Impact of acid mine drainage from Tinoca Mine on the Abrilongo dam (southeast Portugal)

2008 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 467-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Morais ◽  
L. Rosado ◽  
J. Mirão ◽  
A. P. Pinto ◽  
P. Nogueira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Chemical Elements ◽  
Mine Waste ◽  
Point Of Zero Charge ◽  
Mine Wastes ◽  
Potential Hazard ◽  
Geochemical Study ◽  
Chemical Behaviour ◽  
Five Elements ◽  
Surrounding Areas

AbstractThis work presents a geochemical study conducted on the abandoned Tinoca Copper mine (southeast Portugal) to evaluate the potential hazard in surrounding areas particularly the effect on the Abrilongo River Dam which receivesthe acid waters from the mine watershed. The characterization of the area was performed over a period of 3 y and involved the study of waters, sediments and mine wastes. A sequential extraction methodology was conducted on the sediments and mine wastes and five elements were selected (Cu, Fe, Zn, Cd and Pb). The statistical and spatial analysis allowed the inference of the affinities between the chemical elements and specific mineralogical phases and to characterize chemical behaviour such as mobility and bioavailability. The results show that the distance to the source (mine-waste deposit), the point of zero charge, and the dynamics of the system are factors that control the behaviour of the elementss tudied. The acid drainage is characterized by an average pH of 2.5 and concentrationsof copper 20 timesgreater than the legal limit for irrigation waters.

scholarly journals Bioleaching of Pyrrhotite with Bacterial Adaptation and Biological Oxidation for Iron Recovery

Metals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 295
Author(s):  
Bong-Ju Kim ◽  
Yong-Kwon Koh ◽  
Jang-Soon Kwon
Keyword(s):  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Mine Waste ◽  
Point Of Zero Charge ◽  
Biological Oxidation ◽  
Indigenous Bacteria ◽  
Bacterial Adaptation ◽  
Valuable Metals ◽  
Initial Ph ◽  
Dominant Member ◽  
Corrosion Pits

The microbially mediated recovery of valuable metals contained in mining waste presents an economical alternative to conventional hydrometallurgical processes. In order to investigate the effect of bacterial adaptation and biological oxidation on bioleaching, the microbially mediated bioleaching of a pyrrhotite sample from mine waste, with indigenous bacteria existing in acid mine drainage, was studied. The indigenous bacteria were sub-cultured repeatedly for iron adaptation, and Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans was identified as the dominant member of the microbial consortium. The point of zero charge (PZC) of pyrrhotite sampled from mine waste was determined as 3.0. The performance of bioleaching by contact and non-contact biological oxidation was compared by conducting bioleaching under different initial pH (pHini) conditions (2.8 and 3.2). Negatively charged bacteria could be attached onto the pyrrhotite, which has a positive surface charge at lower pHini (2.8) than the PZC (3.0). Bacteria attachment and corrosion pits on the surface of the pyrrhotite residues were observed at pHini of 2.8. Under bacteria-adapted conditions, the leaching concentration of Fe (44.2 mg/L) at pHini of 2.8 was 2.1 times greater than that (21.3 mg/L) at pHini of 3.2. Under non-adapted bacteria conditions, the extent of Fe leaching was not significantly different between the pHini of 2.8 and 3.2. This could be attributed to the fact that the adapted bacteria could more easily attach onto the pyrrhotite surfaces at pHini 2.8, allowing contact biological oxidation during the bioleaching experiments. We demonstrate here that the bioleaching of pyrrhotite could increase Fe recovery through bacterial adaptation and contact biological oxidation.

scholarly journals Hydrogeochemical Behavior of Reclaimed Highly Reactive Tailings, Part 1: Characterization of Reclamation Materials

Minerals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 596 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Kalonji-Kabambi ◽  
Bruno Bussière ◽  
Isabelle Demers
Keyword(s):  
Acid Mine Drainage ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Mine Waste ◽  
Mining Industry ◽  
Companion Paper ◽  
Mine Wastes ◽  
Acid Mine ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Neutralizing Potential ◽  
Sulfide Tailings

