This action presents the Agency's final regulatory determination required by section 3001(b)(3)(C) of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) for 20 special wastes from the processing of ores and minerals.

EPA has concluded that regulation under Subtitle C of RCRA is inappropriate for all 20 of the special wastes that were studied. EPA plans to address 18 of the wastes under subtitle D, possibly in the program being developed for mining wastes. For the remaining two wastes (phosphogypsum and process waste water from phosphoric acid production), EPA plans to proceed with the development and promulgation of a program under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) that will address their management, including possible regulations concerning waste minimization/pollution prevention for these wastes.

In addition, EPA plans to use existing authorities under either RCRA Section 7003 or CERCLA section 106 to address any site-specific ground-water contamination problems that are believed to pose substantial and imminent endangerment to human health or the environment. EPA has also decided to postpone consideration of a possible ban on the utilization of one of the special wastes, slag from elemental phosphorus production in construction and/or land reclamation.

• Final Regulatory Determination for Special Wastes From Mineral Processing (Mining Waste Exclusion) - Federal Register Notice, June 13, 1991 (PDF)(2 pp, 6 K, June 13, 1991, FR Vol. 56, No. 114)