Failure of a mine waste dump in Zimbabwe: Causes and consequences

A combination of factors are considered important in causing the failure and subsequent development of a flowslide of a gold mine waste dump (or tailings dam) at Arcturus, near Harare, Zimbabwe. These factors comprise poor basal drainage, steep perimeter walls, saturation of the walls and basal sediments through continued spigoting of slurry during a period of heavy rainfall, and the effect of this saturation on the tailings. Properties of the tailings, eyewitness accounts, documentary evidence, and site characteristics are discussed. The failure and subsequent development of a fatal 300-m flowslide are reconstructed in a five-phase developmental model. The general applicability of the results is discussed.     

A natural attenuation of arsenic in drainage from an abandoned arsenic mine dump

At the abandoned As mine in Nishinomaki, Japan, discharged water from the mining and waste dump area is acidic and rich in As. However, the As concentration in the drainage has been decreased to below the maximum contaminant level (0.01 mg/l for drinking water, Japan) without any artificial treatments before mixing with a tributary to populated areas. This implies that the As concentration in water from the waste dump area has been naturally attenuated. To elucidate the reaction mechanisms of the natural attenuation, analysis of water quality and characterization of the precipitates from the stream floor were performed by measuring pH, ORP and electric conductivity on-site, as well as X-ray diffraction, ICP-mass spectrometry and ion-chromatography. Selective extractions and mineral alteration experiments were also conducted to estimate the distribution of As in constituent phases of the precipitates and to understand the stability of As-bearing phases, respectively. The water contamination resulted from oxidation of sulfide minerals in the waste rocks, i.e., the oxidation of pyrite and realgar and subsequent release of Fe, SO₄, As(V) and proton. The released Fe(II) transformed to Fe(III) by bacterial oxidation; schwertmannite then formed immediately. While the As concentrations in the stream were lowered nearly to background level downstream, those in the ochreous precipitates were up to several tens of mg/g. The As(V) was effectively removed by the formed schwertmannite and had been naturally attenuated. Although schwertmannite is metastable with respect to goethite, the experiments show that the transformation of schwertmannite to goethite may be retarded by the presence of absorbed As(V) in the structure. Therefore, the attenuation of As in the drainage and the retention of As by schwertmannite are expected to be maintained for the long term.     

Prediction of copper content in waste dump of Sarcheshmeh copper mine using visible and near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy

The pore structure characteristics of soil are closely related to soil engineering properties. For saline soil distributed in seasonally frozen areas, existing studies have focused on the influence of freeze–thaw cycles on pore structure, while the influence of soluble salt in the soil is not well understood. This study aims to explore the influence of salt content and salt type on the pore structure of freeze-thawed soil. Soil samples with different salt contents (0–2%) and types (bicarbonate salt and sulfate salt) were subjected to 10 freeze–thaw tests, and their pore size distributions (PSDs) were obtained by mercury intrusion porosimetry tests. In addition, the PSDs were quantitatively analyzed by fractal theory. For both salts, the PSDs of the tested soil samples were bimodal after the freeze–thaw cycles, and the porosity of saline soil samples increased with increasing salt content overall. However, the contents of various types of pores in soil samples with two salt types were quite different. The variation in bicarbonate salt content mainly affected the mesopore and macropore contents in the soil samples, and their change trends were opposite to each other. For soil samples with sulfate salt, the porosity and macropore content increased significantly when the salt content exceeded 1%. In addition, the pore structures in saline soil presented fractal characteristics after the freeze–thaw cycles, and the fractal dimension was positively correlated with macropore content. This study may provide references for understanding the engineering properties of saline soil in seasonally frozen areas at the microscale.     

Mineralogical and geochemical investigations of silicate-rich mine waste from a kyanite mine in central Virginia: implications for mine waste recycling

