FRAMEWORK FOR AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO CRITICAL MINERALS PROSPECTIVITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERIZATION OF MINE WASTE FOR ALASKA

Interest in revitalizing domestic production of critical minerals and continued interest in reclamation of legacy mine sites have raised the question of whether mine waste in Alaska may be reprocessed to recover critical mineral during reclamation. Critical minerals needed today may occur in mineral systems where their enrichment results from a range of chemical and physical processes. Many critical commodities are found only as co- or by-product components of the more enriched base and precious metals. Minor components are not always produced but are discarded in the waste. The presence and current concentration of critical minerals in waste from past production is due to factors such as lack of original identification, unrecognized value, unfavorable economics of extraction, and (or) alternative sources of the commodity. The extent to which mine waste reprocessing can support reclamation goals at a particular site depends on the prior processing, the type of waste, and the surrounding geomorphic, geological, ecological, and societal settings. The interplay of these complex factors requires evaluation beyond the traditional mineral-resource assessments, which have focused primarily on geologic aspects. Our goal is an interdisciplinary approach to assessing the critical-mineral resource potential of mine waste that integrates the geologic, environmental, and societal factors influencing waste reclamation. Our initial framework will integrate geologic and mineral systems, and ecosystems settings. Further development will incorporate socioeconomic considerations for developing a given resource to assess the real benefits and costs of mine-waste reprocessing for possible recovery of critical mineral resources.