The production of solid mine wastes is an integral part of the extraction and metallurgical processing of ores. The reclamation of highly reactive mine waste, with low neutralizing potential, is still a significant challenge for the mining industry, particularly when natural soils are not available close to the site. Some solid mine wastes present interesting hydro-geotechnical properties which can be taken advantage of, particularly for being used in reclamation covers to control acid mine drainage. The main objective of this research was to evaluate the use of mining materials (i.e., tailings and waste rock) in a cover with capillary barrier effects (CCBE) to prevent acid mine drainage (AMD) from highly reactive tailings. The first part of the project reproduced in this article involves context and laboratory validation of mining materials as suitable for a CCBE, while the companion paper reports laboratory and field results of cover systems made with mining materials. The main conclusions of the Part 1 of this study were that the materials studied (low sulfide tailings and waste rocks) had the appropriate geochemical and hydrogeological properties for use as cover materials in a CCBE. Results also showed that the cover mining materials are not acid-generating and that the LaRonde tailings are highly reactive with pH close to 2, with high concentrations of metals and sulfates.

scholarly journals Hydrogeochemical Behavior of Reclaimed Highly Reactive Tailings, Part 2: Laboratory and Field Results of Covers Made with Mine Waste Materials

Minerals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 589
Author(s):  
Alex Kalonji-Kabambi ◽  
Bruno Bussière ◽  
Isabelle Demers
Keyword(s):  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Mine Waste ◽  
Waste Materials ◽  
Mine Wastes ◽  
Barrier Effects ◽  
Geochemical Properties ◽  
Environmental Objectives ◽  
Waste Rocks ◽  
Sulfide Tailings

The possibility of using mine wastes (low-sulfide tailings and waste rocks) as cover components to prevent acid mine drainage (AMD) generation from highly reactive tailings was previously investigated through a laboratory-based characterization of reactive tailings and cover materials (Part 1 of this study). Characterization results showed that the reactive tailings are highly acid-generating, and that the mine waste materials that were used in this study are non-acid-generating and have suitable hydrogeological and geochemical properties to be used in a cover with capillary barrier effects (CCBE). In order to further investigate the use of low-sulfide mining materials in the reclamation of highly reactive tailings, a large laboratory-based column and a field cell simulating a CCBE were constructed. The instrumented field cell used the same configuration and materials as the laboratory column. This paper presents the main findings from 504 days (column test) and three seasons (field test) of monitoring, and compares the hydrogeochemical behavior observed at the two scales. The results show that a CCBE made with low-sulfide mine wastes would be efficient at reducing oxygen fluxes and limiting AMD generation from highly reactive tailings at the laboratory and intermediate scale. However, at these two scales, the concentrations of some contaminants were not reduced to levels of the legally imposed environmental objectives. The results also showed differences in metal and sulfate concentrations in the drainage waters between the laboratory and field scales. The outcomes from this investigation highlight that the previous oxygen flux design targets and the typical configurations of multilayer covers developed for fresh non-oxidized tailings or pre-oxidized tailings may not always be directly applicable for fresh or pre-oxidized highly reactive tailings.

scholarly journals GEOCHEMICAL STUDY OF THE URBAN AND SUBURBAN AREA OF NAFPLION CITY, ARGOLIDHA PREFECTURE, HELLAS

2017 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 1520
Author(s):  
S. Tassiou ◽  
E. Vassiliades
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Elements ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Suburban Area ◽  
Hazardous Substances ◽  
Geochemical Study ◽  
Parent Rocks ◽  
History Of ◽  
Five Elements ◽  
Dual Origin ◽  
The Military

