|
Eger, P., Melchert, G., & Wagner, J. (2000). Using passive treatment systems for mine closure – A good approach or a risky alternative? Min. Eng., 52(9), 78–83.
Abstract: In 1991, LTV Steel Mining decided to close an open-pit taconite mine in northeastern Minnesota using a passive-treatment approach consisting of limiting infiltration into the stockpiles and wetland treatment to remove metals. More than 50 Mt (55 million st) of sulfide-containing waste had been stockpiled adjacent to the mine during its 30 years of operation. Drainage from the stockpiles contained elevated levels of copper, nickel, cobalt and zinc. Nickel is the major trace metal in the drainages. Before the closure, the annual median concentrations ranged from 1.5 to 50 mg/L. Copper, cobalt and zinc are also present but they are generally less than 5% of the nickel values. Median pH levels range from 5 to 7.5, but most of the stockpile drainages have pH levels greater than 6.5. Based on the chemical composition of each stockpile, a cover material was selected. The higher the potential that a stockpile had to produce acid drainage, the lower the permeability of the capping material required. Covers ranged from overburden soil removed at the mine to a flexible plastic liner. Predictions of the reduction in infiltration ranged from 40% for the native soil to more than 90% for the plastic liner. Five constructed wetlands have been installed since 1992. They have removed 60% to 90% of the nickel in the drainages. Total capital costs for all the infiltration reduction and wetlands exceeded $6.5 million, but maintenance costs are less than 1% of those for an active treatment plant. Because mine-drainage problems can continue for more than 100 years, the lower annual operating costs should pay for the construction of the wetland-treatment systems within seven years.
|
|
|
Eriksson, P. K., Lien, L. A., Green, D. H., & Kyburz, M. (1997). Nanofiltration für die Aufkonzentrierung von Kupfersulfat von Auslaugewässern und die Rückgewinnung von Schwefelsäure. In 6. Aachener Membran Kolloquium, Preprints, Aachen, DE, 3. 5. Mar, 1997 (pp. 113–121).
Abstract: In einem US-amerikanischen Minenbetrieb fallen bei der Auslaugung von Abraum zur Gewinnung von Restkupfer Abwässer an, die höhere Konzentrationen aufweisen als für Abwässer erlaubt ist. Eine bislang angewandte chemische Fällung erforderte erhebliche Kosten. Mit der Nanofiltration (NF), verbunden mit einer Biomasse-Adsorptionsstufe, erhält man ein weniger problematisches Abwasser, das direkt eingeleitet werden darf. Dieses Wasser kann im Betrieb sogar als Frischwasser dort eingesetzt werden, wo höhere Anteile an Silikaten toleriert werden können. Ein weiterer Vorteil der NF-Technik ist die Aufkonzentration der Metallsalze und die Rückgewinnung von Schwefelsäure. Kupfer liegt z.B. nach der ersten Stufe in solcher Konzentration vor, daß die Extraktionskapazität der existierenden Anlage stark erhöht wird. Die Nanofiltration ist ein Membranprozeß, bei dem Membranen mit Porengrößen von ca. 1 nm eingesetzt werden. Die Porengröße ist kleiner als bei Ultrafiltrationsverfahren und nur wenig größer als bei Umkehrosmosemembranen. Gearbeitet wird mit dem Prinzip der Queranströmung (Crossflow). Zur Entfernung der relativ geringen Anteile an Schwermetallen wird zusätzlich eine Biomasse-Kolonne eingesetzt. Beschrieben wird der Aufbau bzw. das Fließschema einer Pilotanlage. Untersuchungen mit dieser Anlage bestätigten die Wirksamkeit der NF- Abwasserbehandlung mit anschließender Adsorption an Biomasse. Die zugeführten Chemikalien bestehen lediglich aus relativ harmlosen Stoffen wie Entkrustungsmittel und Soda. Das Entkrustungsmittel wird benötigt, um Ablagerungen von Anorganika auf den Membranen zu verhindern. Das Soda neutralisiert das aufbereitete Wasser. Beide Chemikalien verhalten sich im Prozeß ansonsten neutral. Hauptsächliche Ausgaben entstehen für Kapitalkosten. Betriebskosten entstehen für den Membranersatz und die Energie. Die Versuchsresultate und Erkenntnisse aus den Versuchen konnten weitgehend für die Auslegung einer NF-Anlage in einer Kupfermine in Mexiko übernommen werden, die im Frühjahr 1997 in Betrieb genommen werden soll.
