scholarly journals Evaluation of copper tailings from the abandoned Messina Mine for possible reuse in recreational projects, South Africa

2022 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 3359-3366
Author(s):  
Sphiwe Emmanuel Mhlongo ◽  
Fulufhelo Lesego Makatu ◽  
Nhlanhla Khuzulwandle Malaza ◽  
Azwihangwisi Tendani Ramalata

Historic mining of copper around Musina Town left behind a sizeable unrehabilitated tailing dump. This article reports on the study conducted to investigate the suitability of using copper tailings as sand replacement in recreational projects. The methodology used involved analyzing the particle size distribution and plasticity index (PI) of the tailings and determining their particle density, bulk density, particle shape, total porosity, and permeability coefficient. The pH of the tailings, major element oxides, and heavy metals composition were all analyzed. The tailings were classified as poorly graded sand with silt (SP-SM). Low fines (9.6%) and PI (1.4) values revealed that the copper tailings were texturally suitable for application in rootzones of sports fields, courts for beach volleyball, and bunkers of the golf courses. Their particle density (2.90 g/cm³), bulk density (1.53-1.89 g/cm³), porosity (34.62-47.04%), and permeability (1.42 x 10-3 cm/sec) were all within the recommended range for application in rootzones. The angular particles of the tailings supported their uses in the bunkers. However, their pH (7.9) and high quartz content (69% SiO2) confirmed their suitability for rootzones. However, the high concentration of Cu (1872.0 mg/kg) and Cr (159.5 mg/kg) was identified as a potential risk of using the copper tailings in rootzones. This and the relatively high Al2O3 (11%) and Fe2O3 (8%) suggested that the copper tailings should be first washed or processed before being used in any recreational projects. Developing a suitable technique for processing the studied copper tailings to enhance their properties for different recreational projects was recommended.

2001 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.B. Wilson ◽  
P.J. Stoffella ◽  
D.A. Graetz

Growth of golden shrimp plant (Pachystachys lutea Nees.) transplants was evaluated in media containing 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100% compost derived from biosolids and yard trimmings. A commercial coir- or peat-based media was amended with compost. As compost composition in the peat or coir-based media increased from 0% to 100%, carbon/nitrogen ratios decreased; and media stability, nitrogen mobilization, pH, and electrical conductivity increased. Bulk density, particle density, air-filled porosity, container capacity, and total porosity increased as more compost was added to either peat- or coir-based media. Plants grown in media with high volumes of compost (75% or 100%) had less leaf area and lower shoot and root dry weight compared to the controls (no compost). Regardless of percentage of compost composition in either peat or coir-based media, all plants were considered marketable after 8 weeks.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leandro Campos Pinto ◽  
Wantuir Filipe Teixeira Chagas ◽  
Francisco Hélcio Canuto Amaral

The relationship of management and soil quality may be evaluated by the behavior of soil physical, chemical and biological properties. In the assessment of soil structure, it is sought attributes in the view of measuring the porosity and the distribution of pores by size and its implication to permeability and rigidity of the pores, as well as the stability of the units that composes soil structure. The aim of this research was to assess the structure of a Dystroferric Red Latosol (Oxisol) under conventional corn crop, conventional coffee crop, eucalyptus crop and an equilibrium reference (native vegetation), by the determination of the particle density, bulk density, calculated total porosity, microporosity, macroporosity, moisture saturation, determined total porosity, blocked pores and aggregated stability. Soil under native vegetation presented the lowest values of particle density, probably due to the greatest soil organic matter content in this environment. It was verified a tendency of increasing blocked pores and decreasing bulk density. As expected, bulk density varied from 0.87 to 1.03 g cm-3, showing an inversely proportional distribution related to total porosity. The largest values of geometric mean diameter presented by the soil under native vegetation are due to thegreater structuration degree of this soil, which contributes to the stabilization of the aggregates in this environment. The native vegetation environment presented a better soil physical quality in relation to other land uses.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (No. 1) ◽  
pp. 29-38
Author(s):  
Jan Vopravil ◽  
Pavel Formánek ◽  
Tomáš Khel

Soil properties can be influenced by long-term agricultural management practices as described in pedological literature. In this study, selected physical properties (particle density and bulk density, total porosity, maximum capillary water capacity, minimum air capacity, field capacity, permanent wilting point and available water capacity) of topsoils from different reference soil groups (Cambisols, Luvisols, Fluvisols, Chernozems and Phaeozems, Leptosols, Stagnosols and Gleysols) were sampled and analysed in the years 2016–2017. The topsoil samples were taken from points of so-called S (specific) soil pits to be sampled from the General Soil Survey of Agricultural Soils (GSSAS) which was accomplished in the years 1961–1970. In addition, some of the properties were also compared with those measured during the GSSAS. Recognising the properties, only the particle density, the maximum capillary water capacity, the permanent wilting point and the available water capacity of the topsoil of the individual soil groups were statistically significantly (P < 0.05) different. A comparison of the physical properties with those analysed after more than 40 years was performed, the bulk density increased and the total porosity decreased in the topsoil of the major part of the studied soil groups.


