Use of overburden and enclosing formations generated in the course of exploitation of mineral deposits

This paper discusses one of today's pressing challenges – conversion of mining and processing works waste into commercial products. The authors analyze the existing state of this issue in Sverdlovsk Oblast. The waste types are classified according to their sources and accumulation scopes. The waste is analysed for heavy metal content. It is established that mining and processing works waste are "man-made mineral depos-its". The paper introduces an approach to conversion of industrial waste into secondary material resources. The purpose of this paper is to solve a set of tasks characterized by catastrophic environmental damage due to pollution, mainly by mining and metal industries. Environmental risk is minimized, an interface with metal recycling is established, and the RF mineral resources base is expanded. (paper)