|
|
|
Evangelou, V. P. (1994). Potential microencapsulation of pyrite by artificial inducement of FePO (sub 4) coatings. In Special Publication – United States. Bureau of Mines, Report: BUMINES-SP-06B-94 (pp. 96–103). Proceedings of the International land reclamation and mine drainage conference and Third international conference on The abatement of acidic drainage; Volume 2 of 4; Mine drainage.
|
|
|
Evangelou, V. P. (1995). Pyrite oxidation and its control: solution chemistry, surface chemistry, acid mine drainage (AMD), molecular oxidation mechanisms, microbial role, kinetics, control, ameliorates and limitations, microencapsulation.
|
|
|
Evangelou, V. P. (2001). Pyrite microencapsulation technologies: Principles and potential field application. Ecological Engineering, 17(2-3), 165–178.
Abstract: In nature, pyrite is initially oxidized by atmospheric O2, releasing acidity and Fe2+. At pH below 3.5, Fe2+ is rapidly oxidized by T. ferrooxidans to Fe3+, which oxidizes pyrite at a much faster rate than O2. Commonly, limestone is used to prevent pyrite oxidation. This approach, however, has a short span of effectiveness because after treatment the surfaces of pyrite particles remain exposed to atmospheric O2 and oxidation continuous abiotically. Currently, a proposed mechanism for explaining non-microbial pyrite oxidation in high pH environments is the involvement of OH- in an inner-sphere electron-OH exchange between pyrite/surface-exposed disulfide and pyrite/surface-Fe(III)(OH)n3-n complex and/or formation of a weak electrostatic pyrite/surface-CO3 complex which enhances the chemical oxidation of Fe2+. The above infer that limestone application to pyritic geologic material treats only the symptoms of pyrite oxidation through acid mine drainage neutralization but accelerates non-microbial pyrite oxidation. Therefore, only a pyrite/surface coating capable of inhibiting O2 diffusion is expected to control long-term oxidation and acid drainage production. The objective of this study was to examine the feasibility in controlling pyrite oxidation by creating, on pyrite surfaces, an impermeable phosphate or silica coating that would prevent either O2 or Fe3+ from further oxidizing pyrite. The mechanism underlying this coating approach involves leaching mine waste with a coating solution composed of H2O2 or hypochlorite, KH2PO4 or H4SiO4, and sodium acetate (NaAC) or limestone. During the leaching process, H2O2 or hypochlorite oxidizes pyrite and produces Fe3+ so that iron phosphate or iron silicate precipitates as a coating on pyrite surfaces. The purpose of NaAC or limestone is to eliminate the inhibitory effect of the protons (produced during pyrite oxidation) on the precipitation of iron phosphate or silicate and to generate iron-oxide pyrite coating, which is also expected to inhibit pyrite oxidation. The results showed that iron phosphate or silicate coating could be established on pyrite by leaching it with a solution composed of: (1) H2O2 0.018-0.16 M; (2) phosphate or silicate 10-3 to 10-2 M; (3) coating-solution pH [approximate]5-6; and (4) NaAC as low as 0.01 M. Leachates from column experiments also showed that silicate coatings produced the least amount of sulfate relative to the control, limestone and phosphate treatments. On the other hand, limestone maintained the leachate near neutral pH but produced more sulfate than the control.
|
|