A statistical model to relate pyrite oxidation and oxygen transport within a coal waste pile: case study,Alborz Sharghi,northeast of Iran

This paper presents a statistical model for predicting pyrite fraction remaining in a coal waste pile at the Alborz Sharghi coal mine located at northeast of Iran. This model calculates the fraction of pyrite remaining using mole fraction of oxygen diffused into the pore spaces of the pile and the pile depth. Comparison of the statistical outputs revealed that a second-order polynomial expression with respect to oxygen mole fraction and depth provides a better correspondence to the field measurements for the fraction of pyrite remaining with a RMSE of 0.089231. Besides, two statistical relationships have been proposed for the remaining pyrite fraction and the mole fraction of oxygen versus the pile depth. A quadratic polynomial shows the best correlation of the field measured data. The suggested models were successfully validated with the acceptable confidence levels of 92 and 90 % for remaining pyrite and oxygen using a new data set which revealed the fact that they can be applied in similar situations. Both statistical analysis and field data indicate that the pyrite oxidation process is limited to the shallower depths of the waste pile where the mole fraction of oxygen decreased rapidly.     

Investigation of pyrite oxidation and acid mine drainage characterization associated with Razi active coal mine and coal washing waste dumps in the Azad shahr–Ramian region,northeast Iran

Acid mine drainage (AMD) pollution is considered to be the most serious water pollution problem in mining areas. AMD containing iron sulfates and other components can affect the receiving water bodies. Pyrite oxidation and AMD generation can be considered as important processes that may take place in the wastes produced by coal mining and coal washing operations in the Golestan province (northeast Iran). The study area is characterized by appropriate atmospheric conditions that favor pyrite oxidation and the presence of a large amount of water bodies. This study attempts to consider pyrite oxidation and AMD generation in the Azad shahr–Ramian region. The impact of AMD on the quality of the surface water bodies was investigated by taking samples and analyzing them for hydro-geochemical parameters. Stiff and Piper diagrams were used to represent chemical analyses of water samples. The coal samples taken from different depths at four points on two different coal waste dumps were analyzed to find the fraction of pyrite that remained in the waste particles to investigate the pyrite oxidation process. A computational fluid dynamic package called PHOENICS was used to model pyrite oxidation process numerically. The results obtained from the geochemical analyses of water and coal samples and numerical simulation show pyrite oxidation and acid generation in the region. However, the presence of carbonate rocks raised the pH of the water samples. The drainages of the Razi mine may be recognized as natural alkaline mine drainages.     

Hydrogeologic and environmental impact of amjhore pyrite mines,India

Drainage from active and inactive pyrite mines has produced chemical and physical pollution of both ground- and surface water in Amjhore region. In the present case, chemical pollution is caused by exposing pyrite minerals to oxidation or leaching, resulting in undesirable concentrations of dissolved materials. Pyrite mining suddenly exposed large quantities of sulfides to direct contact with oxygen, and oxidation proceeds rapidly, resulting in acidity and release of metal (Fe) and sulfates to the water system, eventually resulting in water pollution in the region. The magnitude and impact of the problem is just being recognized and, as the present and the future projected demand for clean water is of top priority, the present studies were undertaken.Mine drainage includes water flowing from the surface and underground mines and runoff or seepage from the pyrite mines. This article describes the various hydrologic factors that control acid water formation and its transport. The mine drainage is obviously a continuing source of pollution and, therefore, remedial measures mainly consisting of a double-stage limestone-lime treatment technique have been suggested. The present results will be used to develop an alternative and more effective abatement technology to mitigate acid production at the source, namely, the technique of revegetation of the soil cover applied to the waste mine dump material.Water quality change is discussed in detail, with emphasis on acidity formed from exposed pyrite material and on increase in dissolved solids. Preventive and treatment measures are recommended.     

煤矸石山周围地下水污染状况

以焦作市演马矿煤矸石山为对象,采集该处新鲜和风化煤矸石以及附近地下水样品,检测其中Cl^-、SO^2-₄、苯并(a)芘、Mn等22种污染物的含量,并采用超标倍数法和实测浓度法对地下水受污染状况进行分析研究。地下水中污染物含量与煤矸石山距离呈负相关,且在丰水期和枯水期存在一定差异。     

Specification and prediction of nickel mobilization using artificial intelligence methods

