Norton, P. J., Norton, C. J., & Tyrrell, W. (1998). (L. Nel Petrus Johannes, Ed.). Mine Water and Environmental Impacts. 2: Proceedings International Mine Water Association Symposium.
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Greben, H. A., Matshusa, M. P., & Maree, J. P. (2005). (J. Loredo, & F. Pendás, Eds.). Mine Water 2005 – Mine Closure. Oviedo: University of Oviedo.
Abstract: Mining is implicated as a significant contributor to water pollution, the prime reason being, that pyrites oxidize to sulphuric acid when exposed to air and water. Mine effluents, often containing sulphate, acidity and metals, should be treated to render it suitable for re-use in the mining industry, for irrigation of crops or for discharge in water bodies. This study describes the removal of all three mentioned pollutants in mine effluents, from different origins, containing different concentrations of various metals. The objectives were achieved, applying the biological sulphate removal technology, using ethanol as the carbon and energy source. It was shown that diluting the mine effluent with the effluent from the biological treatment, the pH increased due to the alkalinity in the treated water while the metals precipitated with the produced sulphide. When this treatment regime was changed and the mine water was fed undiluted, it was found that the metals stimulated the methanogenic bacteria (MB) as trace elements. This resulted in a high COD utilization of the MB, such that too little COD was available for the SRB. Metal removal in all three studies was observed and in most instances the metals were eliminated to the required disposal concentration.
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Adam, K. (2003). Solid wastes management in sulphide mines: From waste characterisation to safe closure of disposal sites. Minerals and Energy Raw Materials Report, 18(4), 25–35.
Abstract: Environmentally compatible Waste Management schemes employed by the European extractive industry for the development of new projects, and applied in operating sulphide mines, are presented in this study. Standard methodologies used to assess the geotechnical and geochemical properties of the solid wastes stemming from mining and processing of sulphidic metal ores are firstly given. Based on waste properties, the measures applied to ensure the environmentally safe recycling and disposal of sulphidic wastes are summarised. Emphasis is given on the novel techniques developed to effectively prevent and mitigate the acid drainage phenomenon from sulphidic mine wastes and tailings. Remediation measures taken to minimise the impact from waste disposal sites in the post-closure period are described.
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(2006). World first: Full-scale BioSure plant commissioned. Water Wheel, 5(3), 19–21.
Abstract: ERWAT's Ancor Wastewater Treatment Works on the Far East Rand commissioned a 10 Ml/day full-scale plant to treat toxic mine-water from the Grootvlei gold mine using primary sewage sludge. The R15-million plant is treating sulphate rich acid mine drainage using the Rhodes BioSURE Process. First, the pumped mine-water is treated at a high-density separation (HDS) plant to remove iron and condition pH levels. Then it is pumped two km via a newly-constructed 10 Ml capacity pipeline to the Ancor works. This mine-water is then mixed together with primary sewage sludge in a mixing tank from where a splitter box directs the material to eight biological sulphate reducing reactors or bioreactors. The overflow water which is rich in sulphide is pumped through the main pump station to another mixing box. Here, iron slurry is mixed with the material before it is again divided between four reactor clarifiers for sulphide removal. The overflow water, now containing reduced sulphate levels and virtually no sulphide is pumped to Ancor's biofilters for removal of remaining Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and ammonia following the conventional sewage treatment process for eventual release into the Blesbokspruit.
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Märten, H. (2006). Neueste Trends zur aktiven Wasserbehandlung und Anwendungsbeispiele. Wissenschaftliche Mitteilungen, 31, 13–22.
Abstract: Aktuelle Entwicklungen auf dem Gebiet der aktiven Wasserbehandlung im Bergbau in den spezifischen Anwendungsgebieten • Behandlung von sauren Bergbauwässern (AMD – acidic mine drainage) mit Schwerpunkt HDS-Technologie (HDS – high-density sludge) • In-situ-Behandlung bergbaubeeinflusster Grundwasserkörper, insbesondere nach Anwendung der In-situ-Laugung (ISL) • In-situ-Behandlung von Tagebaurestseen mit Schwerpunkt In-lake-Verfahren werden hinsichtlich Machbarkeit, technologischer Kenngrößen und Effizienz bewertet und kommen-tiert. Recent developments in the field of active water treatment technologies in the mining sector are re-viewed. Application areas of interest include • Treatment of acidic mine drainage (AMD) emphasizing HDS technology (HDS – high-density sludge) • In-situ treatment of groundwater affected by mining, in particular after the application of in-situ leaching (ISL) • In-situ treatment of lakes arising in former open-pit lignite mines, in particular the application of in-lake methods The various applications are evaluated with regard to feasibility, technical characteristics and treat-ment efficiency.
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