342 SUSTAINABLE AND INNOVATIVE BIOPOLYMERIC AND ORGANIC REAGENTS FOR DUST SUPPRESSION IN TAILINGS STORAGE FACILITIES: PERFORMANCE UNDER EXTREME CLIMATIC CONDITIONS *Vera Nikolova1, Kremena Dedelyanova2 1Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, Bulgaria (*Vera Nikolova: mdgm@fnts.bg) ABSTRACT Dust emissions from tailings storage facilities (TSFs) pose environmental and health risks, especially in extreme climatic conditions. This research evaluates sustainable and innovative biopolymeric and organic reagents as alternatives to conventional chemical suppressants, addressing concerns over toxicity, persistence, and carbon footprint. Laboratory tests, pilot-scale trials, and climate simulations assessed dust suppression efficiency, mechanical durability, and resistance to weathering. Aerosol spectrometry and adhesion tests measured performance under high wind, temperature extremes, and drought scenarios. Results show selected biopolymer-based formulations match or exceed the efficiency of conventional agents while significantly reducing environmental impact. KEYWORDS tailings storage facilities, dust suppression, biopolymers, organic reagents, extreme climate, life cycle assessment INTRODUCTION Tailing storage facilities are an integral part of the technological process in the mining industry. They are specific facilities designed to store waste products generated by flotation or hydrometallurgical processing of mineral raw materials. They are of key importance in the management of waste streams, both for safety and environmental protection. A typical tailings is an aqueous suspension consisting of fine particles with a size of less than 100 μm, and a solids concentration between 20 and 50%. After settling and draining the water, a surface layer is formed that is highly susceptible to wind erosion. Fine particulate matter (PM) is a source of atmospheric air pollution, which is carried by the wind, polluting nearby vegetation, as well as disrupting the air quality of nearby settlements. Inhalation of dust from a
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