Groundwater and soil pollution from pyrite oxidation, acid mine drainage generation, and release and transport of toxic metals are common environmental problems associated with the mining industry. Nickel is one toxic metal considered to be a key pollutant in some mining setting; to date, its formation mechanism has not yet been fully evaluated. The goals of this study are 1) to describe the process of nickel mobilization in waste dumps by introducing a novel conceptual model, and 2) to predict nickel concentration using two algorithms, namely the support vector machine (SVM) and the general regression neural network (GRNN). The results obtained from this study have shown that considerable amount of nickel concentration can be arrived into the water flow system during the oxidation of pyrite and subsequent Acid Drainage (AMD) generation. It was concluded that pyrite, water, and oxygen are the most important factors for nickel pollution generation while pH condition, SO₄, HCO₃, TDS, EC, Mg, Fe, Zn, and Cu are measured quantities playing significant role in nickel mobilization. SVM and GRNN have predicted nickel concentration with a high degree of accuracy. Hence, SVM and GRNN can be considered as appropriate tools for environmental risk assessment.     

Atmospheric oxidation of the pyritic waste rock in Maardu, Estonia. 1 field study and modelling

 A field survey and modelling of the oxidation and carbonate buffering reactions inside the alum-shale-containing waste rock dumps located in Maardu, Estonia, was accomplished. In the slope areas, the shale has been altered at high temperatures due to the spontaneous combustion and the pyritic acidity has been eliminated through migration of SO_x gases out from the dump. In the central parts of the waste rock plateaus, low temperature pyrite oxidation fronts develop towards the dump depth and towards the centres of individual shale lumps. The main secondary phases precipitating in the weathering profile are gypsum, ferric oxyhydroxide, K-jarosite and smectite. The respective field data made it possible to calibrate the two-stage oxygen diffusion model and the characteristic pyrite oxidation rate 0.06–0.08 mol of pyrite reacted per kg of available water (pyrox/H₂O value) was estimated to describe the first tens of years of dump performance. The model is capable to compare different shale disposal strategies that are illustrated with two case scenarios. The buffering of sulphuric acid by Mg-calcite appears to be an incongruent reaction with gypsum precipitating that leads to the build-up of the high Mg/Ca ratio in the leachate. Application of the Mg/Ca method estimates the pyrox/H₂O value in the range of 0.05–0.14 mol/kg. Received: 26 January 1999 · Accepted: 23. February 1999     

An analytical assessment on the impact of covers on the onset of air convection in mine wastes

If a mine waste pile is left open, an active chemical reaction of oxidation is often found due to the commonly high content of pyritic materials. The oxidation of pyrites is an exothermic process and the released heat will promote the flow of fresh oxygen from the surrounding atmosphere into the waste dump. As a result, oxidation reaction will accelerate and temperature within the dump can increase to as high as 60°C above the ambient temperature. The oxidation process also releases sulphuric acid and hydrogen ions into ground water to cause water contamination. Low‐permeability covers such as clay liners have been recently proposed to abate the oxidation process in mine wastes. The effectiveness of using low‐permeability materials to cover mine wastes in order to suppress the pyrite oxidation is examined. By conducting the theoretical analysis of the onset of convective air flow within waste rocks, the conditions under which soil gas flow is significant are identified. By comparing the results with previous field measurements and theoretical analysis for the uncovered conditions, it is shown that low‐permeability covers can effectively suppress soil gas flow and slow down the pyrite oxidation process in mine wastes. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effective diffusion and microbiologic activity as constraints describing pyrite oxidation in abandoned lignite mines

This paper reports detailed O₂ measurements of pyrite bearing sediments in a column study and their interpretation based on a hydrogeochemical modelling approach. The research focuses on the quantitative effects of effective diffusion and microbiologic activity on pyrite weathering and acidification. A column experiment was set up and O₂ saturation and moisture contents were monitored over 100 days. The anoxic material used for the column experiment was taken from a sediment core of a mining waste dump in the southern periphery of the Lohsa storage system in the Lusatia region of Germany. The measured O₂ breakthrough curves were modelled using the simulator SAPY, a one-dimensional reactive transport code which considers the kinetics of chemical reactions and the delivery of O₂ into the sediment. The simulation yielded a strong dependence of pyrite oxidation on the moisture content which was quantified by an empirical equation. It was shown that the oxidation rate was catalysed by microbial activity exceeding the rate of diffusive O₂ delivery. In order to develop a management tool for predictive issues the results have already been applied to natural environments in another study using the adapted model.     

