Reprocessing of the old flotation tailings deposited on the RTB Bor tailings pond - a case study

Flotation waste, which was produced through seventy years of copper ore processing in RTB Bor, Serbia, is deposited in a flotation tailings pond. In total, almost 26.4 Mt could be considered as available for eventual reprocessing and reuse. Chemical analysis has shown that an average concentration of targeted metals in the tailings is: 0.183% Cu, 0.35 g/t Au and 2.17 g/t Ag. The tailings contain 60 to 70% of SiO2, 10 to 17% of Al2O3 and pyrite 5 to 8%. Flotation tailings reprocessing consisted of acid leaching followed by re-flotation of the leach residue. Leaching of the tailings resulted in leach liquors containing Cu2+ ions from 50 to 580 ppm. The average copper removal degree in the leaching stage was 70%. After re-flotation, the total copper removal degree reached 83 to 85%. Sulphur removal degree reached 77%. Sulphur concentration in the treated tailings was reduced almost 5 times compared to the inlet concentration. An equivalent amount of iron was also reduced through the flotation process. Concentration of total copper was reduced 3 times.

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Uptake of trace elements by baryte during copper ore processing: A case study from Olympic Dam, South Australia

Minerals Engineering ◽

10.1016/j.mineng.2019.02.034 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 135 ◽

pp. 83-94 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Danielle S. Schmandt ◽

Nigel J. Cook ◽

Kathy Ehrig ◽

Sarah Gilbert ◽

Benjamin P. Wade ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Trace Elements ◽

South Australia ◽

Copper Ore ◽

Ore Processing ◽

Olympic Dam

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Recovery of Zinc and Silver from Zinc Acid-Leaching Residues with Reduction of Their Environmental Impact Using a Novel Water Leaching-Flotation Process

Minerals ◽

10.3390/min11060586 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 586

Author(s):

Yunpeng Du ◽

Xiong Tong ◽

Xian Xie ◽

Wenjie Zhang ◽

Hanxu Yang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hazardous Waste ◽

Acid Leaching ◽

Copper Recovery ◽

Water Leaching ◽

Flotation Process ◽

Metal Levels ◽

Valuable Metals ◽

Leaching Experiments ◽

Zinc Hydrometallurgy ◽

Poor Stability

Zinc-leaching residue (ZLR) is a strongly acidic hazardous waste; it has poor stability, high heavy metal levels, and releases toxic elements into the environment. ZLR has potential as a valuable resource, because it contains elevated levels of zinc and silver. In this paper, the recovery of zinc (Zn) and silver (Ag) from ZLR wastes from zinc hydrometallurgy workshops using water leaching followed by flotation was studied. During water leaching experiments, the zinc and copper recovery rates were 38% and 61%, respectively. Thereafter, various flotation testing parameters were optimized and included grinding time, reagent dosages, pulp density, flotation time, and type of adjuster. Experimental results demonstrated this flotation method successfully recycled Ag and Zn. A froth product containing more than 9256.41 g/t Ag and 12.26% Zn was produced from the ZLR with approximately 80.32% Ag and 42.88% Zn recoveries. The toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) results indicated the water-leaching flotation process not only recycled valuable metals such as zinc and silver in zinc-containing hazardous wastes but lowered the hazardous waste levels to those of general wastes and recycled wastes in an efficient, economical, and environmentally friendly way.

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The application of wetland technology for copper removal from distillery wastewater: a case study

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2009.729 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 60 (11) ◽

pp. 2759-2766 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

C. Murphy ◽

P. Hawes ◽

D. J. Cooper

Keyword(s):

Metal Removal ◽

Copper Removal ◽

Ionic Form ◽

Reed Beds ◽

Organic Species ◽

Treatment Processes ◽

Distillery Wastewater ◽

Reed Bed ◽

Performance Results

The ability of reed beds to remove significant levels of metals from effluent streams is well cited in the literature. Various methods of removal have been postulated and demonstrated including physical methods such as filtration and settlement, precipitation when the metal is present as a salt and adsorption to organic species or take up by macrophytes when the metal is in a soluble or ionic form. Consequently, reed beds have been used in a variety of applications for metal removal in water treatment processes. The distillation process for whisky generates an effluent containing a significant amount of copper which is scoured from the copper stills during the process and cleaning operations. High soluble copper concentrations can breach discharge consents. A horizontal subsurface flow reed bed system has been designed and installed for copper removal at a distillery in Scotland. This paper presents the findings of the literature search, outlines the design of the bed and reviews the performance results.