Soil, as the primary receptor of anthropogenic urban contamination acts as a sink for a variety of toxic and other hazardous substances. It constitutes, therefore, an indicator of contamination and may be utilised geochemically to assess environmental quality of urban and suburban areas. In Nafplion, an urban and suburban area of 50 km2 , was investigated using for the first time in Hellas an integrated approach with all available geoscientific techniques to make an in-depth environmental impact assessment. One of these techniques was applied geochemistry, which mapped the geochemistry of surface soil (0-10 cm) with 144 samples, collected on a regular grid of 500 x 500 km. The following fifty determinands were measured on the soil samples: Ag, Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Bi, Ca, Cd, Ce, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, Ge, Hg, K, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nb, Ni, P, Pb, Rb, Re, S, Sb, Sc, Se, Sn, Sr, Ta, Te, Th, Ti, Tl, U, V, W, Y, Zn, Zr, pH, electrical conductivity and grain-size distribution. The aim of the geochemical study was to distinguish, as far as possible, the origin of chemical elements, and (i) to classify them as geogenic or anthropogenic; (ii) to delineate contaminated areas, and (iii) to assess potential future impacts of human activities on soil. Interpretation of the resulting geochemical patterns has shown that those of Al, Fe, Be, Ce, Cr, Co, Ga, Ge, K, La, Li, Mg, Nb, Ni, Rb, Sc, Sr, Tl, V, Y, W and Zr are of geogenic origin, since they are directly related to parent rocks, whereas patterns of As, B, Ba, Bi, Ca, Cd, Cu, Mn, Mo, Na, P, Pb, S, Sb, Sn, Th, U and Zn are interpreted as being of dual origin, geogenic and anthropogenic. In this paper, the geochemical distribution of only five elements shall be described, i.e., Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni and Na. This case study was indeed very interesting, since for the interpretation of some patterns, even the military history of the area had to be unravelled.

scholarly journals MONITORING METAL POLLUTION LEVELS IN MINE WASTES AROUND A COAL MINE SITE USING GIS

2017 ◽  
Vol IV-4/W4 ◽  
pp. 335-338 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Sanliyuksel Yucel ◽  
M. A. Yucel ◽  
B. Ileri
Keyword(s):  
Coal Mine ◽  
Metal Pollution ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Mine Waste ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Open Pit ◽  
Mine Wastes ◽  
Mine Site ◽  
Pollution Levels ◽  
Nw Turkey

In this case study, metal pollution levels in mine wastes at a coal mine site in Etili coal mine (Can coal basin, NW Turkey) are evaluated using geographical information system (GIS) tools. Etili coal mine was operated since the 1980s as an open pit. Acid mine drainage is the main environmental problem around the coal mine. The main environmental contamination source is mine wastes stored around the mine site. Mine wastes were dumped over an extensive area along the riverbeds, and are now abandoned. Mine waste samples were homogenously taken at 10 locations within the sampling area of 102.33 ha. The paste pH and electrical conductivity values of mine wastes ranged from 2.87 to 4.17 and 432 to 2430 μS/cm, respectively. Maximum Al, Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn and Ni concentrations of wastes were measured as 109300, 70600, 309.86, 115.2, 38 and 5.3 mg/kg, respectively. The Al, Fe and Pb concentrations of mine wastes are higher than world surface rock average values. The geochemical analysis results from the study area were presented in the form of maps. The GIS based environmental database will serve as a reference study for our future work.

scholarly journals Impact of Abandoned Mining Facility Wastes on the Aquatic Ecosystem of the Mogpog River, Marinduque, Philippines

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (26) ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine B. Gigantone ◽  
Marisa J. Sobremisana ◽  
Lorele C. Trinidad ◽  
Veronica P. Migo
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Heavy Metal ◽  
Aquatic Ecosystem ◽  
Heavy Metal Contamination ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Mine Waste ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Metal Exposure ◽  
Mine Wastes