Mine waste dumps and heavy metal pollution in abandoned mining district of Boccheggiano (Southern Tuscany, Italy)

 Mining activity in the Boccheggiano-Fontalcinaldo area (Southern Tuscany) dates back at least to the 16th century AD and lasted up to very recent times. Copper-rich hydrothermal veins, massive pyrite deposits, and their gossans were exploited. Two mine waste dumps (Fontalcinaldo, Fontebona), one flotation tailings impoundment (Gabellino), and one roasting/smelting waste dump (Merse-Ribudelli) in the study area were selected to ascertain the environmental effects of such protracted mining activity. Primary waste mineralogy is mainly characterized by pyrite, gypsum, quartz, carbonates, chlorites, and micas. Secondary oxidation mineralogy includes Fe and Cu sulfates and hydroxy sulfates, Cu carbonates, Fe and Al oxyhydroxides, and other phases [neogenic cassiterite at Fontalcinaldo; probable calkinsite, (Ce,La)₂(CO₃)₃· 4H₂O, at Fontebona]. Mine waste samples show extremely variable contents of toxic elements (Cu, Pb, Zn, Bi, Cd, As), with average values in the order of hundreds to thousands of parts per million (except for Bi and Cd). In some samples, the abundance of proper minerals of these metals cannot account for the entire metal load. Conceivably, either solid solution substitutions or adsorption processes contribute to the intake of released metals into newly formed minerals. Release and transport of pollutants was affected to variable degrees by acid-neutralization processes. The highest metal and acid concentrations occur close to the investigated wastes and rapidly decrease moving downstream some hundreds of meters or less, with the partial exception for Mn and Fe. Other than dilution effects, this phenomenon may be ascribed to metal adsorption and precipitation of solid phases. Received: 16 April 1995 · Accepted: 14 December 1995     

ODM: an analytical solution-based tool for reacting oxygen diffusion modelling in mine spoils

A simple one-dimensional analytical solution is presented to model oxygen diffusion through the pore space of mine spoils containing pyrite. The model incorporates volumetric oxygen consumption terms due to pyrite oxidation, oxidation of Fe ²⁺ to Fe ³⁺ and bacterial activity. Based on this analytical solution, a graphical user interface (GUI) tool is programmed and designed in MATLAB software. This tool can be used to model transport of oxygen through the mine spoils either with or without a cap. Results of several simulation scenarios of sensitivity analysis showed a significant change in oxygen concentration with varying effective diffusion coefficient of oxygen transport model and simulation time. Efficiency and flexibility of the tool developed here is verified by modelling oxygen transport through the pore space of a coal waste pile (case A) and a copper mine tailings (case B). Maximum depth of oxygen diffusion is obtained approximately equal to 2 and 1.5 m through the cases A and B, respectively.     

Progressive oxidation of pyrite in five bituminous coal samples: An As XANES and Fe Mössbauer spectroscopic study

Naturally occurring pyrite commonly contains minor substituted metals and metalloids (As, Se, Hg, Cu, Ni, etc.) that can be released to the environment as a result of its weathering. Arsenic, often the most abundant minor constituent in pyrite, is a sensitive monitor of progressive pyrite oxidation in coal. To test the effect of pyrite composition and environmental parameters on the rate and extent of pyrite oxidation in coal, splits of five bituminous coal samples having differing amounts of pyrite and extents of As substitution in the pyrite, were exposed to a range of simulated weathering conditions over a period of 17 months. Samples investigated include a Springfield coal from Indiana (whole coal pyritic S = 2.13 wt.%; As in pyrite = detection limit (d.l.) to 0.06 wt.%), two Pittsburgh coal samples from West Virginia (pyritic S = 1.32–1.58 wt.%; As in pyrite = d.l. to 0.34 wt.%), and two samples from the Warrior Basin, Alabama (pyritic S = 0.26–0.27 wt.%; As in pyrite = d.l. to 2.72 wt.%). Samples were collected from active mine faces, and expected differences in the concentration of As in pyrite were confirmed by electron microprobe analysis. Experimental weathering conditions in test chambers were maintained as follows: (1) dry Ar atmosphere; (2) dry O₂ atmosphere; (3) room atmosphere (relative humidity ∼20–60%); and (4) room atmosphere with samples wetted periodically with double-distilled water. Sample splits were removed after one month, nine months, and 17 months to monitor the extent of As and Fe oxidation using As X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy and ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, respectively. Arsenic XANES spectroscopy shows progressive oxidation of pyritic As to arsenate, with wetted samples showing the most rapid oxidation. ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy also shows a much greater proportion of Fe³⁺ forms (jarosite, Fe³⁺ sulfate, FeOOH) for samples stored under wet conditions, but much less difference among samples stored under dry conditions in different atmospheres. The air-wet experiments show evidence of pyrite re-precipitation from soluble ferric sulfates, with As retention in the jarosite phase. Extents of As and Fe oxidation were similar for samples having differing As substitution in pyrite, suggesting that environmental conditions outweigh the composition and amount of pyrite as factors influencing the oxidation rate of Fe sulfides in coal.     

