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.     

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.     

Mineralogical and geochemical characterization of precipitates on stream receiving acid mine water, Korea

Seasonal variations of water chemistry occurred in acid mine drainage receiving mine and leachate water. Sulfate and metal concentrations were low in winter but high in spring and summer. Mine waters were highly acidic (up to pH 3.4) in nature with high concentrations of manganese, copper and zinc but high electrical conductivity and sulfate in leachate. The blue and brownish yellow precipitates were formed under different chemical environments of acid mine drainage. Brownish yellow (Munsell color 7.5YR 8/12), blue (Munsell color 2.5B 9/7) and light blue (Munsell color 2.5B 9/3) precipitates deposited on the stream bottom receiving acid mine water. The brownish yellow precipitates formed in the acid mine water, whereas the blue and light blue precipitates formed in the leachate water. The brownish yellow precipitates consisted mainly of ferrihydrite, whereas the blue and light blue precipitates consisted of glaucocerinite and/or woodwardite.     

Mineralogical and geochemical signature of mine waste contamination, Tresillian River, Fal Estuary, Cornwall, UK

The mineralized district of SW England was one of the world's greatest mining areas, with mining commencing in the Bronze age, peaking in the 1850s to 1890s, but still continuing to the present day. Consequently, it is not surprising that mining has had a major impact on the environmental geochemistry of SW England. In this study, the mineralogical and geochemical signature of mine waste contamination within the Fal Estuary at Tresillian, Cornwall, has been examined. A pulse of mine waste contamination is recognized at approximately 50?cm below present day sediment surface. Sn, As, Cu, Pb, and Zn are all enriched within this contaminated interval with up to 1800 mg?kg^–1 Sn, 290 mg?kg^–1 As, 508 mg?kg^–1 Pb, 2210 mg?kg^–1 Zn, and 1380 mg?kg^–1 Cu. Within this interval, the dominant minerals present include chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite, pyrite, cassiterite, Fe–Ti oxides (ilmenite and ?rutile), wolframite, sphalerite, baryte, zircon, monazite, tourmaline and xenotime. In addition, man-made slag products commonly occur. The exact timing of the release of mine waste into the estuary is poorly constrained, but probably occurred during or immediately following the peak in mining activity in the nearby Camborne-Redruth district, which was between 1853 and 1893. The mine waste may have entered the estuary either via the Tresillian River and its tributaries or via Calenick Creek and the Truro River and/or the Carnon River which flows into Rostronguet Creek.     

Mineralogical controls on mine drainage of the abandoned Ervedosa tin mine in north-eastern Portugal

The Ervedosa Mine, in north-eastern Portugal, has Sn-bearing quartz veins containing cassiterite and sulphides that cut Silurian schists and a Sn-bearing muscovite granite. These veins were mined for Sn and As₂O₃ until 1969. Cassiterite, the main Sn ore, has alternate lighter and darker growth-zones. The darker zones are richer in Fe, Nb, Ta and Ti, but poorer in Sn than the adjoining lighter zones. Exsolution blebs of ferrocolumbite, manganocolumbite, Ti ixiolite, rutile, ilmenite and rare wolframite were found in the darker zones. Arsenopyrite is the most abundant sulphide and contains inclusions of pyrrhotite, bismuth, bismuthinite and matildite. Other sulphides are pyrite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite and stannite. Secondary solid phases consisting mainly of hydrate sulphate complexes of Al, Fe, Ca and Mg (aluminocopiapite, copiapite, halotrichite, pickeringite, gypsum and alunogen, meta-alunogen) occur at the surface of the Sn-bearing quartz veins and their wall rocks (granite and schist), while oxides, hydroxides, arsenates and residual mineral phases (albite, muscovite and quartz) occur in mining tailings. Toxic acid mine waters (acid mine drainage AMD), which have high conductivity and significant concentrations of As, SO₄ and metal (Cu, Zn, Pb, Fe, Mn, Cd, Ni and Co), occur in an area directly affected by the mine. Surface stream waters outside this area have low conductivity and a pH that is almost neutral. Metal and As concentrations are also lower. Stream waters within the impact area have an intermediate composition, falling between that of the AMD and the natural stream waters outside impact area. Waters associated directly with mineralised veins must not be used for human consumption or agriculture.     

