resources Article How to Identify Potentials and Barriers of Raw Materials Recovery from Tailings? Part I: A UNFC-Compliant Screening Approach for Site Selection Rudolf Suppes 1,2,* and Soraya Heuss-Aßbichler 3 1 Institute of Mineral Resources Engineering (MRE), RWTH Aachen University, Wüllnerstr. 2, 52062 Aachen, Germany 2 CBM GmbH—Gesellschaft für Consulting, Business und Management mbH, Horngasse 3, 52064 Aachen, Germany 3 Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Theresienstr. 41, 80333 Munich, Germany;
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[email protected] Abstract: Mapping the raw material (RM) potential of anthropogenic RMs, such as tailings, requires a comprehensive assessment and classification. However, a simple procedure to quickly screen for potentially viable RMs recovery projects similar to reconnaissance exploration of natural mineral RMs is missing. In this article, a quick and efficient approach to systematically screen tailings storage facilities (TSFs) is presented to evaluate if a particular TSF meets the criteria to be assessed in a more advanced study including costly on-site exploration. Based on aspects related to a TSF’s contents, physical structure, surroundings, potential environmental and social impacts, and potentially affected Citation: Suppes, R.; stakeholders, it guides its user in compiling the information at local scale in a structured manner Heuss-Aßbichler, S. How to Identify compliant with the United Nations Framework Classification for Resources (UNFC). The test applica- Potentials and Barriers of Raw tion to the TSF Bollrich (Germany), situated in a complex environment close to various stakeholders, Materials Recovery from Tailings? demonstrates that a quick and remote assessment with publicly accessible information is possible.