Evaluation of the long term groundwater pollution by the open cast lignite mine Jänschwalde (Germany)

The reconstruction of the hydrogeochemical composition of the dumps in the active Lusatian lignite mining region is necessary to forecast the acid mine drainage into the residual lakes and the natural groundwater systems. Therefore, a three-dimensional geochemical model of the Jänschwalde dump was developed. By analysing the geological situation and the mining technology, it is possible to calculate the pyrite oxidation in different parts of the mine (groundwater lowering in front of the mine, natural and dump slopes, marginal pits and the dump surface).Only 4% of the total pyrite content is oxidised during the mining process within its time of operation (43 years). The major fraction (about 60%) is oxidised on the surface of the dumps, whereas the other zones contribute less to the production of acidity (groundwater lowering 5.4%, short term exposed slopes (1.2% natural slopes; 7.4% dump slopes) and 22.4% inclusion of O₂ during the tipping). It may be concluded that the technology of conveyor belt bridges, combined with the selective tipping of loamy sediments on the surface is very favourable to minimise the oxidation of pyrite. It is also shown that in the open cast mine of Jänschwalde the buffer capacity of the carbonate dominates over the produced acid.     

煤矿塌陷区覆土造地综合研究——以新庄孜矿为例

以新庄孜矿为例,针对覆土造地过程中,煤矸石充填可能带来的重金属元素的迁移污染作了相关分析。采用煤矸石充填塌陷区,既减少矸石山占地面积,又能在塌陷区覆土造地;同时,填埋矸石有利于保护环境,防止环境污染,具有较大的经济效益、社会效益和环境效益,对淮南矿区覆土造地及工农业持续发展具有重要的示范意义。      

煤矿集中开采区水环境污染源类型及防治对策——以贵州毕节织河矿区为例

在水文地质、环境地质调查,水样采样测试的基础上,研究了贵州二叠系龙潭组煤矿集中开采区的水环境污染源分类.调查和测试结果表明,研究区污染源可分为生产矿井疏干排水、采空区积水溢流、矸石堆和堆煤场的淋滤液三类,并详细分析了各类污染源的排泄方式、污染途径和污染程度,有针对性的提出了防治对策.其研究成果能为贵州煤矿集中开采区的水污染治理提供科学依据.     

滇东北镇雄硫磺矿区环境地质问题及其对策与意义

硫磺渣是硫磺矿区主要的矿业固废,其随意堆放可产生一系列的环境地质问题,并对山水林田湖草等自然资源、环境及人的健康构成较大危害。滇东北地区长期以硫铁矿为原料、以煤炭为燃料,土法炼硫生产硫磺,导致巨量硫磺渣堆积,产生了严重的环境地质问题。本文针对该地区镇雄县硫磺矿区,调查了小硫磺生产形成硫磺渣的规模和特征,梳理了该硫磺矿区主要环境地质问题及其对当地生态环境的影响,认为目前镇雄硫磺矿区存在的环境污染、自然资源破坏及可能形成的矿渣性泥石流等环境地质现状与过去40多年的小硫磺生产密切相关。基于以上认识,强调应结合矿业固废无害化、减量化和资源化技术政策,从资源回收利用、生态环境恢复、地质灾害防治和文化遗产保护方面探讨和提出镇雄硫磺矿区矿渣治理和生态修复的新理念和新对策。     

Organic components in thermally altered coal waste: Preliminary petrographic and geochemical investigations

The petrographic and geochemical composition of coal wastes exposed to fire in the minestone dump of Piekary Ślą¹skie town (Upper Silesia, Poland) was investigated using samples collected at various distances from a recent fire site. The question as to whether geochemical biomarker maturity parameters could be applied to assess thermal changes in organic matter caused by waste dump fires, was examined using the data obtained. Geochemical parameters were correlated with observed petrographic changes in the organic matter caused by oxidation and heating. Petrographic analyses included the determination of maceral group contents (vitrinite, liptinite and inertinite), mineral matter and coke contents, and reflectance measurements on organic matter. All results were supported by proximate and ultimate analyses. Geochemical analysis included ultrasonic solvent extraction of bitumen followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) of the extracts. In petrographic terms, the influence of heating was seen in reflectance variations and as oxidation rims, cracks, pores and coke development. Some zoned oxidation rims may be interpreted as re-heating episodes. In terms of chemical fingerprints, less thermally-stable compounds such as lighter n-alkanes, cyclic isoprenoids, methyl- and dimethylnaphthalenes, methyphenanthrenes and five-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were destroyed or evaporated in the most fire-affected material. The presence/absence of particular compound groups was used to assess heating temperatures. Biomarker parameters of thermal maturity were used to assess alterations in organic matter around the waste dump fires, especially those indices and ratios with higher maturity ranges, e.g. (3-methylbiphenyl + 4-methylbiphenyl)/dibenzofurane and Σdimethylbiphenyls/Σmethyldibenzofuranes.     

