Characterization of Mine Waste and Acid Mine Drainage Prediction by Simple Testing Methods in Terms of the Effects of Sulfate-Sulfur and Carbonate Minerals

Characterization of mine waste rocks and prediction of acid mine drainage (AMD) play an important role in preventing AMD. Although high-tech analytical methods have been highlighted for mineral characterization and quantification, simple testing methods are still practical ways to perform in a field laboratory in mines. Thus, this study applied some simple testing methods to the characterization of mine wastes and AMD prediction in addition to a leaching test and the sequential extraction test with HCl, HF, and HNO3, which have not been applied for these purposes, focusing on the form of sulfur and the neutralization effects of carbonates. The results of the Acid Buffering Characteristic Curve test supported the changing trend of the pH attributing carbonates only during the first 10 leaching cycles in the leaching test. The change in the Net Acid Generating (NAG) pH in the sequential NAG test reflected the solubility of sulfur in the rocks, providing information on the form of sulfur in the rocks and the acid-producing potential over time. Consequently, the sequential NAG test and sequential extraction with the acids in combination with the current standards tests (Acid Base Accounting and NAG tests) provided important information for preventing AMD.

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HYDROGEOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF AN ABANDONED MINE POOL USING FEFLOW-3D TO MITIGATE AGAINST BREACH AND POTENTIAL ACID MINE DRAINAGE

10.1130/abs/2018am-322009 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Rennie B. Kaunda ◽

◽

Ross Mower

Keyword(s):

Acid Mine Drainage ◽

Mine Drainage ◽

Abandoned Mine ◽

Acid Mine ◽

Potential Acid ◽

Mine Pool

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Characterization of water reservoirs affected by acid mine drainage: geochemical, mineralogical, and biological (diatoms) properties of the water

Environmental Science and Pollution Research ◽

10.1007/s11356-015-4776-0 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 23 (7) ◽

pp. 6002-6011 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

T. Valente ◽

M. J. Rivera ◽

S. F. P. Almeida ◽

C. Delgado ◽

P. Gomes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acid Mine Drainage ◽

Mine Drainage ◽

Water Reservoirs ◽

Acid Mine

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Assessment of Characteristics of Acid Mine Drainage Treated with Fly Ash

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app11093910 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (9) ◽

pp. 3910

Author(s):

Saba Shirin ◽

Aarif Jamal ◽

Christina Emmanouil ◽

Akhilesh Kumar Yadav

Keyword(s):

Fly Ash ◽

Acid Mine Drainage ◽

Power Plants ◽

Mine Drainage ◽

Thermal Power ◽

Mineralogical Characterization ◽

Acid Mine ◽

Before And After ◽

Abandoned Coal Mines

Acid mine drainage (AMD) occurs naturally in abandoned coal mines, and it contains hazardous toxic elements in varying concentrations. In the present research, AMD samples collected from an abandoned mine were treated with fly ash samples from four thermal power plants in Singrauli Coalfield in the proximate area, at optimized concentrations. The AMD samples were analyzed for physicochemical parameters and metal content before and after fly ash treatment. Morphological, geochemical and mineralogical characterization of the fly ash was performed using SEM, XRF and XRD. This laboratory-scale investigation indicated that fly ash had appreciable neutralization potential, increasing AMD pH and decreasing elemental and sulfate concentrations. Therefore, fly ash may be effectively used for AMD neutralization, and its suitability for the management of coalfield AMD pits should be assessed further.

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Mineralogical and Geochemical Characterization of Gold Mining Tailings and Their Potential to Generate Acid Mine Drainage (Minas Gerais, Brazil)

Minerals ◽

10.3390/min11010039 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 39

Author(s):

Mariana Lemos ◽

Teresa Valente ◽

Paula Marinho Reis ◽

Rita Fonseca ◽

Itamar Delbem ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acid Mine Drainage ◽

