Uranium Bioleaching from Low Grade Ore

2020 ◽  
Vol 989 ◽  
pp. 559-563
Author(s):  
Ashimkhan T. Kanayev ◽  
Khussain Valiyev ◽  
Aleksandr Bulaev
Keyword(s):  
Sulfuric Acid ◽  
Acid Mine Drainage ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Sulfuric Acid Concentration ◽  
Acid Leaching ◽  
Leach Solution ◽  
Low Grade ◽  
Bacterial Cells ◽  
Acid Mine

The goal of the present work was to perform bioleaching of uranium from low grade ore from Vostok deposit (Republic of Kazakhstan), which was previously subjected to long-term acid leaching. The ore initially contained from 0.15 to 0.20% of uranium in the form of uraninite, but ore samples used in the study contained about 0.05% of uranium, as it was exhausted during acid leaching, and uranium was partially leached. Representative samples of ore were processed in 1 m columns, leach solutions containing 5, 10, 20 g/L of sulfuric acid and bacterial cells (about 104) were percolated through the ore. Leaching was performed at ambient temperature for 70 days. In one of the percolators, the leaching was performed with leaching solution containing 10 g/L of H2SO4, cells of A. ferrooxidans, and 0.5 g/L of formaldehyde. Leaching with the solution containing 5, 10, and 20 g/L of sulfuric acid made it possible to extract 50, 53, and 58% of uranium. Addition of formaldehyde in leach solution led to the decrease in uranium extraction extent down to 37%. Thus, the results of the present work demonstrated that uranium ore exhausted during long-term acid leaching may be successfully subjected to bioleaching, that allows extracting residual quantities of uranium. Leaching rate of uranium from exhausted ore depended on both sulfuric acid concentration and microbial activity of bacteria isolated from acid mine drainage, formed on uranium deposit. In the same time, acid mine drainage may be used as a source of inoculate, to start bioleaching process.

Long-term performance of a UASB reactor treating acid mine drainage: effects of sulfate loading rate, hydraulic retention time, and COD/SO42− ratio

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirabelle Perossi Cunha ◽  
Rafael Marçal Ferraz ◽  
Giselle Patrícia Sancinetti ◽  
Renata Piacentini Rodriguez
Keyword(s):  
Acid Mine Drainage ◽  
Retention Time ◽  
Hydraulic Retention Time ◽  
Loading Rate ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Uasb Reactor ◽  
Acid Mine ◽  
Long Term Performance ◽  
Term Performance

scholarly journals Comparison of Acid Mine Drainage Microbial Communities in Physically and Geochemically Distinct Ecosystems

2000 ◽  
Vol 66 (11) ◽  
pp. 4962-4971 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip L. Bond ◽  
Greg K. Druschel ◽  
Jillian F. Banfield
Keyword(s):  
Acid Mine Drainage ◽  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Acid Leaching ◽  
Massive Sulfide ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
Oligonucleotide Probes ◽  
Acid Mine ◽  
Ore Body ◽  
A Site

ABSTRACT This study presents population analyses of microbial communities inhabiting a site of extreme acid mine drainage (AMD) production. The site is the inactive underground Richmond mine at Iron Mountain, Calif., where the weathering of a massive sulfide ore body (mostly pyrite) produces solutions with pHs of ∼0.5 to ∼1.0. Here we used a suite of oligonucleotide probes, designed from molecular data recently acquired from the site, to analyze a number of microbial environments by fluorescent in situ hybridization. Microbial-community analyses were correlated with geochemical and mineralogical data from those environments. The environments investigated were within the ore body and thus at the site of pyrite dissolution, as opposed to environments that occur downstream of the dissolution. Few organism types, as defined by the specificities of the oligonucleotide probes, dominated the microbial communities. The majority of the dominant organisms detected were newly discovered or organisms only recently associated with acid-leaching environments. “Ferroplasma” spp. were detected in many of the communities and were particularly dominant in environments of lowest pH and highest ionic strength.Leptospirillum spp. were also detected in many slime and pyrite-dominated environments. In samples of an unusual subaerial slime, a new uncultured Leptospirillum sp. dominated.Sulfobacillus spp. were detected as a prominent inhabitant in warmer (∼43°C) environments. The information gathered here is critical for determining organisms important to AMD production at Iron Mountain and for directing future studies of this process. The findings presented here also have relevance to the microbiology of industrial bioleaching and to the understanding of geochemical iron and sulfur cycles.

scholarly journals Co-Disposal of Coal Gangue and Red Mud for Prevention of Acid Mine Drainage Generation from Self-Heating Gangue Dumps

Minerals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1081
Author(s):  
Zhou Ran ◽  
Yongtai Pan ◽  
Wenli Liu
Keyword(s):  
Acid Mine Drainage ◽  
Red Mud ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Coal Gangue ◽  
Leaching Tests ◽  
Self Heating ◽  
Acid Mine ◽  
Acid Pollution ◽  
Dynamic Leaching

The seepage and diffusion of acid mine drainage (AMD) generated from self-heating coal gangue tailings caused acid pollution to the surrounding soil and groundwater. Red mud derived from the alumina smelting process has a high alkali content. To explore the feasibility of co-disposal of coal gangue and red mud for prevention of AMD, coal gangue and red mud were sampled from Yangquan (Shanxi Province, China), and dynamic leaching tests were carried out through the automatic temperature-controlled leaching system under the conditions of different temperatures, mass ratios, and storage methods. Our findings indicated that the heating temperature had a significant effect on the release characteristics of acidic pollutants derived from coal gangue, and that the fastest rate of acid production corresponding to temperature was 150 °C. The co-disposal dynamic leaching tests indicated that red mud not only significantly alleviated the release of AMD but also that it had a long-term effect on the treatment of acid pollution. The mass ratio and stacking method were selected to be 12:1 (coal gangue: red mud) and one layer was alternated (coal gangue covered with red mud), respectively, to ensure that the acid-base pollution indices of leachate reached the WHO drinking-water quality for long-term discharge. The results of this study provided a theoretical basis and data support for the industrial field application of solid waste co-treatment.

