The relevance of the study is due to the need to identify the problems, features and consequences of strategic transformations in the metallurgical industry of Ukraine in the context of reviewing the circular process of organization of the economy, where the blast furnace, open-hearth and rolling production waste are of a high potential. The reuse of metallurgical waste has a number of economic advantages in terms of the chemical composition of the product life cycle. Blast furnace slag is suitable as a raw material in cement production and can be used as fillers in the construction of roads, hydraulic and environmental facilities, during reclamation works, etc. Agriculture actively uses slag as a fertilizer that contains potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, magnesium, boron – as an additive that reduces soil acidity. Currently, all slag can be processed into fertilizers or building materials. The economic effect of the use of slag in construction is accounted for in the relatively low cost of products, improvement of the quality and durability of the structures. The main positive consequences of smartization of the metallurgical industry are increase of its resource efficiency and environmental friendliness, negative – the low level of blast furnace slag use in various sectors of the economy compared to the experience of developed countries, an insufficiently developed legal framework. The mechanism of state management of the use of secondary raw materials, especially metallurgical origin, in conditions of shortage of energy resources and the intensive use of non-renewable natural resources remains an important scientific problem and requires further research.

Aluminium slag waste is a residue from aluminium recycling activities, classified as hazardous waste so its disposal into the environment without processing can cause environmental problems, including groundwater pollution. There are 90 illegal dumping areas for aluminium slag waste spread in the Sumobito District, Jombang Regency. This study aims to evaluate the quality of shallow groundwater surrounding aluminium slag disposal in the Sumobito District for drinking water. The methods applied an integrated water quality index ( WQI) and heavy metal pollution index ( HPI), multivariate analysis (principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA)), and geospatial analysis for assessing groundwater quality. The field campaign conducted 40 groundwater samples of the dug wells for measuring the groundwater level and 30 of them were analysed for the chemical contents. The results showed that some locations exceeded the quality standards for total dissolved solids ( TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), and Al ²⁺. The WQI shows that 7% of dug well samples are in poor drinking water condition, 73% are in good condition, and 20% are in excellent condition. The level of heavy metal contamination based on HPI is below the standard limit, but 13.3% of the water samples are classified as high contamination. The multivariate analysis shows that anthropogenic factors and natural sources/geogenic factors contributed to shallow groundwater quality in the study area. The geospatial map shows that the distribution of poor groundwater quality is in the northern area, following the direction of groundwater flow, and is a downstream area of aluminium slag waste contaminants.

In this study, the effects of replacing fine aggregate by granulated lead/zinc slag waste (GLZSW) on the thickness of concrete shields against X-ray radiation and on the compressive strength of concrete have been investigated. The fine aggregate was substituted by GLZSW in four percentages: 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% (by weight). The first aim of the present study was to compare the thicknesses of concretes with GLZSW and control concrete using Lead Equivalent (LE). The second aim was to assess the effects of replacing fine aggregate by GLZSW on the compressive strength of concrete. Results of this study indicated that the compressive strength of mixed concretes increased significantly compared to the control upon replacing fine aggregate by GLZSW; the mixture containing 100% GLZSW had the greatest compressive strength. Further, the inclusion of GLZSW as a substitute for fine aggregate increased the radiation attenuation properties and consequently decreased the thickness of concrete shields in direct proportion to the mixing ratio of GLZSW. The results revealed that concrete mixes containing 100% GLZSW offered the greatest reduction in shield thickness. The study shows that there is a promising future for the use of GLZSW as substitute for fine aggregate in concrete used to shield against X-ray radiation.