Circular economy landfills for temporary storage and treatment of mineral-rich wastes

Many countries face serious strategic challenges with the future supply of both aggregates and critical elements. Yet, at same time, they must sustainably manage continued multimillion tonne annual arisings mineral-dominated wastes from mining industry. In an antithesis circular economy principles, these continue to be landfilled despite often comprising valuable components, such as metals, soil macronutrients mineral components which sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). this paper, authors aim introduce a new concept for value recovery mineral-rich where materials are temporarily stored cleaned in landfill-like repositories designed mined later. The time storage is utilised remediating contaminated separating concentrating components. It proposed that could achieved through engineering repository accelerate ‘lithomimetic’ processes – is, those mimicking natural supergene responsible formation secondary ores. This paper summarises justifications outlines fundamental aspects how might applied design repositories. aims end current ‘linear’ landfilling favour reuse