A kyanite mine in central Virginia produces a silicate-rich waste stream which accumulates at a rate of 450,000–600,000 tons per year. An estimated 27 million tons of this waste stream has accumulated over the past 60 years. Grain size distribution varies between 1.000 and 0.053 mm, and is commonly bimodal with modes typically being 0.425 and 0.250 mm and uniformity coefficients vary from 2.000 to 2.333. Hydraulic conductivity values vary from 0.017 to 0.047 cm/s. Mineralogy of the waste stream consists of quartz, muscovite, kyanite and hematite. Muscovite grains have distinct chemical compositions with significant Na₂O content (1.12–2.66 wt%), TiO₂ content (0.63–1.68 wt% TiO₂) and Fe content, expressed as Fe₂O₃ (up to 1.37 wt%). Major element compositions of samples were dominated by SiO₂ (87.894–90.997 wt%), Al₂O₃ (6.759–7.741 wt%), Fe₂O₃ (1.136–1.283 wt%), and K₂O (0.369–0.606 wt%) with other components being <1.000 wt%. Elements of environmental concern (V, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Ag, Sn, Sb, Ba, Hg, Tl, and Pb) were detected; however, the concentrations of all elements except Ni were below that of the kyanite quartzites in the region from which the waste is derived. Both major and trace element compositions indicate minimal variation in composition. The waste stream has potential for recycling. Muscovite is suitable for recycling as a paint pigment or other industrial applications. Muscovite and hematite are commonly intergrown and are interpreted to be material where much of the elements of environmental concern are concentrated. Reprocessing of the waste stream to separate muscovite from other components may enable the waste stream to be used as constructed wetland media for Virginia and nearby states. Recycling of this mine waste may have a positive impact on the local economy of Buckingham County and aid in mitigation of wetland loss.     

Micro-spectroscopic investigations of highly heterogeneous waste repository materials

Assuring safe disposal and long-term storage of radioactive and toxic wastes corresponds to a primary environmental task of present societies. To improve any technical limitation, a mechanistic understanding of the processes governing the binding of heavy metals and radionuclides is required. In this study, the significance of synchrotron-based X-ray microprobes for elucidating the spatial distribution and the speciation of radionuclides in highly heterogeneous waste repository materials will be outlined. A case study on the uptake process of Co in cementitious engineered barrier materials exposed to microbial degradation will be presented.     

Mineralogical and geochemical investigations of pyrite-rich mine waste from a kyanite mine in Central Virginia with comments on recycling

A pyrite-rich waste stream is one of three types generated from a kyanite mine in central Virginia near the town of Dillwyn, Buckingham County. Currently, ore consists of approximately 3% pyrite waste and an estimated 382,000 tons of this waste stream has been generated over the past 60 years. The mineralogy of the waste stream consists of variable amounts of pyrite (70–>99%), talc (1–20%), quartz (1–10%), kyanite (0.5–5%) with minor or trace amounts of magnetite, hematite, galena, anorthite and rare earth phosphate. Energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis indicates that talc has minor amounts of Al up to 1.57 wt% and Fe up to 4.29 wt% and pyrite grains have no impurities above detection limit of approximately 0.1 wt%. Bulk chemical analysis of selected elements using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry analysis indicate that Zn (28.82–367.71 ppm), As (8.94–18.26 ppm), Se (44.62–64.50 ppm), Cd (0.19–1.03 ppm), Hg (0.87–35.91 ppm), and Pb (65.10–189.66 ppm) occur at levels of some environmental concern. Au and Ag concentrations are negligible. Currently the waste stream is well managed and sold, but for a low price. Talc is of sufficient quality to be of interest for recycling but the estimated 540 tons generated per year is not a suitable quantity to be economically viable. Currently, the waste stream is not viable for recycling for higher monetary value; however, the characteristics of the pyrite may enable such recycling in the future for solar energy technologies. This and other associated waste streams show long term promise for integrated recycling and may play important economic roles in an economically disadvantaged region.     

Using an integrated method for the determination of environmental TCLP arsenic for sulphide-rich mine tailing remediation in Ghana,West Africa

Toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) is a versatile short-term leaching protocol used to estimate the release of toxic metals from waste prior to disposal to a repository. This paper uses the integrated TCLP leachate data from tailings, tailings dam monitoring borehole data, and acidity ratio (AR) range of sulphide-rich ores to simulate the environmental TCLP As in tailings at the AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi mine in Ghana. The aim was to incorporate long-term leaching characteristics of tailings to minimise the risk of TCLP As test failure. The mean As concentration and pH value are 2.26 mg/l and 5.7 in TCLP leachate, 0.35 mg/l and 6.7 in monitoring boreholes, and?<?0.01 mg/l and 5.7 in control boreholes, respectively. The evaluation of the TCLP As data using a one-sample t test performed at 80% confidence interval has the upper confidence limit (UCL) of 2.41 mg/l; this value which constitutes the short-term characterised environmental TCLP As is below the USEPA criterion of 5 mg/l and, therefore, qualifies the waste as safe for disposal. Alternatively, TCLP leachate, borehole and AR data were integrated to simulate the long-term environmental TCLP As of 2.40 mg/l and pH value of 5.7, and As concentration and pH value of 0.01 mg/l and 6.7 in monitoring boreholes, respectively. Such laboratory simulations of TCLP As leaching aimed at achieving 0.01 mg/l in field monitoring data would provide a more robust predictive value for environmental management decision making due to long-term considerations.     

