones and
that they take to the miner of the hand to be able to complete them (since in the great
majority they include examples) and the other information of he/she can request to
institutions axis like it is the case of the SGM that he/she carries out this type of works in
support to the mining sector.
The final point is the complement to the normative annexes they are the integrations of
the information in charts, diagrams, figures or squares, like it is illustrated in the Chart 3.
If we notice we can see that several points of the Charts 2 and 3 repeat in different
norms, that is to say, they are normative general universal, the above-mentioned without
rejecting that the norms also leave the possibility to innovate in methodologies, provided
they have validation scientific norm, I eat I already mention you.
To combine the information
leaving of to know which the best road is
for the PMCMex is the most advisable
thing. The NOM-157 offer the
possibility to isolate a part of the
process if this will no longer be taken
advantage of or a change exists
in the administration of the mine; the
outline is to work dynamic plans
and adaptivity.
In all the above- mentioned
institutions like the SGM and the SEMARNAT they walk together to be able to be
support to the mining sector and with it to guarantee them environmental executions that
it demands the Nation.

Referencias
ICMM, 2009. Planning for Integrated Mine Closure: Toolkit. In http://www.icmm.com,
verify the 21th of july/2010.

Secretaría del Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales 1, 2010. NORMA Oficial Mexicana
NOM 155-SEMARNAT-2007, Que establece los requisitos de protección ambiental para
los sistemas de lixiviación de minerales de oro y plata. En revisión.

Secretaría del Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales 2, 2010. NORMA Oficial Mexicana
NOM 157-SEMARNAT-2009, Que establece los elementos y procedimientos para
instrumentar planes de manejo de residuos mineros. En revisión.

Secretaría del Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales 3, 2010. PROYECTO de Norma

Oficial Mexicana NOM XXX-SEMARNAT-2010, Que establece los requisitos de
protección ambiental para los sistemas de lixiviación de cobre. En revisión.

Secretaría del Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales 4, 2010. Programa Nacional para
la prevención y Gestión Integral de los Residuos 2009 – 2012. DOF 2/11/2009.