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Fly ash based geopolymer for heavy metal removal: A case study on copper removal

Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering ◽

10.1016/j.jece.2015.06.005 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 3 (3) ◽

pp. 1669-1677 ◽

Cited By ~ 82

Author(s):

Mohammad S. Al-Harahsheh ◽

Kamel Al Zboon ◽

Leema Al-Makhadmeh ◽

Muhannad Hararah ◽

Mehaysen Mahasneh

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metal ◽

Fly Ash ◽

Metal Removal ◽

Heavy Metal Removal ◽

Copper Removal

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Heavy Metals in Water and Sediment: A Case Study of Tembi River

Journal of Environmental and Public Health ◽

10.1155/2014/858720 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 ◽

pp. 1-5 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

Saeed Shanbehzadeh ◽

Marzieh Vahid Dastjerdi ◽

Akbar Hassanzadeh ◽

Toba Kiyanizadeh

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metals ◽

Drinking Water ◽

Average Concentration ◽

Agricultural Water ◽

Water And Sediment ◽

The Mean ◽

Mean Concentration ◽

Cu And Zn ◽

Standard Range

This study was carried out to examine heavy metals concentration in water and sediment of upstream and downstream of the entry of the sewage to the Tembi River, Iran. Samples were collected from upstream and downstream and were analyzed for Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Ni, and Zn by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The results indicated that the average concentration of the metals in water and sediment on downstream was more than that of upstream. The comparison of the mean concentrations of heavy metals in water of the Tembi River with drinking water standards and those in the water used for agriculture suggests that the mean concentration of Cu and Zn lies within the standard range for drinking water and the mean concentration of Mn, Zn, and Pb lies within the standard range of agricultural water. The highest average concentration on downstream for Pb in water and for Mn in sediment was 1.95 and 820.5 ppm, respectively. Also, the lowest average concentration on upstream was identified for Cd in water and sediment 0.07 and 10 ppm, respectively. With regard to the results, it gets clear that using the water for recreational purposes, washing, and fishing is detrimental to human health and the environment.

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Dynamic characterization of column flotation process laboratory case study

Minerals Engineering ◽

10.1016/s0892-6875(99)00121-1 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 12 (11) ◽

pp. 1339-1346 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

T. Carvalho ◽

F. Durão ◽

C. Fernandes

Keyword(s):

Column Flotation ◽

Dynamic Characterization ◽

Flotation Process

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Seismic Activity and Convergence in Deep Mining Field, Case Study from Copper Ore Mine, SW Poland

Proceedings of the 28th International Symposium on Mine Planning and Equipment Selection - MPES 2019 - Springer Series in Geomechanics and Geoengineering ◽

10.1007/978-3-030-33954-8_57 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 508-515

Author(s):

Anna Barbara Gogolewska ◽

Agnieszka Markowiak

Keyword(s):

Seismic Activity ◽

Copper Ore ◽

Deep Mining ◽

Field Case ◽

Sw Poland

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Transport of Saharan dust from the Bodélé Depression to the Amazon Basin: a case study

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions ◽

10.5194/acpd-10-4345-2010 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 4345-4372 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Y. Ben-Ami ◽

I. Koren ◽

Y. Rudich ◽

P. Artaxo ◽

S. T. Martin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atlantic Ocean ◽

Amazon Basin ◽

Marine Boundary Layer ◽

Average Concentration ◽

Saharan Dust ◽

Aerosol Layer ◽

Amazon Forest ◽

Close Link ◽

Bodele Depression

Abstract. Through long-range transport of dust, the Sahara desert supplies essential minerals to the Amazon rain forest. Since Saharan dust reaches South America mostly during the Northern Hemisphere winter, the dust sources active during winter are the main contributors to the forest. Given that the Bodélé depression area in Southwestern Chad is the main winter dust source, a close link is expected between the Bodélé emission patterns and volumes and the mineral supply flux to the Amazon. Until now, the particular link between the Bodélé and the Amazon forest was based on sparse satellite measurements and modeling studies. In this study, we combine a detailed analysis of space-borne and ground data with reanalysis model data and surface measurements taken in the Central Amazon during the Amazonian Aerosol Characterization Experiment (AMAZE-08) in order to explore the validity and the nature of the proposed link between the Bodélé depression and the Amazon forest. This case study follows the dust events of 11–16 and 18–27 February 2008, from the emission in the Bodélé over West Africa, the crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, to the observed effects above the Amazon canopy about 10 days after the emission. The dust was lifted by surface winds stronger than 14 m s−1, usually starting early in the morning. The lofted dust mixed with biomass burning aerosols over Nigeria, was transported over the Atlantic Ocean, and arrived over the South American continent. The top of the aerosol layer reached above 3 km, and the bottom merged with the marine boundary layer. The arrival of the dusty air parcel over the Amazon forest increased the average concentration of aerosol crustal elements by an order of magnitude.

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