黄土区露天煤矿排土场人工林下植被发育动态

基于安太堡露天煤矿南排土场1 hm²“刺槐(Robinia pseudoacacia)+榆树(Ulmus pumila)+臭椿(Ailanthus altissima)”配置模式动态监测样地复垦17年和22年的调查数据,采用多项指标对人工林下草本层植物物种多样性进行测度,同时利用方差比率法(VR )、χ²检验和Spearman秩相关系数检验对群落草本层物种总体关联性和主要物种的种间联结性进行了分析。结果表明:(1)复垦17年后,人工林下草本层共调查到20科46属62种植物,以菊科植物优势地位明显;复垦22年后,共记录到 18科39属53种草本层植物,禾本科植物的重要值逐渐增加。5年间,优势成分由大籽蒿(Artemisia sieversiana)变为鹅观草(Roegneria kamoji)。与原地貌自然植被相似,人工林下多年生和中生植物在两次调查中均占优势。随着复垦年限的增加,人工林下1年生、1-2年生及中生植物重要值下降,多年生和旱生、中旱生、旱中生植物的重要值有所增加。(2)复垦17年后,人工林下草本层植物物种丰富度已超过原地貌自然植被。随着演替的进展,Patrick丰富度指数有所降低,Shannon-Wiener多样性指数和Pielou均匀度指数均呈现增加趋势。复垦22年后,人工林下草本层植物物种多样性已修复至原地貌自然植被的94.12%。(3)人工林下草本层植物总体关联性由显著负关联变为不显著负关联。主要物种正负关联比由0.30上升至0.79,但均小于1,并且呈极显著和显著关联的种对数较少,说明人工林下草本层植物群落种间联结较为松散,各物种间的关系以竞争为主。主要种针茅(Stipa capillata)与榆树(U.pumila)幼苗呈显著正相关,它们均为地带性物种,生态适应性强,可用于该矿区植被恢复的优选物种进行混合种植。该研究可为矿区植被重组和生物多样性保护提供理论依据。     

Long-term behaviour and mineralogical reactions in hazardous waste landfills: a comparison of observation and geochemical modelling

 Drill cores from a Bavarian hazardous waste landfill were investigated for their mineralogical composition. Because of the formation of many new minerals, geochemical equilibrium calculations were performed to find the most stable state of the waste body. A comparison of mineralogical observations and geochemical modelling was undertaken. The remaining solubilities of the newly formed secondary mineral assemblages were calculated. Newly formed minerals were shown using electron microscopy. Received: 26 November 1999 · Accepted: 15 May 2000     

Behavior of arsenic and geochemical modeling of arsenic enrichment in aqueous environments

Arsenic is present in aqueous environments in +III and +V oxidation states. In oxidizing environments, the principle attenuation mechanism of As migration is its adsorption on Fe(III) oxide and hydroxides. The adsorption affinity is higher for As(V) under lower pH conditions and for As(III) under higher pH conditions. Ferric oxide and hydroxides can dissolve under low Eh and pH conditions releasing adsorbed As. Oxidation-reduction processes often involve high organic matter content in sediments and also contamination by organics such as BTEX. Arsenic may desorb under high pH conditions. Changes of pH can be related to some redox reactions, cation exchange reactions driving dissolution of carbonates, and dissolution of silicates. In very reducing environments, where SO₄ reduction takes place, secondary sulfide minerals like As-bearing pyrite and orpiment, As₂S₃, can incorporate As. Geochemical modeling can be divided into two principal categories: (a) forward modeling and (b) inverse modeling. Forward modeling is used to predict water chemistry after completion of predetermined reactions. Inverse modeling is used to suggest which processes take place along a flowpath. Complex coupled transport and geochemistry programs, which allow for simulation of As adsorption, are becoming available. A common modeling approach is based on forward modeling with surface complexation modeling (SCM) of As adsorption, which can incorporate the effect of different adsorbent/As ratios, adsorption sites density, area available for adsorption, pH changes and competition of As for adsorption sites with other dissolved species such as phosphate. The adsorption modeling can be performed in both batch and transport modes in codes such as PHREEQC. Inverse modeling is generally used to verify hypotheses on the origin of As. Basic prerequisites of inverse modeling are the knowledge of flow pattern (sampling points used in model have to be hydraulically connected) and information about mineralogy including As mineral phases. Case studies of geochemical modeling including modeling of As adsorption are presented.     