Background. Mine waste from abandoned mining sites can cause environmental degradation and ecological imbalance to receiving water bodies. Heavy metal pollution affects local communities and may pose health risks to the general public. An abandoned mining facility in Marinduque, Philippines, situated on the of Mogpog River, continuously deposits mine wastes, which may affect the river and the health of local communities. Objectives. The aim of the present study was to examine the presence and extent of heavy metal contamination from mine wastes in the aquatic ecosystem of the Mogpog River by determining the level of heavy metal concentration in the water, sediments and biota. Methods. Four sampling sites were monitored for heavy metals (copper (Cu), arsenic (As), chromium (Cr) and sulfur (S)) pollution. Several analyses were conducted to determine the heavy metals present in the water, sediment and biota. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used for the analysis of Cu concentrations in water. X-ray fluorescence was used for the analysis of total heavy metals in the sediments and biota. Results. An inverse relationship with water and sediment from upstream to downstream of the river were observed. This trend shows deposition of Cu in the sediments as factored by pH. Flora gathered from the riverbanks recorded concentrations of Cu in their leaves and fruits. Conclusions. It has been difficult for the Mogpog River to regain water quality after years of mine waste deposition. Acid mine drainage occurred upstream of the river which affects the speciation of heavy metals. The potential risk of heavy metal exposure to local communities was observed due to the communities' river utilization. Participant Consent. Obtained Ethics Approval. The Office of Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension of University of the Philippines Los Baños approved the study Competing Interests. The authors declare no competing financial interests.

scholarly journals Geochemical and Mineralogical Characterisation of Historic Zn–Pb Mine Waste, Plombières, East Belgium

Minerals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 28
Author(s):  
Srećko Bevandić ◽  
Rosie Blannin ◽  
Jacqueline Vander Auwera ◽  
Nicolas Delmelle ◽  
David Caterina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Mine Waste ◽  
Geophysical Methods ◽  
Grain Size Analysis ◽  
Size Analysis ◽  
Mine Wastes ◽  
Metallurgical Waste ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Geochemical Properties ◽  
Potential Applications

Mine wastes and tailings derived from historical processing may contain significant contents of valuable metals due to processing being less efficient in the past. The Plombières tailings pond in eastern Belgium was selected as a case study to determine mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of the different mine waste materials found at the site. Four types of material were classified: soil, metallurgical waste, brown tailings and yellow tailings. The distribution of the mine wastes was investigated with drill holes, pit-holes and geophysical methods. Samples of the materials were assessed with grain size analysis, and mineralogical and geochemical techniques. The mine wastes dominantly consist of SiO2, Al2O3 and Fe2O3. The cover material, comprising soil and metallurgical waste is highly heterogeneous in terms of mineralogy, geochemistry and grain size. The metallurgical waste has a high concentration of metals (Zn: 0.1 to 24 wt.% and Pb: 0.1 to 10.1 wt.%). In the tailings materials, Pb and Zn vary from 10 ppm to 8.5 wt.% and from 51 ppm to 4 wt.%, respectively. The mining wastes comprises mainly quartz, amorphous phases and phyllosilicates, with minor contents of Fe-oxide and Pb- and Zn-bearing minerals. Based on the mineralogical and geochemical properties, the different potential applications of the four waste material types were determined. Additionally, the theoretical economic potential of Pb and Zn in the mine wastes was estimated.

As(III) adsorption-oxidation behavior and mechanisms on Cr(VI)-incorporated schwertmannite

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Ying ◽  
Kun Huang ◽  
Xionghan Feng ◽  
Yupeng Yan ◽  
Mengqiang Zhu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acid Mine Drainage ◽  
Oxidation Behavior ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Acid Mine ◽  
Surrounding Areas

Schwertmannite, chromate (Cr(VI)), and arsenite (As(III)) usually co-exist in acid mine drainage (AMD) and surrounding areas, but their interactions and mechanisms are poorly understood. We have determined the behavior and...

scholarly journals A Test of Two Methods for Waste Rock Drainage Quality Prediction: Aqua Regia Extraction and Single-addition Net-acid Generation Test Leachate Analysis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teemu Karlsson ◽  
Lena Alakangas ◽  
Päivi Kauppila ◽  
Marja Liisa Räisänen
Keyword(s):  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Mine Waste ◽  
Extraction Methods ◽  
Drainage Water ◽  
Waste Rock ◽  
Quality Prediction ◽  
Aqua Regia ◽  
Acid Generation ◽  
Leachate Analysis ◽  
Single Addition

