Valorization of the Residual Fraction of Coal Tailings: A Mineral Circularity Strategy for the Clay Ceramic Industry in the Carboniferous Region of Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil.

Mineral extraction of coal in the carboniferous region of southern Santa Catarina (Brazil) plays a significant role in the regional economy. However, this activity has severe environmental impacts, with approximately 65% of the extracted mineral being discarded as a rejected material (deposited in landfills). The identification of the technological potential of these materials, based on the geological aspects of the extraction site and the beneficiation operations applied to obtain coal, provides the opportunity to add value to different residual fractions that can be reused.