Mineralogical and geochemical investigation of clay-rich mine tailings from a closed phosphate mine, Bartow Florida, USA

Clay-rich mine tailings from phosphate mine operations in Florida are a major environmental and economic problem. Options for reclamation and restoration for these tailings are very limited and are fundamentally restricted by poor physical properties such as low mechanical strength, low hydraulic conductivity, and heavy metal content. The major control on these bulk physical properties is the mineralogy of the materials. Eight continuous push borings were obtained to investigate stratigraphy, mineralogy, aspects of geochemistry, and bulk properties of a deposit of clay-rich mine tailings from a phosphate mine near Bartow, Florida that ceased operations in the early 1970s. Stratigraphy is dominated by laminated clay-rich sediment with minor units of silt and sand. An intact kaolinite liner occurs near the impoundment walls and the impoundment floor has approximately 4 m of relief. Moisture content varies from 4.35 to 57.40 wt% and organic content varies from 0.41 to 9.53 wt%. Bulk XRF investigation indicates that the P₂O₅ concentrations vary from approximately 4 to 21 wt%. A very strong correlation (r ² = 0.92) between CaO and P₂O₅ indicates that apatite is a major control on the phosphate. The strong correlation (r ² = 0.77) of Al₂O₃ and TiO₂ suggests that the source materials for this deposit are comparatively uniform. A number of heavy metal elements and trace elements occur. Cr, V, Ni, Cu are interpreted to be in phosphate minerals, largely apatite. Sr and Pb are interpreted to be in both phyllosilicates and phosphate minerals. Two populations of apatite were observed in the clay-sized fraction, one that was Fe and Si- bearing and another that was only Si-bearing. Fe-bearing apatite had Fe₂O₃ contents that varied from 0.38 to 5.32 wt% and SiO₂ contents that varied from 0.90 to 3.32 wt%. The other apatite population had a wider range of SiO₂ contents that varied from 0.77 to 8.80 wt%. TEM imaging shows that apatite grains are dominantly single crystals with lesser amounts of aggregates. Wavellite commonly occurs as individual or clusters of lath-like crystals and the chemical composition differs from the pure aluminium phosphate end member with average concentrations of components being that of CaO (1.57 wt%), Fe₂O₃ (1.98 wt%), SiO₂ (5.94 wt%). In the clay-sized phosphate minerals investigated no fluorine was found above detection limit (approximately 0.15 wt%), nor was any uranium, radium, heavy metal, or REE element detected. The phyllosilicate mineralogy of the deposit is dominated by smectite (montmorillonite with lesser amounts of nontronite), palygorskite, illite and kaolinite. No systematic variation in the relative proportions of phyllosilicates was observed in the clay deposit. Energy dispersive spectroscopy EDS analysis indicates that chemical compositions of phyllosilicates are somewhat typical but overall are enriched with respect to Fe compared to theoretical end members. The relative enrichment of Fe is interpreted to be a primary sedimentary feature. Ca content in smectite minerals is high and may inhibit stabilization using lime or similar methods. The high percentages of montmorillonite and palygorskite explain the high bulk water contents observed. This investigation provides fundamentally new details regarding clay tailing deposits from closed phosphate mines in central Florida which can be used in restoration and reclamation efforts.     

废弃煤矿废弃物地下灌注技术可行性探讨

为了降低废弃物及废弃煤矿对环境的污染,提出了废弃煤矿废弃物灌注技术的可行性。分析了可灌注废弃物的种类,讨论了目标地层的选择原则。提出采用可控充填、低压充填以及高压灌注等3阶段液力充填方法对废弃煤矿进行废弃物灌注。为保证工程顺利施工,需要检测灌注压力、压裂裂缝、地面隆起等情况,并控制灌注混合物的特性。初步分析表明,对废弃煤矿进行废弃物灌注具有技术可行性。     

Mineralogical attenuation for metallic remediation in a passive system for mine water treatment