2014 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 139-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
ZYGMUNT BROGOWSKI ◽  
WOJCIECH KWASOWSKI ◽  
RENATA MADYNIAK

Abstract This paper provides the verification of coefficients for the calculation of particle density, bulk density, and total porosity based on the texture of soils proposed by Brogowski (1990). The verified and supplemented coefficients for the calculation of particle density, bulk density, and total porosity permit obtaining credible results within the range of analytical errors. The proposed calculations of density and total porosity of soils can be used for the general description of soils. They cannot, however, replace exact scientific research on the physical state of soils.


HortScience ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 25 (9) ◽  
pp. 1093c-1093
Author(s):  
William C. Fonteno

The determination of air and water holding capacities of horticultural substrates has been plagued by errors in measurement. The amount of air and water held at container capacity is influenced by the substrate and container height. Container capacity can be established through specific measurement. Air space, the difference between total porosity and container capacity, is usually poorly determined because of errors in total porosity measurement. Most researchers calculate total porosity (St) from the formula: St = 1-(ρb/ρp), where ρb is the dry bulk density and ρp is the particle density. While bulk density is usually measured, particle density is not. Many times an average ρp of 2.65 Mg·m-3 for mineral soils is used. This sometimes creates large errors in calculating total porosity because the values of ρp for horticultural substrates range from 0.35 to 2.1 Mg·m-3. Total porosity can be measured with great accuracy at 0 kPa tension on a pressure plate apparatus, but is costly in equipment and time. Using a modified method of extraction and a new apparatus, using standard aluminum soil sampling cylinders, total porosity was measured with an 85% reduction in time end no decrease in accuracy.


Author(s):  
E. A. Akpa ◽  
A. I. Akpama ◽  
O. Oyedele

The study highlights the evaluation of saturated hydraulic characteristics and its influence on some physical and chemical properties of soils developed on coastal plain sands of Obufa Esuk Orok in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. Sixteen grids designed in an experimental plot measured 6 m x 6 m were used for field studies and sixteen (16) soil samples were collected in each of the grid using a soil auger for particle size analysis, bulk density, particle density, total porosity and saturated hydraulic conductivity. The samples were analyzed using standard laboratory procedures. The result showed that the soils were predominantly high in sand content with a mean value of 860.6 g kg-1 and low in silt and clay contents with mean values of 56.1 g kg-1 and 83.3 g kg-1 respectively. The soil texture was predominantly loamy sand. The saturated hydraulic conductivity showed rapid with a mean value of 36 cm min-1. Total porosity was high, a mean value of 52.4 %. Bulk density was low, a mean value of 1.21 Mgm-3 while Particle density was moderate, mean value of 2.55 Mgm-3.  The soil pH showed very strongly acid milieu (mean pH in water = 5.1). Organic carbon and Total nitrogen were low with mean values of 1.1 % and 0.09 % respectively. Available phosphorus was high with a mean value of 36.66 mg kg-1. The exchangeable acidity and exchangeable bases were generally low with mean values of 2.54, 0.59, 0.08 and 0.053 cmolc/kg for calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium and 0.261and 0.416 cmolc/kg for aluminum and hydrogen. The correlation coefficient (r) between the saturated hydraulic conductivity and texture showed that there was a positive relationship between saturated hydraulic conductivity and sand, silt and clay (correlation coefficient of r = 0.0013, 0.062 and 0.119) at p≤0.05 indicating good relationship. There was also a positive linear relationship between the saturated hydraulic conductivity and bulk density, particle density and total porosity (correlation coefficient values of r = 0.224, 0.03 and 0.107) at p≤0.05 respectively. Despite the positive relationship existed in their correlation, cultural practices such as minimum, zero, mulch tillage and other conservational practices should be adopted to help maintain the rapid condition of the saturated hydraulic conductivity to avoid restriction of water movement and other soluble nutrients in the soil.


HortScience ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 27 (12) ◽  
pp. 1279-1280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carl E. Niedziela ◽  
Paul V. Nelson

A new tube method for determining physical properties in container substrates was compared to an existing system. While both offer the advantages of undisturbed substrate and measurement of properties without altering the geometry of the substrate in the container, the tube method is easier to conduct. Both methods proved equally effective for determining air-tilled porosity, container capacity, total porosity, bulk density, and particle density.


1996 ◽  
Vol 34 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 469-473
Author(s):  
Paul Lowe ◽  
Michael Brown ◽  
Kathleen Hudson

There appears to be a limited experience world-wide in the application of thermal drying technology to processing raw undigested sludge. This limited experience has shown that the products from raw sludge processing have a much lower bulk density than those from digested sludge. The apparent reason for this phenomenon demonstrated by this work, is the high concentration of fibres in the raw undigested sludge. Different sludges show varying degrees of fibre concentration with a decrease in fibre content as the proportion of secondary sludge increases. The relationship between the bulk density of the product and the fibre content are given and this shows that as the fibre content increases the bulk density of the product will fall. It is recommended that a compaction/pelletisation stage is included in the process stream for high fibre sludges.


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