基于AHP-TOPSIS方法的薛家湾—龙口镇露天煤矿大型排土场生态修复效果评价

排土场修复是矿山生态修复取得突破性进展和显著成效的关键之一。为进一步优选排土场生态修复技术组合,支撑矿山生态修复和绿色矿山建设,以薛家湾—龙口镇露天煤矿5个不同修复技术组合排土场板块为研究对象,选取生态效益和经济效益2类9个评价指标,运用层次分析(analytic hierarchy process,AHP)法和优劣解距离(technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution,TOPSIS)法构建排土场生态修复效果综合评价模型,确定最终权重并进行综合评价。研究区排土场修复最优解决方案为: 工程措施采用平整覆土+挡水围堰+坡面整形+条播技术; 植被措施采用柳树+沙打旺+草木犀+苜蓿+冰草+老芒麦。研究表明,在矿山生态修复效果的成效评价中,使用定性加定量的评价方法,能更好地反映出生态修复效果,可为科学评价生态修复效果提供支撑。     

恒河流域地下水As中毒的特征及其对中国区域生态地球化学评价的启示

恒河流域地下水舡中毒事件始于20世纪80年代。通过对恒河流域地下水舡中毒例案的时空演变、生态效应和成因的分析，指出中国正在开展的区域生态地球化学评价应从恒河流域舡中毒事件中吸取教训，尤其应关注中国长江流域发现的Cd异常带。沿江各省应有全局观念，把长江流域作为一个整体，开展Cd异常的区域生态地球化学评价。     

Colorimetric determination of arsenic in geochemical samples

A colorimetric method and apparatus for the determination of arsenic in batches of geochemical survey samples is described. The powdered material can be digested with a perchloric/nitric acid mixture, or most conveniently by an HF/aqua regia attack utilizing aliquots from the same acid solution as used for routine multi-element atomic absorption analyses. Aliquots are treated with potassium iodide and stannous chloride to reduce arsenic to the trivalent state, and arsine is liberated by the action of zinc pellets. The arsine is absorbed in a solution of silver diethyldithiocarbamate in chloroform-quinoline, the reaction being carried out in batches using very simple, inexpensive apparatus which is easily constructed. Detection limits are variable according to aliquot quantities taken, but in routine use working ranges of 1–800 ppm As are readily achieved. Coefficient of variation is 6.6% at the 5 μg As level. The method is shown to be virtually free from matrix interferences commonly encountered in gossans, soils, rocks and many ores. At least 100 powdered samples can be analyzed per man-day.     

Application of geogrids in waste dump stability: a numerical modeling approach

Geosynthetic is widely used to reinforce the weak rock mass, mine waste dump, soil slopes road cut slopes, etc. The present paper discusses the effect of geogrids on the stability of mine waste dump. The stability of mine waste dump has been done by Fast Langrage Analysis of Continua (FLAC) slope software, which is based on finite difference method. Reinforcement by geogrids mainly depends on the tensile strength, aperture size of geogrids, and particle size distribution of dump rock mass. Different permutations and combinations of spacing between two geogrid sheets have been taken into consideration to study the stability of mine waste dump. The factor of safety is calculated to quantify the effect of geogrids on waste dump slope. It has been observed from numerical modeling that the maximum slope angle is 45° at a height of 10 m. The scope of increasing slope angle from 45 to 60° is evaluated using geogrids. It has been found from the study that the factor of safety increases as the spacing between geogrids decreases. Maximum strain is also plotted of each case to identify the slip circle. The positions of geogrids modify the probable slip circle or failure plane of mine waste dump. Using ten geogrids at a spacing of 1 m, the slope angle can be increased up to 60° with factor of safety of 1.4.     

Metal content and environmental risk assessment around high-altitude mine sites

Gold mining activities in Apolobamba area, northwest of La Paz, Bolivia have created serious environmental concern and great risk to human health. The current methods used to extract gold are too primitive resulting in metal contamination of soil and water. The objectives of this study were to: (1) determine the degree of metal pollution, and (2) assess the risk to human health and environment in the Apolobamba area. Soil, water, sediment samples, and mine spills were collected and analyzed. Metals including Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Hg concentrations were higher in surface soils than in subsurface soils indicating active atmospheric deposition of metals. Sediment samples had elevated levels of metals probably from mine spills discharged into the Sunchulli River. Surface soils in the Sunchulli community show the highest levels of Pb and Hg in all soil samples and may pose a risk to the health of the human population and environment.     

