Huge dump trucks working the Chuquicamata open pit copper mine, the largest by volume in the world, Chile, South America

Huge dump trucks working the Chuquicamata open pit copper mine, the largest by volume in the world, Chile, South America

The De Beers diamond mine in Kimberley South Africa being filled with re-processed mine dump tailings from the De Beers combined treatment plant (CTP).

Massive dump trucks queue up to load with tar sand in a mine north of Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, North America

The Combined Treatment Plant (CTP) run by the De Beers company to re-process diamond mine tailings in Kimberley South Africa. It was opened on 2 August 2004.

The De Beers diamond mine in Kimberley South Africa being filled with re-processed mine dump tailings from the De Beers combined treatment plant (CTP).

The De Beers diamond mine in Kimberley South Africa being filled with re-processed mine dump tailings from the De Beers combined treatment plant (CTP).

Workers prepare a massive dump truck bucket used in the tar sands mines in Fort McMurray, the centre of the tar sands industry, Alberta, Canada, North America

Miners at Pailaviri mine, Cerro Rico, Potosi, Bolivia

Miners at Pailaviri mine, Cerro Rico, Potosi, Bolivia

Aerial picture, Gelsenkirchen-Sued refuse dump, Himmelstreppe, stairs, Rheinelbe dump, International building exhibition Emscherpark 1999, by the artist Herman Prigann, Wattenscheid, Bochum, Ruhr area, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Europe

Haulpak truck, Hamersley iron ore mine, Tom Price, Pilbara, Western Australia, Australia

Haulpak dump truck, working with iron ore, Hamersley iron ore mine, Tom Price, Pilbara, Western Australia, Australia

Aerial view, tailings dam, waste dump, landscape construction with an amphitheater, Halde Haniel, Bottrop, Ruhr Area, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Europe

Aerial view, tailings dam, waste dump, landscape construction with an amphitheater, Halde Haniel at Bergwerk Prosper-Haniel colliery, shaft 1 2 Bottrop, Ruhr Area, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Europe

Salt dump, potash mining, railway tracks, Kolonnenweg, Lochplattenweg, Gruenes Band, border trail, former German-German border, Philipsthal, Werratal, Hersfeld-Rotenburg district, Hesse, Germany, Europe

Artwork, Slab for the Ruhr by the sculptor Richard Serra on the Schurenbachhalde slag heap in the Ruhr area, Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Europe

Heavy duty trucks, dump trucks, Hauly, Erzberg mountain at Eisenerz, Styria, Austria, Europe

El Cebollar cobalt mine. Antofogasta Region N. Chile