Prospects of the recycling of metallurgical waste

Abstract The article focuses on the peculiarities of waste management of the mining and metallurgical complex. As a result of growing environmental awareness, iron and steel slag is highly valued as a recycled material that can reduce environmental impact due to its resource conservation and energy conservation. The key factors contributing to increasing the attractiveness of investments in the processing of metallurgical waste are: 1. limitation of supplies of primary metal in case of expected growth of demand in the conditions of energy transition; 2. carbon emissions: steel and aluminum together account for almost 10 percent of global emissions, in turn secondary aluminum production creates 5-25 times less carbon emissions; 3. geopolitical instability and dependence on imports from China increase the need to increase the security of supply of primary metals. One of the promising directions of reuse of metals is the production of building materials. Slag is an improved and more ecological alternative to traditional building materials. It can be used in various applications such as filler for concrete and asphalt mixtures, railway ballast, cement, etc. It has been established that the use of slag cement not only provides high-quality concrete, but also prevents global warming, contributes to the conservation of natural resources and minimizes pollution in landfills.