Clearing the Way: Using Turbines to Reclaim or Remediate Acid Mine Drainage

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy L. Miller ◽  
Alyson Stegman
Keyword(s):  
Acid Mine Drainage ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Precious Metals ◽  
University Of Pittsburgh ◽  
Acid Mine ◽  
Technology Students ◽  
History Of ◽  
The University ◽  
Paint Pigment

Pennsylvania has a long history of coal mining. Unfortunately, it has left many scars. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) is looking at the potential of using micro hydro turbines in acid mine drainage streams. They hope to make it profitable for business to "clean-up" the streams by providing seed money to initiate the hydro turbine projects. It is believed that businesses can profit from both the energy created by the turbines and the extraction of the acid mine drainage (AMD) minerals. The minerals and concentrations vary with each stream. Some possess precious metals, others contain minerals that are used in paint pigment, and still others are being researched for use in powder metallurgy. The paper outlines an undergraduate research project done at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. The study is to create a comprehensive diagnostic spreadsheet to be used by the PA DEP to determine viable economical turbines based on waterway conditions. The study has parallel phases: one addressing issues related to turbine parameters and a second dealing with waterway variables. Also to be discussed in the paper is the use of the project as an undergraduate research study for technology students. For students interested in research or graduate school, it is immensely important to introduce them to research. By guiding them through the process they are better prepared for their future.

Single-cell sequencing unveils the lifestyle and CRISPR-based population history of Hydrotalea sp. in acid mine drainage

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (20) ◽  
pp. 5541-5551 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. D. Medeiros ◽  
L. R. Leite ◽  
V. S. Pylro ◽  
F. S. Oliveira ◽  
V. M. Almeida ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acid Mine Drainage ◽  
Single Cell ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Population History ◽  
Single Cell Sequencing ◽  
Acid Mine ◽  
History Of

Biooxidation and Cyanidation for Gold and Silver Recovery from Acid Mine Drainage Generating Tailings (Ticapampa, Peru)

2007 ◽  
Vol 20-21 ◽  
pp. 91-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian A. Nagy ◽  
Eberhard D. Gock ◽  
Frank Melcher ◽  
Terzan Atmaca ◽  
Lothar Hahn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acid Mine Drainage ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Precious Metals ◽  
Acidithiobacillus Thiooxidans ◽  
Silver Recovery ◽  
Acid Mine ◽  
Tailings Remediation ◽  
Refractory Gold ◽  
Shake Flasks ◽  
Sulfide Concentrate

The acid mine drainage (AMD) generating sulfidic tailings have a total mass of 1,639,130 t containing 1.65 g/t Au, 34.5 g/t Ag, 7.74 % Fe, 5.91 % S, 3.2 % As, 0.75 % Zn and 0.05 % Cu. The precious metals Au and Ag are enriched in the fine fractions. Approximately 35 % of the material is below 25 /m in size and 53 % below 63 /m. Electron microprobe analysis of a sulfide concentrate of the tailings, produced by gravity separation, proved the occurrence of pyrite and arsenopyrite with appreciable sphalerite and galena. Refractory gold (up to 316 g/t) is hosted in Asrich zones of some arsenopyrites. Approximately 200 g of the sulfide concentrate of the tailings was biooxidized in laboratory shake flasks using an adapted mixed culture of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (Ram 6F), Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans (Ram 8T) and Leptospirillum ferrooxidans (R3). During biooxidation, arsenopyrite was preferentially dissolved and the secondary mineral tooeleite (Fe8(AsO4)6(OH)5·H2O) precipitated. The following cyanidation of the biooxidized sulfide concentrate showed a recovery of 97 % and 50 % for Au and Ag, respectively. The values were 56 % and 18 % for the untreated concentrate. The recovery of Au and Ag from the tailings significantly reduces the costs for the tailings remediation to mitigate AMD release.

scholarly journals Biogenic catalysis in sulphide minerals' weathering processes and acid mine drainage genesis.

2014 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mária Kušnierová ◽  
Mária Praščáková ◽  
Anna K Nowak ◽  
Katarzyna Gorazda ◽  
Zbigniew Wzorek
Keyword(s):  
Acid Mine Drainage ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Precious Metals ◽  
Drainage Water ◽  
Arsenic Content ◽  
Natural Material ◽  
Oxidation Reactions ◽  
Process Selection ◽  
Acid Mine ◽  
Waste Dumps

Bioleaching and biogenesis are the main outputs from a large group of environmental processes participating in the natural material cycle, used in raw materials processing. Bio-oxidation reactions are the main basis for bioleaching procedures, often participating in parallel leaching processes. During the leaching processes of polycomponent sulphide substrates, the factor of process selection also plays an important role, being in direct relation to the electric properties and galvanic effect occurring between the individual components of the leaching substrate. This work gives a summary of the results of a research focused on the possibilities of using biotechnological procedures for treatment of Slovak sulphide ores. The object of the research is extraction of valuable metals, undesirable admixtures and degradation of crystal lattice of sulphides for subsequent chemical leaching processing of precious metals. The results of experiments on the existence of biogenic processes in situ on waste dumps from exploitation containing residual sulphides are also presented. The processes result in acid mine drainage water generation. These waters are strongly mineralised (over 48 g/L) and of low pH; that is why they are very caustic. The arsenic content (2.558 mg/L) in outflowing waters from old mines is high and over the limits set by the law.

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