The article aims to summarize the current challenges for tailing piles and ponds geological-mining projects focusing on the waste deposited in southwestern Poland.

Szklary Massif is situated about 60 km from Wrocław (southwestern Poland) and around 7 km from Ząbkowice Śląskie. The history of raw materials in this region started in the fifteenth century with the discovery of precious minerals like chrysoprase, chalcedony, and opal. The exploitation of nickel ore in this region started in the nineteenth century and was conducted with few stops until 1983. The remaining 17.21 mln mg of ore with 125,000 mg of nickel might be a chance to satisfy rising demand for raw materials used to develop electromobility. One of the crucial aspects regarding possible investment is the processing of ore. The pilot tests show the efficient use of heap leaching. The authors provide the future project in Szklary within the framework of circular economy.

Considering the diversity of clay raw materials, we can distinguish their numerous varieties using genesis and retention conditions, as well as specific physical, chemical, and thermal properties as criteria of division. Three samples of fine-grained clay materials, collected randomly from the Turów lignite mine tailing piles, were subjected to testing for their grain and chemical composition and specific surface area. The results show that the tested materials are non-porous adsorbents. Additionally, a thermal analysis was carried out with a simultaneous quadrupole mass spectrometry (QMS). In the tested samples, the weight loss associated with the release of water from the clay was observed in two temperature ranges: from 40 to 240 °C (physically bound water) and from 330 to 620 °C (structured water). The weight loss associated with the decomposition of organic matter was registered in the temperature range of 300 to 560 °C. The results of the conducted tests might provide the basis for further analysis of the potential use of these materials as heat stores, components of insulators, or additives of ceramic products.

Reliable feasibility analysis of potential exploitation of a mining waste deposit poses a great challenge. One of the most crucial parts of this process is the approximation of the deposit volume. In this case study we propose a novel method of tailing pile volume estimation using open remote sensing and cartographic data. For selected piles, the difference between the proposed and classical approach reach 50% of the pile volume, which is a significant change in the potential value of the deposit.

As ore quality declines in KGHM mines after continuous exploitation, it becomes increasingly relevant to extract as much economic value as possible from the mined ore while limiting the environmental impact. The recovery of cobalt from converter slag is a possible extraction route that can increase economic output at a limited environmental and logistic cost. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is used to assess the environmental impact of copper exploitation and to compare that impact with the estimated impact of cobalt extraction in the Lubin mine. In most impact categories, Co extraction would be responsible for less than 0.2% of the impact, while increasing economic output by 3.38%. Economic allocation shows that cobalt recovery is environmentally pertinent.

Lubsko is a city in the Lubuskie province (western Poland) with a population around 15 000. The use of raw clay minerals in this region has its beginning in the Middle Ages. Through the years the production has changed to the centralised mining industry. The end of this branch has begun in the late 1980s due to the political changes in Poland. Nowadays, the signs of this significant history of the city are ruined or in bad conditions. The reason for organising geotouristic path is to protect the geoheritage of this region, mainly old open-pits and the infrastructure. Proposed stops will teach about the mining heritage in Lubsko, the geology of the glacial region, the processing of raw clay minerals and various usages of this material. Moreover, connecting both didactic and recreational use may give the chance to integrate touristic sites in the city. The development of such a path may attract tourists from Poland and Germany, which may result in an improvement of the financial situation of Lubsko. Considering the possible benefits and obstacles the SWOT analysis is presented in the article.