1. Towards circularity in Serbian mining: unlocking the potential of flotation tailings and fly ashNela Vujović, Vesna Alivojvodić, Dragana Radovanović, Marija Štulović, Miroslav Sokić, Filip Kokalj, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: This paper examines sustainable industrial practices in Serbia, particularly in the mining and energy sector, focusing on the potential of flotation tailings and fly ash, as materials with the largest share in disposed waste in Serbia in 2023 (95%). It highlights the environmental challenges of mining waste and explores innovative approaches to waste management within the circular economy framework. The study analyzes the current state of mining waste in Serbia, particularly in copper mining regions in the east of the country. It discusses the potential for metal recovery from waste and its reuse in various industries. The research also investigates the use of fly ash from thermal power plants as a valuable resource in the construction industry and other sectors. The paper reviews existing initiatives and legislation in Serbia in order to promote sustainable mining practices and waste utilization. By presenting case studies and potential applications, the study demonstrates how implementing circular economy principles in the mining sector can contribute to environmental protection, resource conservation, and economic growth in Serbia. The comprehensive overview of the current state in Serbia provides a solid foundation for establishing a higher degree of circularity in the mining and energy sectors.
Ključne besede: mining, flotation tailings, fly ash, Serbia, circular economy
Objavljeno v DKUM: 17.03.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 6
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2. Enhancing utilization of municipal solid waste bottom ash by the stabilization of heavy metalsFilip Kokalj, Vesna Alivojvodić, Luka Lešnik, Nela Petronijević, Dragana Radovanović, Niko Samec, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Waste-to-energy (WtE) is a key part of modern waste management. In the European Union, approximately 500 WtE plants process more than 100 million tons of waste yearly, while globally, more than 2700 plants handle over 500 million tons. Roughly 20% of the waste processed is bottom ash (BA). However, this ash can contain heavy metals in concentrations that may render it hazardous. This paper presents a study focusing on stabilizing municipal solid waste incineration BA using simple and industrially viable treatments. The Slovenian WtE plant operator wishes to install the stabilization process; thus, the samples obtained from the plant were treated (1) with a CO2 gas flow, (2) with water spraying, and (3) with a combination of water spraying and a CO2 gas flow under laboratory conditions. Thermodynamic calculations were applied to define potential reactions during the treatment processes in the temperature range from 0 to 100 ◦C and to define the equilibrium composition of the treated ash with additions of CO2 and water. The standard leaching test EN 12457-4 of treated ash shows a reduction of over 40% in barium concentration and over 30% in lead concentration in leachates.
Ključne besede: heavy metals, waste-to-energy, bottom ash, leachate, reuse
Objavljeno v DKUM: 10.03.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 9
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3. Drivers and barriers for the adoption of circular economy principles towards efficient resource utilisationVesna Alivojvodić, Filip Kokalj, 2024, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Contemporary societies, whether they have reached advanced levels of economic and social development or are still developing, need to prioritise the implementation of circular economy practices. This will facilitate the shift towards regenerative, sustainable, and closed-loop industrial systems. For now, there are some efforts to encourage patterns of production and consumption through changes in economic trends, development of institutional frameworks, harmonising regulations in the field of environmental protection, and raising the level of social awareness to achieve, above all, greater efficiency of resources. Extensive literature that deals with monitoring the implementation of the circular economy already indicates the existence of numerous barriers in this process but also notices some incentives for raising the degree of circularity of the observed systems. In this paper, the question of whether a single value can represent the level of circularity of the chosen material/product chain is researched. An overview of barriers and drivers for implementing circular economy strategies is given to structure a proper metric framework in correlation to the research question. The objective was to simplify the monitoring of circularity by developing a unique index for comparing material/product chains in similar systems. This was accomplished by using the circular material use (CMU) rate introduced in the European Union and modifying it for financial data calculation. As a result, the circular economy index, which covers all 9R strategies (CEIR), is obtained. The practical verification of model applicability was shown by determining the degree of circularity achieved for passenger cars in the four observed EU countries.
Ključne besede: barriers, 9R framework, circular material use rate, circular economy index, passenger cars
Objavljeno v DKUM: 19.03.2024; Ogledov: 296; Prenosov: 113
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