重庆韦家沟矸石山滑坡成因分析

对韦家沟老矸石山进行勘察、研究,分析了矸石山的滑坡成因机制,揭示出特殊堆积散体构成、排弃地点条件、排弃强度等因素造成矸石山特殊堆积特征,导致矸石山具有二元空间结构、堆积地点水文地质条件改变、可能失稳滑动方式形成及呈现自组织临界性等性状,进而影响着矸石山稳定性的变化发展。在此基础上,采用极限分析上限法及数值模拟分析评价矸石山的稳定性,最后根据分析结果,提出相应的矸石山滑坡灾害防治措施。文章将定性分析与定量计算相结合,研究方法及结论可为类似矸石山地质灾害防治提供参考。     

Geophysical Surveys over Karst Recharge Features,Illinois,USA

Karst aquifers supply a significant fraction of the world's drinking water. These types of aquifers are alsohighly susceptible to pollution from the surface with recharge usually occurring through fractures and solution openings at the bedrock surface. Thickness of the protective soil cover, macropores and openings within the soil cover, and the nature of the weathered bedrock surface all influence infiltration. Recharge openings at the bedrock surface, however, are often covered by unconsolidated sediments, resulting in the inadvertent placement of landfills, unregulated dump sites, tailing piles, waste lagoons and septic systems over recharge zones. In these settings surface geophysical surveys, calibrated by a few soil cores, could be employed to identify these recharge openings, and qualitatively assess the protection afforded by the soil cover. In a test of this hypothesis, geophysical measurements accurately predicted the thickness of unconsolidated deposits overlying karstic dolomite at a site ab     

Chemical modelling of the groundwater composition in aquifers affected by lignite mine dumps discharge (surface mine Inden,Germany)

The oxidation of pyrite results in sulphate concentrations from 1,300 to 2,000 mg/l in the dump water of the open cast mine Inden, which is located in Germany. Under near-neutral pH and reduced redox conditions, precipitation of siderite (FeCO₃) retains up to 85% of the pre-liberated ferrous iron, so that iron concentrations in the dump water are relatively low as compared to the concentrations of sulphate. The highly mineralised dump water will enter the aquifer system northwards of Inden during the next centuries. This area is used intensely for water extraction. Model calculations show that there will be no problem of acidification in the adjacent aquifer system and, therefore, no problem of high heavy metal concentrations during the next centuries. The most important problem will be high sulphate concentrations in the groundwater. Besides dispersion and diffusion, there are no chemical mechanisms that lower the sulphate concentrations downstream. On the basis of the simulations, sulphate plumes of about 1–2 km in width and up to 15 km in length are expected. Within the core of these plumes, sulphate concentrations will be above the drinking water limits.     

Experimental and numerical study of pollution process in an aquifer in relation to a garbage dump field

The water quality of shallow aquifers that have direct relationship to human heath and ecological safety has been seriously threatened by widespread dumping of industrial solid waste, urban and rural garbage. A garbage dump field with hydrogeological, environ-geological characteristics typical of the Beijing plain was selected for investigation. A hydrogeological model was constructed and the equations used to describe pollutant transport in one-dimensional (1D) steady, uniform groundwater flow to investigate the transport/diffusion processes. In addition to the coefficients for calculation, diffusion coefficient and other coefficients of the aquifer were obtained by conducting in situ diffusion experiments and sample tests. Velocity and scope of pollutant transport/diffusion process were calculated. Accordingly, the real pollution situation in the aquifer was evaluated through in situ drilling and sample testing. Transport/diffusion processes of pollutants within the aquifer abide by the solute equation applicable to 1D steady flow. The transport and diffusion dominate in the direction of groundwater flowing at a speed of about 120 m per year. Comparably, the lateral diffusive width is much smaller. Pollution degree decreases by the law of Y=1.08 exp(33.533/X), where Y is the distance from the garbage dump field and X is the overall pollution index.