Mine Drainage ◽

Minas Gerais ◽

Acid Mine ◽

Fine Grain ◽

Mineralogical Characteristics ◽

Tailing Dams ◽

The One ◽

And Control

For more than 30 years, sulfide gold ores were treated in metallurgic plants located in Nova Lima, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and accumulated in the Cocoruto tailings dam. Both flotation and leaching tailings from a deactivated circuit, as well as roasted and leaching tailings from an ongoing plant, were studied for their acid mine drainage potential and elements’ mobility. Detailed characterization of both tailings types indicates the presence of fine-grain size material hosting substantial amounts of sulfides that exhibit distinct geochemical and mineralogical characteristics. The samples from the ongoing plant show high grades of Fe in the form of oxides, cyanide, and sulfates. Differently, samples from the old circuit shave higher average concentrations of Al (0.88%), Ca (2.4%), Mg (0.96%), and Mn (0.17%), present as silicates and carbonates. These samples also show relics of preserved sulfides, such as pyrite and pyrrhotite. Concentrations of Zn, Cu, Au, and As are higher in the tailings of the ongoing circuit, while Cr and Hg stand out in the tailings of the deactivated circuit. Although the obtained results show that the sulfide wastes do not tend to generate acid mine drainage, leaching tests indicate the possibility of mobilization of toxic elements, namely As and Mn in the old circuit, and Sb, As, Fe, Ni, and Se in the tailings of the plant that still works. This work highlights the need for proper management and control of tailing dams even in alkaline drainage environments such as the one of the Cocoruto dam. Furthermore, strong knowledge of the tailings’ dynamics in terms of geochemistry and mineralogy would be pivotal to support long-term decisions on wastes management and disposal.

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Diversity and Genomic Characterization of a Novel Parvarchaeota Family in Acid Mine Drainage Sediments

Frontiers in Microbiology ◽

10.3389/fmicb.2020.612257 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Author(s):

Zhen-Hao Luo ◽

Qi Li ◽

Yan Lai ◽

Hao Chen ◽

Bin Liao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acid Mine Drainage ◽

Evolutionary History ◽

Mine Drainage ◽

Iron Cycling ◽

Acid Mine ◽

History Analysis ◽

Genomic Characterization ◽

Family Based ◽

Phylogenomic Analyses

Recent genome-resolved metagenomic analyses of microbial communities from diverse environments have led to the discovery of many novel lineages that significantly expand the phylogenetic breadth of Archaea. Here, we report the genomic characterization of a new archaeal family based on five metagenome-assembled genomes retrieved from acid mine drainage sediments. Phylogenomic analyses placed these uncultivated archaea at the root of the candidate phylum Parvarchaeota, which expand this lesser-known phylum into two family levels. Genes involved in environmental adaptation and carbohydrate and protein utilization were identified in the ultra-small genomes (estimated size 0.53–0.76 Mb), indicating a survival strategy in this harsh environment (low pH and high heavy metal content). The detection of genes with homology to sulfocyanin suggested a potential involvement in iron cycling. Nevertheless, the absence of the ability to synthesize amino acids and nucleotides implies that these archaea may acquire these biomolecules from the environment or other community members. Applying evolutionary history analysis to Parvarchaeota suggested that members of the two families could broaden their niches by acquiring the potentials of utilizing different substrates. This study expands our knowledge of the diversity, metabolic capacity, and evolutionary history of the Parvarchaeota.

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Using red mud bauxite for the neutralization of acid mine tailings: a column leaching test

Canadian Geotechnical Journal ◽

10.1139/t06-071 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 43 (11) ◽

pp. 1167-1179 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

M Paradis ◽

J Duchesne ◽

A Lamontagne ◽

D Isabel

Keyword(s):

Acid Mine Drainage ◽

Red Mud ◽

Mine Drainage ◽

Field Investigation ◽

Drainage Water ◽

Leaching Test ◽

Column Leaching ◽

Acid Mine ◽

Column Leaching Test ◽

Set Up

Acid mine drainage (AMD) is an environmental problem produced when sulphides come in contact with an oxidant (± bacteria) and water, producing acid generation and metals leaching. One solution proposed is to use red mud bauxite (RMB), which is very alkaline, to neutralize oxidized acidic tailings. A column leaching test has been set up to evaluate major aspects of field constraints. First, a field investigation was conducted in which RMB was spread in aggregates before mixing with tailings. This setup has been reproduced in the laboratory and compared with a homogeneous mixture. The analyses of the water effluent do not show any important difference between the two mixtures. Second, some studies show that the addition of Cl brine to RMB helps to maintain the long-term neutralization potential. Brine addition increased the concentrations of Ca, Mg, Na, K, and Cu in drainage water. Columns were set up with 10% and 20% RMB to evaluate the effect of the quantity applied. Addition of greater than 20% RMB increases the leachate alkalinity and concentrations of Al, Cu, Pb, As, Fe, and SO42– in drainage waters. The addition of 10% RMB, however, significantly improves the quality of drainage water over a period of 125 days and results in concentrations and pH values within the ranges of those recommended by Directive 019 of the Ministère de l'environnement, Québec.Key words: acid mine drainage, red mud bauxite, tailings, environmental geochemistry, neutralization.

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