scholarly journals Environmental Effects Caused by Utilising Copper Mine Tailings in Various Geotechnical Applications – A Review

Author(s):  
M. Vinoth ◽  
M.S. Aswathy

Based on the available literature this paper evaluates the environmental effects of copper mine tailings (CMT) when used as structural fill material in various geotechnical applications. Leaching of heavy metals from the CMT is considered as the vital factor hindering its wider acceptability among researchers and engineers. Therefore, apart from physical and chemical characteristics, due consideration was given to assess the leachability of CMT when used as structural fill in various geotechnical applications like subgrade, embankment, fill and reclamation. From the literature review, it was found that CMT seems to be satisfying the criteria meant for structural fill. Leachability test results show that only a very few elements concentration exceeded the limits in un-stabilized form. Stabilized CMT performed better by bringing down the concentration well below the permissible limits in all the application types. This encourages the utilization of CMT in structural fills and shows that environmental impacts are within the limits prescribed in standards.

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 261-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianying Yang ◽  
Xiangliang Pan ◽  
Chenxi Zhao ◽  
Shuyong Mou ◽  
Varenyam Achal ◽  
...  

Pedosphere ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 363-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying TENG ◽  
Yong-Ming LUO ◽  
Chang-Yong HUANG ◽  
Jian LONG ◽  
Zhen-Gao LI ◽  
...  

2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (10) ◽  
pp. 3068-3075 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yao-guang GUO ◽  
Peng HUANG ◽  
Wu-gang ZHANG ◽  
Xue-wu YUAN ◽  
Feng-xia FAN ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul M. Antonelli ◽  
Matthew G. Coghill ◽  
Wendy C. Gardner ◽  
Lauchlan H. Fraser

AbstractPhytostabilization is the use of plants and soil amendments to physically stabilize and remediate contaminated mine wastes and to control wind and water erosion in semiarid environments. The aim of this study was to evaluate two native bunchgrass species’ (Pseudoroegneria spicata and Festuca campestris) biomass accumulation and metals uptake response to locally available soil amendments (compost, wood ash and wood chips) to determine their suitability for phytostabilization at an alkaline copper mine tailings site in British Columbia, Canada. In the greenhouse, bunchgrasses important as forage for livestock and wildlife were grown in tailings with various ash–compost–wood chip combinations and evaluated using a randomized complete block design with 13 treatments and 10 replicates. Plants were harvested after 90 d, and tissues were analyzed for root and shoot biomass. Tissue samples (n = 3) from three treatment subsets (ash, compost, blend) were selected for elemental analysis. Biomass increased with increasing compost applications, and the response was greatest for P. spicata. Shoot molybdenum exceeded the maximum tolerable level for cattle and was significantly higher when grasses were grown on the ash treatment (183–202 mg kg−1) compared to the others (19.7–58.3 mg kg−1). Translocation and root bioconcentration factors were highest on the ash treatment (2.53–12.5 and 1.75–7.96, respectively) compared to the other treatments (0.41–3.43 and 1.47–4.79, respectively) and indicate that both species are ‘accumulators.’ The findings suggest that these bunchgrasses were not ideal candidates for phytostabilization due to high shoot tissue molybdenum accumulation, but provide important considerations for mine restoration in semiarid grassland systems.


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