Passive systems with constructed wetlands have been consistently used to treat mine water from abandoned mines. Long-term and cost-effective remediation is a crucial expectation for these water treatment facilities. To achieve that, a complex chain of physical, chemical, biological, and mineralogical mechanisms for pollutants removal must be designed to simulate natural attenuation processes. This paper aims to present geochemical and mineralogical data obtained in a recently constructed passive system (from an abandoned mine, Jales, Northern Portugal). It shows the role of different solid materials in the retention of metals and arsenic, observed during the start-up period of the treatment plant. The mineralogical study focused on two types of materials: (1) the ochre-precipitates, formed as waste products from the neutralization process, and (2) the fine-grained minerals contained in the soil of the wetlands. The ochre-precipitates demonstrated to be poorly ordered iron-rich material, which gave rise to hematite upon artificial heating. The heating experiments also provided mineralogical evidence for the presence of an associated amorphous arsenic-rich compound. Chemical analysis on the freshly ochre-precipitates revealed high concentrations of arsenic (51,867 ppm) and metals, such as zinc (1,213 ppm) and manganese (821 ppm), indicating strong enrichment factors relative to the water from which they precipitate. Mineralogical data obtained in the soil of the wetlands indicate that chlorite, illite, chlorite–vermiculite and mica–vermiculite mixed-layers, vermiculite, kaolinite and goethite are concentrated in the fine-grained fractions (<20 and <2 μm). The chemical analyses show that high levels of arsenic (up to 3%) and metals are also retained in these fractions, which may be enhanced by the low degree of order of the clay minerals as suggested by an XRD study. The obtained results suggest that, although the treatment plant has been receiving water only since 2006, future performance will be strongly dependent on these identified mineralogical pollutant hosts.     

Mineralogical constraints on the determination of neutralization potential and prediction of acid mine drainage

 Acid-base accounting tests, commonly used as a screening tool in acid mine drainage (AMD) predictions, have limitations in (1) measuring with confidence the amount of neutralizers present in samples and (2) affording an interpretation of what the test results mean in terms of predicting the occurrence of acid mine drainage. Aside from the analytical difficulties inherent to the conventional methods, a potential source of error in neutralization potential (NP) measurements is the contribution from the dissolution of non-carbonate minerals. Non-carbonate alkalinity measured during static tests may or may not be available to neutralize acidity produced in the field. In order to assess the value-added of extending the NP with the knowledge of mineralogical composition and evaluate potential sources of errors in NP measurements, a suite of samples were examined and characterized in terms of their mineralogical and chemical compositions. The results indicate that although the acid-base accounting tests work well for simple compositions, the tests may result in overestimation or underestimation of NP values for field samples. Mineralogical constraint diagrams relating NP determinations to Ca, Mg and CO₂ concentrations were developed with the purpose to serve as supplementary guides to conventional static tests in identifying possible NP contributions from non-carbonate minerals and checking the quality of the chemical testing results. Mineralogical NP makes it possible to interpret the meaning of NP results and to assess the behaviour of samples over time by predicting the onset of AMD and calculating NP values for individual size fractions. Received: 1 June 1998 · Accepted: 6 October 1998     

Evaluation of phosphate fertilizers for ameliorating acid mine waste

The aim of the study was to determine whether the application of bulk industrial chemicals (potassium permanganate and water-soluble phosphate fertilizer) to partly oxidized, polyminerallic mine wastes can inhibit sulfide oxidation, and metal and metalloid mobility. The acid producing waste rocks were metal (Pb, Zn, Cu) and metalloid (As, Sb) rich and consisted of major quartz, dickite, illite, and sulfide minerals (e.g., galena, chalcopyrite, tetrahedrite, sphalerite, pyrite, arsenopyrite), as well as minor to trace amounts of pre- and post-mining oxidation products (e.g., hydrated Fe, Cu, Pb, and alkali mineral salts). SEM-EDS observations of treated waste material showed that metal, metal–alkali, and alkali phosphate coatings developed on all sulfides. The abundance of phosphate phases was dependant on the fertilizer type and the availability of metal and alkali cations in solution. In turn, the release of cations was dependent on the amount of sulfide oxidation induced by KMnO₄ during the experiment and the dissolution of soluble sulfates. Mn, Ca, Fe, and Pb phosphates remained stable during H₂O₂ leaching, preventing acid generation and metal release. In contrast, the lack of complete phosphate coating on arsenopyrite allowed oxidation and leaching of As to proceed. The mobilized As did not form phosphate phases and consequently, As displayed the greatest release from the coated waste. Thus, the application of KMnO₄ and the water-soluble phosphate fertilizer Trifos (Ca(H₂PO₄)₂) to partly oxidized, polyminerallic mine wastes suppresses sulfide oxidation and is most effective in inhibiting Cu, Pb, and Zn (Sb) release. However, the technique appears ineffective in suppressing oxidation of arsenopyrite and preventing As leaching.     