AbstractThe mobility of contaminants from mine waste can be assessed using different extraction methods. Aqua regia (AR) extraction is the most commonly used method in Finland. Another method is the analysis of leachate from net acid generation (NAG) tests, which is primarily designed for acid production potential assessment. We investigated the performance of single-addition NAG test leachate analysis and AR extraction in drainage quality prediction, using waste rock and drainage water samples from several Finnish waste rock sites. Our objective was to improve interpretation of the AR and single-addition NAG test leachate analysis results in drainage quality prediction. The AR extraction effectively reflected elements that occurred in elevated concentrations in drainage water, though it over-predicted Al, As, Cd, Co, Cu, and Ni in some circumneutral drainages, and Cr in general. The single-addition NAG test leachate analysis also performed well in assessing the mobility of contaminants including Al and Cr at acid mine drainage sites. As the contaminants tend to precipitate in neutral NAG test solution, the usability of the method in neutral mine drainage cases should be further investigated. Furthermore, the conclusions presented in this study are limited to waste rock samples collected from the surface of piles; future work will examine waste rock history, dump cores, drainage quality changes, etc. in more detail.

Stable isotopes as a tool for determining transformation and fate of sulphur in AMD affected water bodies in Meghalaya

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vivek Kumar ◽  
Dibyendu Paul ◽  
Sudhir Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Stable Isotopes ◽  
Coal Mining ◽  
Environmental Fate ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Chemical Elements ◽  
Aquatic Systems ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Hydrochemical Parameters ◽  
Dominant Form ◽  
Mining Areas

<p>Meghalaya, also known as ‘abode of clouds’, is a state located in north-eastern part of India, blessed with abundance of water resources. In the last few decades, extensive coal mining in different parts of Meghalaya has caused detrimental changes in the environment, particularly the aquatic systems. Acid and metal loaded effluents (also known as acid mine drainage or AMD), resulting from the exposure of sulphide mineralization to oxidizing conditions from abandoned or active mining areas, are the principal environmental problems today. Sulphate (SO<sub>4</sub><sup>2-</sup>) is a major contaminant and attracts widespread attention as the dominant form of sulphur in coal mining affected aquatic systems. The increased presence of SO<sub>4</sub><sup>2- </sup>in ecosystems affected by mining activities has immense negative environmental and human health effects. Low pH and high heavy metal concentrations have been reported from streams flowing in and around the coal mining area in Meghalaya rendering the water quality to be very poor  and unfit for use as potable water.</p><p>Stable isotopes have emerged as a promising environmental tracer to understand different environmental functions and processes. Valuable information on the sources and processes can be obtained from the stable isotope ratios of chemical elements in environmental samples as the sources and processes influence history of the samples. Stable isotopes analysis combined with hydrochemical analysis enhances our understanding of transformation and environmental fate of different compounds in water bodies and can provide precise information about factors responsible for controlling water chemistry of different water bodies.</p><p>Stable isotopes of sulphur and oxygen combined with hydrochemical parameters were used as a tool for determining origin, transformation and fate of sulphur in AMD affected water bodies in Meghalaya.The study was conducted on two rivers affected by AMD, viz. Myntdu River and Lunar-Lukha River, flowing in the Jaintia Hills region of Meghalaya. The water samples collected are analysed for hydrochemical parameters and stable sulphur and oxygen isotopes (δ<sup>34</sup>S and δ<sup>18</sup>O in aqueous SO<sub>4</sub><sup>2-</sup>). The stable isotopes of sulphur and oxygen were also analysed in the coal samples from the nearby mining areas. The result provided an insight into the transformational processes of sulphur in these two AMD affected rivers and the environmental fate of sulphur.</p>

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