Waste Management Activities
a) The Research on Evaluation of Coal Slime from Washing Plant in Fuel Category
Various studies in cooperation with universities and TUBITAK-MAM are performed to provide an economic value for coal slime formed in the washing plants of the different directorates owned by TKI and evaluate this material as a thermal plant fuel together with the other washing plant products.
It was concluded from the studies that the related humidity and calorific values could meet the values stated in the thermal plant contracts. Therefore, it was revealed that coal slime could be considered a thermal plant fuel with a potential economic value and could be mixed with the run-of-mine or mixed coal without causing any sticking problem when feeding into the thermal plants.
The results obtained from the studies carried out with universities and the burning and emission tests performed by TUBITAK are shared with the Ministry of Environment and Urbanisation. The studies conducted by TKI to change the category of coal slime from waste to fuel category are still in progress.
b) Characterization of Overburden Stripping Material (Evaluation of the Risks related to Acid Mine Drainage, AMD)
Some cooperation agreements were signed with Dumlupinar University to perform various waste characterization studies in concordance with the Mine Waste Regulation for the overburden stripping material gathered from the different locations of mining sites and originated from the mining activities in the mining areas of TKI (GLI/Kutahya, ELI/Manisa, and CLI/Canakkale).
These studies conducted by Dumlupinar University showed that the overburden stripping material from the mining sites of GLI and ELI could be classified as inert mine waste material. A contract was already signed with Dumlupinar University to carry out similar works for the CLI mining site, and the related studies are in progress.
c) Packaging Waste Collection Work and Its Certification
The Regulation on Recycling Contribution Share was enacted by publication in the Official Gazette No.30995 dated 31st December 2019. The legal obligations to be fulfilled regarding the packaging (coal bags on the market) were carried out in accordance with “The Regulation on Packaging Waste Control” until 2020, and the legal obligations of “The Regulation on Recycling Contribution Share” has been fulfilled since 2020.
In this context, a recycling contribution share for the packaging wastes (coal bags released to the market by TKI) within the limits of the Regulation on Recycling Contribution Share is determined for TKI, a corporate taxpayer. This share is declared electronically to the tax office, and payment transactions are carried out according to the up-to-date prices listed in the Annex-1 of the Environment Law No.2872.
d) Coal Beneficiation Studies
The coal washing process is performed in the TKI washing plants before releasing the product to the market to improve product quality, increase its calorific value, prepare the product according to the sectors' technological requirements, and minimize environmental and air pollution problems resulting from its usage. By coal washing process;
- Ash content,
- Emission of particulate matter,
- Emission of sulfur and
- Emission of CO2 and NOx
decrease, and the efficiency of burning the plant increases.
e) Waste Water Management Studies
It is forbidden to discharge the wastewater from mining activities, mineral processing plants, and underground activities to any receiving environment without maintaining the discharge standards mentioned in the Regulation on Water Pollution Control.
In this regard, a wastewater treatment plant was built in GLI/Kutahya with the cooperation of TUBITAK-MAM to treat ground and well waters. In this way, it is planned to discharge the water from the plant pre-treatment system to Berke Stream by meeting the allowable discharge standards and use the treated water from the plant recovery units as service water and water for the coal washing plant.
The treatment plant with a capacity of 6,500 m³/day, having physical and advanced treatment (reverse osmosis) units, was commissioned in 2019. Some part of the treated water is conveyed to the coal washing plant as process water.
f) Studies on Management of End-of-Life Tires (ELT)
The Regulation on Control of End-of-Life Tires issued by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanisation was enacted in 2006.
ELT-makers, defined as real or legal persons that can cause the generation of ELT by using tires in their vehicles, are obligated to deliver their recyclable ELTs to one of the licensed recycling companies and their non-recyclable ELTs to any licensed disposal company, according to the Item 5/b of the regulation that states “Recycling of ELTs is essential”.
There are stock areas with different types and sizes for ELTs generated from the production operations of TKI mining sites. These ELTs are delivered to licensed recycling companies according to the Regulation on Control of End-of-Life Tires.
g) Studies on Management of Waste Oil
Waste oil generated from mining activities and included in the Regulation on Control of Waste Oil scope can be classified as vehicle engine oil, industrial oil, and special oil.
According to the regulation, waste oil makers are obligated to deliver their waste oil to licensed disposal plant, classify waste oils regarding the waste oil analysis results of the laboratories authorized by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanisation, store each waste oil type separately and declare their waste oil declaration forms electronically to the corresponding provincial directorates for environment and urbanization.
Waste oils generated from the operations of TKI Directorates are collected in waste oil silos according to the standards stated in the regulation; waste oil analyses are performed; waste oils that cannot be recovered are delivered to PETDER; and waste oils that can be recovered are offered for sale by the tender procedure.
