A Review of Technologies Used in Handling The Acid Mine Drainage Challenge: Perspectives on Using Green Liquor Dregs As a Sustainable Option For Treatment of Acid Mine Drainage

2021 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Keolebogile R. Sebogodi ◽  
Jonas K. Johakimu ◽  
B. Bruce Sithole
Keyword(s):  
Acid Mine Drainage ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Current Trend ◽  
Dissolved Metals ◽  
Green Liquor ◽  
Acid Mine ◽  
Treatment And Prevention ◽  
Green Liquor Dregs ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
By Products

Acid mine drainage (AMD) is one of the repercussions that result from earth-moving activities around the sulfide-bearing mineral hosts. The detrimental effects associated with this AMD are driven by its characteristics, which include low pH and high concentrations of sulfate and toxic dissolved metals. Traditionally, the prevention and treatment of AMD are achieved by using technologies that use, amongst other, naturally occurring soils and carbonates. However, the continual use of these materials may eventually lead to their depletion. On the other hand, industrial by-products have been proven to occupying land that could have otherwise been used for profitable businesses. Additionally, the handling and maintenance of landfills are costly. In this current trend of a circular economy that is driven by industrial symbiosis, scientists are concerned with valorizing industrial by-products. One such by-product is the green liquor dregs (GLD) from Kraft mills. The neutralizing and geotechnical properties of these wastes have prompted the research pioneers to seek their potential use in handling the challenges associated with AMD. In this review, the formation AMD, trends in technologies for treatment and prevention of AMD are critically analyzed. This includes the feasibility of using GLD as an alternative, promising sustainable material.

A novel method for reducing acid mine drainage using green liquor dregs

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 443-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Ragnvaldsson ◽  
Magnus Bergknut ◽  
Jeffrey Lewis ◽  
Stina Drotz ◽  
Anton Lundkvist ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acid Mine Drainage ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Green Liquor ◽  
Acid Mine ◽  
Green Liquor Dregs ◽  
Novel Method

scholarly journals Bench-scale comparison of conventional and high rate clarification treatment processes for acid mine drainage

2015 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 279-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison L. Mackie ◽  
Margaret E. Walsh
Keyword(s):  
Acid Mine Drainage ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Volume Index ◽  
Dissolved Metals ◽  
Metal Mining ◽  
Acid Mine ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Solids Content ◽  
Federal Guidelines

Acid mine drainage (AMD) is characterized as having low pH and high concentrations of sulfate and dissolved metals. This study compared treated water quality and sludge properties of three process technologies for AMD: conventional sedimentation, high density sludge (HDS), and ballasted flocculation. All three processes were found to be capable of removing regulated metals to concentrations below current Canadian discharge guidelines. However, ballasted flocculation was the only technology found to be able to meet the more stringent federal guidelines proposed for future implementation under the Fisheries' Act's Metal Mining Effluent Regulations. Specifically, arsenic and zinc concentrations in AMD treated by the conventional and HDS processes were above proposed future guidelines of 0.10 and 0.25 mg/L, respectively, while lead, copper, and nickel all met respective guidelines. Concentrations of all regulated contaminants were below proposed guidelines when treated by ballasted flocculation. The HDS process was found to produce a significantly more concentrated sludge than conventional sedimentation (i.e., higher solids content (19 ± 1% versus 7 ± 4% wet solids) and lower sludge volume index (SVI; 8.4 ± 0.8 versus 230 ± 20 mL/g)).

scholarly journals Precipitation of heavy metals from acid mine drainage and their geochemical modeling

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aneta Petrilakova ◽  
Magdalena Balintova ◽  
Marian Holub
Keyword(s):  
Acid Mine Drainage ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Geochemical Modeling ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Dissolved Metals ◽  
Environmental Preservation ◽  
Surface Water Hydrology ◽  
Acid Mine ◽  
Modeling Software ◽  
High Concentrations

Abstract Geochemical modeling plays an increasingly vital role in a number of areas of geoscience, ranging from groundwater and surface water hydrology to environmental preservation and remediation. Geochemical modeling is also used to model the interaction processes at the water - sediment interface in acid mine drainage (AMD). AMD contains high concentrations of sulfate and dissolved metals and it is a serious environmental problem in eastern Slovakia. The paper is focused on comparing the results of laboratory precipitation of metal ions from AMD (the Smolnik creek, Slovakia) with the results obtained by geochemical modeling software Visual Minteq 3.0.

scholarly journals Formation and characterization of acid mine drainage in the Madzharovo ore field, Southeastern Bulgaria

2021 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-50
Author(s):  
Svetlana Bratkova
Keyword(s):  
Acid Mine Drainage ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Sulfide Minerals ◽  
Mining Areas ◽  
Acid Mine ◽  
Zinc Cadmium ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Cadmium Lead ◽  
The Impact

The formation of acid mine drainage (AMD) is a serious environmental problem in areas with mining and processing industries worldwide. Their generation is associated with chemical and biological processes of oxidation of sulfide minerals, mainly pyrite. Sources of AMD can be deposits of sulfide minerals and coal with a high content of pyrite sulfur, mining waste and some tailings. The impact of AMD on surface and groundwater in mining areas continues for decades after the cessation of extraction. An example of the negative impact of generated acid mine drainage on the state of surface waters is in the region of Madzharovo. Years after the cessation of mining, the waters at the discharge points "Momina Skala", "Harman Kaya" and "Pandak Dere" are characterized by low pH values and high concentrations of iron, copper, zinc, cadmium, lead and manganese.

scholarly journals Hydrogeochemical Behavior of Reclaimed Highly Reactive Tailings, Part 1: Characterization of Reclamation Materials

Minerals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 596 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Kalonji-Kabambi ◽  
Bruno Bussière ◽  
Isabelle Demers
Keyword(s):  
Acid Mine Drainage ◽  
Mine Drainage ◽  
Mine Waste ◽  
Mining Industry ◽  
Companion Paper ◽  
Mine Wastes ◽  
Acid Mine ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Neutralizing Potential ◽  
Sulfide Tailings

The production of solid mine wastes is an integral part of the extraction and metallurgical processing of ores. The reclamation of highly reactive mine waste, with low neutralizing potential, is still a significant challenge for the mining industry, particularly when natural soils are not available close to the site. Some solid mine wastes present interesting hydro-geotechnical properties which can be taken advantage of, particularly for being used in reclamation covers to control acid mine drainage. The main objective of this research was to evaluate the use of mining materials (i.e., tailings and waste rock) in a cover with capillary barrier effects (CCBE) to prevent acid mine drainage (AMD) from highly reactive tailings. The first part of the project reproduced in this article involves context and laboratory validation of mining materials as suitable for a CCBE, while the companion paper reports laboratory and field results of cover systems made with mining materials. The main conclusions of the Part 1 of this study were that the materials studied (low sulfide tailings and waste rocks) had the appropriate geochemical and hydrogeological properties for use as cover materials in a CCBE. Results also showed that the cover mining materials are not acid-generating and that the LaRonde tailings are highly reactive with pH close to 2, with high concentrations of metals and sulfates.

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