Mineralogical controls on environmental mobility of arsenic from historic mine processing residues,New Zealand

Processing of arsenopyrite ore took place at Blackwater Au mine, New Zealand, between 1908 and 1951 and no rehabilitation was undertaken after mine closure. High As concentrations in solid processing residues (up to 40 wt% As) are due to secondary As minerals. Site pH regimes vary from 4.1 to circum-neutral. Originally, all processed As was present as arsenolite (arsenic trioxide polymorph, As^III), a by-product of arsenopyrite roasting. Near the roaster, scorodite precipitated as a result of the high dissolved As concentration during arsenolite dissolution. The formation of scorodite has two major consequences. Firstly, the scorodite precipitate cements the ground in the vicinity of the roaster area, thereby creating an impermeable surface crust (up to 30 wt% As) and encapsulating weathered arsenolite grains within the cement. Secondly, formation of scorodite temporarily immobilizes some of the dissolved As that is generated during nearby arsenolite dissolution. Where all the available arsenolite has dissolved, scorodite becomes soluble, and the dissolved As concentrations are controlled by scorodite solubility, which is at least two orders of magnitudes lower than arsenolite solubility. Downstream Eh conditions fall below the As^V/As^III boundary, so that scorodite does not precipitate and dissolved As concentrations are controlled by arsenolite solubility. Dissolved As reaches up to 52 mg/L in places, and exceeds the current WHO drinking water guideline of 0.01 mg/L by 5200 times. This study shows that dissolved As concentrations in discharge waters at historic mine sites are dependent on the processing technology and associated mineralogy.     

Mineralogical and geochemical characterization of listwaenite from the Semail Ophiolite, Oman

The late Cretaceous-lower Tertiary hydrothermal alteration of serpentinized peridotite in the Semail ophiolite has formed two distinct types of listwaenite. Type I is characterized by the presence of calcite (Type IA) or dolomite (Type IB)+fuchsite±spinel. Type II is dominated by silicate minerals (quartz, chlorite, fuchsite)±calcite+dolomite±magnetite±apatite±plagioclase. Most listwaenites occur as veins along thrust fault zones within the ophiolite mélange. High Cr and Ni contents, abundant occurrence of Cr-spinel within a matrix of red-brown ferruginous carbonates within a micro-vein network of goethite, and the relics of mesh texture indicate an ultramafic protolith. Type I and II listwaenites represent different stages of hydrothermal alteration. The mineralogical and chemical distinctions of both types are the response to the extent of the reactions between the protoliths and the solutions leading to different stages of metasomatic replacement. The hydrothermal fluids involved in the formation of Type I listwaenite were enriched in Ca, Mg, and CO₂, whereas Type II listwaenite bodies were formed from a hydrothermal fluid enriched in SiO₂. REE and trace elements in both listwaenite types were extracted in part from adjoining peridotite. No Au anomaly in the study areas has been detected.     

An investigation of aspects of mine waste from a kyanite mine,Central Virginia,USA

Kyanite Mining Corporation, located in Dillwyn, Virginia has been in operation for over 50 years and their local operation is the largest kyanite mine in the world. As part of the processing at this location, a magnetic separate is generated and a minimum estimation of 3.57 million tons of waste has accumulated. Currently no use for the magnetic separate has been identified. We investigated eight representative samples of the magnetic mine waste which varied in color from a dark tan to black, to determine if the waste could be recycled as an ore or could be used as an environmental media. Mineralogical investigations indicate the composition of the magnetic mine waste is dominated by magnetite, kyanite, lesser amounts of hematite and charcoal. Magnetite occurs as fine grained crystals and as inclusions in kyanite. Hematite occurs largely as botryoidal textures, as discrete grains, and as coatings on kyanite grains. Fe-oxide spheres ranging in diameter from approximately 5–100 μm are common and may compose up to 10% in some samples. Titanium dioxide was rarely observed as coatings on silicate mineral grains. Energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis on magnetite crystals indicates they have end-member compositions. Bulk property investigations indicate that grain size distributions of samples are primarily unimodal with 20–40% of material being between 0.600 and 0.250 mm. Hydraulic conductivity values of samples investigated vary between 0.0036 and 0.0077 cm/s and are broadly consistent with those expected of sands with similar grain size distributions. In addition to the magnetic waste stream a light blue, water soluble, amorphous Cu sulfate occurs as a coating on surfaces of boulders. The coating is composed of rounded interlocking particles 5–60 μm in diameter. This material is of some environmental concern for freshwater invertebrates, but can be managed using sorption media. Hyperspectral data were gathered of the magnetic separate, kyanite ore samples, and the light blue Cu sulfate. The signatures of the kyanite ore, the blue mineral coating, and a mixture of the two provide spectral fingerprints that an imaging spectrometer could exploit for rapid detection and subsequent environmental monitoring.     