坦桑尼亚某矿区土壤地球化学特征与找矿远景分析

坦桑尼亚姆潘达地区矿产资源丰富,但地质工作程度较低。PL5141-1矿区内岩浆活动频繁、强烈,断裂构造发育,地表发现铬铁矿(化)点、钒钛磁铁矿点、铁锰矿化点、金矿化点、铜矿化点。该地区1∶50 000土壤地球化学分析数据显示Au、Cu、Cr异常明显,经过综合研究分析,认为该区具有寻找蚀变岩型和石英脉型Au、Cu矿体和铬铁矿的潜力。     

Use of sample color to estimate oxidized Fe content in mine waste rock

 Color, a readily perceived feature of natural earth materials, including mine waste, often represents compositional variation as a result of oxidative processes involving Fe. Near surface samples from excavated trenches in a mine-waste rock pile were collected to investigate the relationship between color and contents of Fe, Cu, and S. The silt+clay fraction (<0.05 mm) was isolated from recognizable colored material of the bulk sample for determination of pH, total and extractable Fe and Cu, and bulk mineralogy. Rock fragments within the pile exhibited coatings of crystalline gypsum and amorphous Fe. These coatings result from weathering (secondary products) and play important roles in surface reactions of waste rock piles, such as adsorption of anions (SO₄ ^2–) or coprecipitation of Fe with Cu. The correlation between color (Hurst method) and extractable Fe was high. Although color is influenced by site conditions such as original mineral composition, materials handling, weathering conditions etc., the results suggest that color measurements may provide an inexpensive and rapid estimation for secondary iron compounds and associated sorbed elements. Received: 5 April 1998 · Accepted: 30 June 1998     

排土场土石混合体分形特征与抗剪强度特性研究

露天矿山剥离堆积的土石混合体颗粒尺度不一,且力学性质异常复杂。以西藏甲玛铜矿南坑排土场为研究对象,采用现场勘测的方法测定堆积体的粒度组成及其分布特征,开展室内重塑土样的固结排水三轴压缩试验,以分析土体屈服强度特性与剪胀性,以及抗剪强度参数的取值。研究结果表明,自排土台阶坡顶至坡底,土石混合体的土粒减少且块石增多,颗粒的平均粒径呈指数关系增大;土体的粒度分布具有显著的分形结构特征,随块石含量的增大,其粒度分形维数减小。块石含量不同的土样在偏差应力作用下均表征出压密、屈服、塑性流动破坏的剪切特性,且围压条件与块石含量是影响土体剪切变形的两个关键因素,低围压时增加块石含量,土体更易产生剪胀。摩尔库伦强度准则能客观反映土体屈服的现象及过程,随块石含量的增加,土体的黏聚力呈线性减小且内摩擦角呈指数增大。     

高寒矿区软弱基底排土场边坡稳定性数值模拟

为研究青藏高原东北部高寒地区冻融条件下,软弱基底露天煤矿排土场边坡变形破坏模式和边坡极限堆载高度,本文以青海天峻祁连山北缘江仓露天煤矿排土场作为试验区,采用二维有限元法模拟分析了5种不同堆载高度工况下排土场边坡变形破坏模式,基于折减系数法确定排土场边坡安全系数和稳定性评价。分析结果表明:在容许堆载高度范围内,随着排土场边坡堆载高度的增加,排土场边坡位移量表现出显著增长的变化趋势,其水平方向与垂直方向最大位移量分别为1. 631 m和6. 320 m,当超过容许堆载高度范围,排土场边坡位移量发生突变,呈显著性降低的变化趋势,其位移量降低幅度为64. 27%～102. 32%;塑性变形区表现出沿排土场边坡承载基底位置处的草甸型软弱界面,向排土场边坡坡底位置扩展;剪应力在坡底位置处出现应力集中现象,且剪应力集中范围由边坡承载基底向上、向坡体内部扩展且呈连通趋势,其结果形成后缘拉裂、前缘剪切滑移的整体边坡变形破坏模式;排土场边坡安全系数随着堆载高度的增加表现出二次函数降低(R~2=0. 9896)的变化规律,当排土场边坡高度为65 m时,则达到边坡设计容许高度,且其安全系数为1. 25。本次研究所得到的排土场承载由草甸构成的软弱基底在坡底位置处的变形结果,与野外试验区边坡堆载作用下所形成的实际情况基本吻合。研究结果可为高寒矿区排土场边坡变形破坏科学防治,提高边坡稳定性研究,提供理论支撑依据和实际指导意义。