Treatment of Copper-Containing Acid Mine Drainage by Neutralization-Adsorption Process Using Calcite as Neutralizer and Polyhydroxamic Acid Resin as Adsorbent

2012 ◽  
Vol 161 ◽  
pp. 200-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuai Wang ◽  
Gang Zhao ◽  
Zhong Nan Wang ◽  
Qian Zhang ◽  
Hong Zhong
Keyword(s):  
Sulfuric Acid ◽  
Acid Mine Drainage ◽  
Acid Solution ◽  
Sulfuric Acid Solution ◽  
Adsorption Process ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Acid Mine ◽  
Adsorption Capacities ◽  
Adsorption And Desorption Performance ◽  
Almost All

Acid solution and copper-containing acid mine drainage (AMD) was treated by neutralization-adsorption process. The results showed that pH can be adjusted to 4.0 by adding 10g·L-1calcite in acid solution with pH=1.0. Adsorption and desorption performance of poly(hydroxamic acid) (PHA) resin for Cu2+and Fe3+ions were investigated by column tests. The results showed that adsorption capacities of PHA for Cu2+and Fe3+ions were satisfying, and the metals adsorbed on PHA can be eluted by sulfuric acid solution effectively. AMD of Dexing copper mine of Jiangxi was treated as a sample. The results showed that 1.5g·L-1calcite can remove almost all of the Fe3+ion, and Cu2+ion can be removed by PHA and then be eluted by sulfuric acid solution with adsorption ratio of 98.95% and elution ratio of 98.50%, separately.

Preventing Acid Mine Drainage with an Elevated Water Table: Long-Term Column Experiments and Parameter Analysis

2010 ◽  
Vol 213 (1-4) ◽  
pp. 437-458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariam Ouangrawa ◽  
Michel Aubertin ◽  
John W. Molson ◽  
Bruno Bussière ◽  
Gérald J. Zagury
Keyword(s):  
Acid Mine Drainage ◽  
Water Table ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Parameter Analysis ◽  
Column Experiments ◽  
Acid Mine ◽  
Elevated Water Table ◽  
Elevated Water

NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS OF LONG TERM UNSATURATED FLOW AND ACID MINE DRAINAGE AT WASTE ROCK PILES

2006 ◽  
Vol 2006 (2) ◽  
pp. 582-597 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omar Fala ◽  
John Molson ◽  
Michel Aubertin ◽  
Bruno Bussière ◽  
Robert P. Chapuis
Keyword(s):  
Acid Mine Drainage ◽  
Numerical Simulations ◽  
Unsaturated Flow ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Waste Rock ◽  
Acid Mine ◽  
Waste Rock Piles

Preliminary Study of Neutralization and Inhibition of Chemolitotrophic Bacteria in an Acid Mine Drainage from Rio Tinto Site

2009 ◽  
Vol 71-73 ◽  
pp. 677-680 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Carnicero ◽  
E. Díaz ◽  
O. Escolano ◽  
D. Rubinos ◽  
O. Ballesteros ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acid Mine Drainage ◽  
Red Mud ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Initial Conditions ◽  
Microbial Populations ◽  
Low Grade ◽  
Neutralization Capacity ◽  
Acid Mine ◽  
Rio Tinto ◽  
Río Tinto

Limestone is commonly used for neutralization of acid mine drainage (AMD). Its main advantages are its lower price, sustained generation of alkalinity and production of low sludge volumes. Nevertheless, armouring of limestone by ferric hydroxides is a problem in oxic limestone drains and in active limestone treatment systems, reducing the efficiency of the process. Due to these disadvantages, there is a permanent search for cheaper and more effective neutralization agents. Many alkaline industrial wastes are gaining importance in the treatment of AMD. The possibilities to use two different industrial by-products, red mud from a bauxite exploitation and low grade magnesium hydroxide from a magnesite mine, as neutralizing and bacterial inhibiting agents, and the comparison with conventional limestone treatment has been studied in this paper. An AMD from Rio Tinto mine site with an initial pH of 2.4 and a ferric concentration of 1 g/L was used. Comparative test were done percolating the AMD in a continuous form with a peristaltic pump through three different columns filled with limestone, red mud and low grade magnesite, during one month and in same conditions of flow rate and amount of each compound used to fill the columns. The evolution of pH, iron and heavy metals, sulphates and microbial populations in the percolate were monitored at different times. The results showed that the best neutralization capacity was obtained with low grade magnesite during the month treatment. By contraire limestone and red mud loosed their neutralization capacity after 10 and 13 days respectively. The control of microbial populations showed that there is an inhibition of chemolithotropic bacteria as long as the materials maintain their neutralization capacity, reverting to the initial conditions when this capacity was loosed.

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