Effects of fluid resistance in the mine waste dam-break problem

A characteristic common to most mine tailings dam failures is that the mine tailings tend to liquefy and flow over substantial distances, with the potential for extensive damage to property and life. In order to be able to assess the potential for damage in case of such a failure, it is necessary to be able to predict the characteristics of the flow and the possible extent of flood movement. A procedure that has some potential for such flow analyses is described in this paper. When fluid resistanceis neglected, the solution of the simple dam-break problem is readily found using the shallow water theory. However, near the head of the mine waste dam-break flood wave the laminar resistance resistance effects are appreciable. In this paper the retardation of the wave-front behind the position predicted by the inviscid shallow water theory is found.     

Dating of mine waste in lacustrine sediments using cesium-137

For over a century Medicine Lake in northern Idaho has received heavy-metal-laden tailings from the Coeur d'Alene mining district. Establishing the depositional chronology of the lake bottom sediments provides information on the source and rate of deposition of the tailings. Cesium-137, an isotope produced in the atmosphere by nuclear bomb tests, was virtually absent in the environment prior to 1951, but reached its apex in 1964. Our analysis of cesium-137 in the sediments of Medicine Lake revealed that 14 cm of fine-grained tailings were deposited in the lake from 1951 to 1964 and tailing deposition downstream was greatly reduced by the installation of tailings dams in the district in 1968. Cesium-137 analysis is accomplished by a fairly simple gamma-ray counting technique and should be a valuable tool for analyzing sedimentation in any lacustrine environment that was active during the 1950s and 1960s.     

Study of Ni sorption onto Tio mine waste rock surfaces

Sorption phenomena are known to play significant roles in metal mobility in mine drainage waters. The present study focuses on sorption phenomena controlling Ni concentrations in contaminated neutral drainage issued from the waste rock piles of the Tio mine, a hematite–ilmenite deposit near Havre-Saint-Pierre, Québec, Canada exploited by Rio Tinto Iron and Titanium. Batch sorption tests were conducted on waste rock samples of different composition and degree of alteration, as well as on the main mineral phases purified from the waste rocks. Sorbed phases were submitted to sequential extractions, XPS and DRIFT studies for further interpretation of sorption phenomena. The results from the present study confirm that sorption phenomena play a significant role in the Tio mine waste rocks, and that the main sorbent phases are the residual ilmenite ore in waste rocks, as well as plagioclase, the main gangue mineral. Sequential extractions suggest that most sorption sites are associated with reducible fractions, and XPS results indicate that Ni is sorbed as the hydroxide Ni(OH)₂. The results from the present study provide useful information on sorption phenomena involved in the Tio mine waste rocks and enable further interpretation of Ni geochemistry in contaminated neutral drainage.     

Bioleaching potential of bacterial communities in historic mine waste areas

Microbial activity has the potential to alter all cultural heritage in mining and metallurgy, due to metal mobilization by leaching. This communication shows the consequences of the bioleaching ability of two natural enrichments on copper slag samples from a historic ore smelting site in Sangerhausen (Mansfeld, Südharz, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany). Enrichment cultures gained from mine drainage were dominated by either the iron and sulfur-oxidizing Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans, or by the iron-oxidizing Leptospirillum. During 35 days of bioleaching in media containing copper slag pulp, inoculated with these enrichments, the change in pH and solubilized metal concentrations of the systems were monitored. Both bacterial strains were completely different from each other in their pattern of pH variation and rates of metal solubilization. The maximum removal of Cu (1725 mg/l) and Zn (715 mg/l) from copper slag substrate was achieved with enrichment culture of A. ferrivorans SCUT-1. However, maximum Mn (207 mg/l), Pb (86 mg/l), and Ni (75 mg/l) removal was observed with enrichment culture of Leptospirillum strain YQP-1. Implications for metal mobilization along with alteration of artifacts from not only historic mining areas but also aspects of decontamination and remediation are discussed.