Resource potential of mine wastes in Norway: Opportunities and regulatory challenges
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Historical mine wastes in Norway, including tailings and waste rock, constitute a significant secondary resource for metals such as Cu, Zn, Ni, Co, Ag, and selected rare earth elements. This study systematically evaluates the resource potential of these deposits, integrating mineralogical, geochemical, and volumetric data, and identifies both opportunities for revalorization and the constraints imposed by the current regulatory framework. While technical feasibility for reprocessing has been demonstrated, large-scale utilization is primarily limited by regulatory complexity, unclear ownership, environmental liability, and social considerations. Many legacy sites present high environmental risks due to potential acid generation, metal leaching, and landscape disturbance, emphasizing the need for careful management. Our assessment highlights key data gaps, including insufficient spatially resolved grade information, limited mineralogical and metal-deportment characterization, and incomplete mapping of waste-rock deposits, which hinder precise resource estimation. Policy recommendations include clarifying ownership and long-term liability, streamlining permitting procedures, providing financial or regulatory incentives for pilot-scale recovery, and establishing systematic, national-scale mine-waste inventories. Addressing these data and regulatory gaps could enable environmentally responsible and economically viable revalorization of Norwegian mine wastes, supporting circular economy strategies and securing critical metals for green and digital transitions.
Source: Resources Policy
Author: Nikita Malafeevskiy
Institution: Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Language: English
Subfield: Civil and Structural Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,810
OpenAlex ID: W7147725212