The Objective: to determine the hazard class of waste from the Ukrainian mining and processing complex: iron ore processing tailings and slurry of alumina production; to study the impact of these industrial waste storages on the environment.

Materials and methods. During the work were studied iron ore enrichment tails, the red mud of alumina production, tailing dump and tailings pond soil geo microbiocenosis. There were used the physicochemical, the sanitary-chemical, the biblio-graphic and the analytical research methods.

Results. During the study were identified particle size and chemical composition of the investigated waste and was defined their hazard class the con= tent of toxic components (heavy metals). The presence of contaminated soil with heavy metals in the areas adjacent of waste storages territories is revealed. It is established that in many cases this area is outside the sanitary 300 m protection zones. It is proved that the flow of iron ore tailings and red mud from alumina production in the soil reduces the enzymatic activity of the soil and adversely affect the biological properties due to their toxic components.

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