An evaluation of copper remobilization from mine tailings in sulfidic environments

A laboratory-based assessment of copper remobilization from Cu-rich mine tailings exposed to anoxic, sulfide rich waters was performed. The results from incubation experiments, conducted over a 20 day period, were compared to thermodynamic modelling calculations of copper speciation in sulfidic waters. The tailings materials were observed to react rapidly with added sulfide, consuming 159 μmol HS⁻ g⁻¹ (dry wt) within a 24 h period. The consumption of sulfide was attributed to a two stage process involving the reduction of Fe-hydroxy phases by sulfide followed by reaction with available Fe²⁺ and Cu²⁺ resulting in the formation Fe- and Cu-sulfide phases. During incubation experiments, the dissolved copper concentrations in the absence of sulfide were approximately 0.31 μmol l⁻¹, whereas in the presence of sulfide (0.5–5 mM) concentrations were typically 0.24 μmol l⁻¹. The experiments did not indicate enhanced solubility owing to the formation of soluble copper sulfide species. The predictions (based on the most recent thermodynamic data for aqueous Cu-sulfide and Cu-polysulfide species) did not accurately explain the laboratory observations. Model predictions were greatly influenced by the assumptions made about the oxidation state of copper under anoxic conditions and the solid sulfide phase controlling copper solubility. The study emphasizes the limitations of modelling copper speciation in sulfidic waters and the need for laboratory or field verification of predictions.     

尾砂胶结充填体损伤模型及与岩体的匹配分析

分别对灰砂配比为1:4,1:8,1:10和1:12的4种尾砂胶结充填体进行了力学试验,得出了其应力-应变曲线。分析了不同配比充填体变形与破坏特征,用损伤力学建立了4种不同配比充填体损伤本构方程。经验算对比,所建立的损伤本构方程与试验结果吻合。尾砂胶结充填体损伤研究表明,不同配比的充填体表现出不同的损伤特性,充填体配比越低,达到峰值应力时的损伤值越小;峰值应力后,损伤增长越快,破坏过程越突然。根据岩体开挖释放能量与充填体蓄积应变能相近的原则,探讨了充填体与岩体的合理匹配。充填体与岩体的匹配系数与原岩应力、岩体弹性模量、充填体弹性模量及充填体损伤参数相关。为了便于工程实际应用,对充填体力学试验结果进行了回归分析,得出了充填体强度设计公式,并研究了深部矿床不同开采深度所要求的充填体强度。     

Morphological evolution of a well‐constrained,subaerial–subaqueous source to sink system: Wabush Lake

Since 1964, the Iron Ore Company of Canada has deposited iron tailings resulting from mining operations into Wabush Lake, Western Labrador, Canada. This activity has resulted in a continuous hyperpycnal flow flowing over the lake floor. Bathymetric surveys were carried out between 1999 and 2008 as part of the overall environmental Iron Ore Company of Canada plans to maintain safe disposal strategies of tailings into the lake. Here, this dataset is used to study the evolution of different channels present in Wabush Lake and their link with knickpoints found at the head of most of these channels. The channels show notable evolution from one survey to the next. Some knickpoints and channels may be followed throughout more than one survey; the evolution of these knickpoints is the process responsible for the creation of erosional channels. The context in which they appear, as well as the evolution of some of the subaqueous channels is analysed. Cyclic steps and sediment waves are also found in the lake. These rhythmic bedforms, also created by the passage of turbidity currents, are analysed. Sediment waves found in Wabush Lake show values for both wavelength and wave height that are approximately one order of magnitude smaller than most of those found in the marine environment.     

Mobilization and attenuation of heavy metals within a nickel mine tailings impoundment near Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

 The oxidation and the subsequent dissolution of sulfide minerals within the Copper Cliff tailings area have led to the release of heavy metals such as Fe, Ni, and Co to the tailings pore water. Dissolved concentrations in excess of 10 g/l Fe and 2.2 g/l Ni have been detected within the shallow pore water of the tailings, with increasing depth these concentrations decrease to or near analytical detection limits. Geochemical modelling of the pore-water chemistry suggests that pH-buffering reactions are occurring within the shallow oxidized zones, and that secondary phases are precipitating at or near the underlying hardpan and transition zones. Mineralogical study of the tailings confirmed the presence of goethite, jarosite, gypsum, native sulfur, and a vermiculite-type clay mineral. Goethite, jarosite, and native sulfur form alteration rims and pseudo-morphs of the sulfide minerals. Interstitial cements, composed of goethite, jarosite, and gypsum, locally bind the tailings particles, forming hardpan layers. Microprobe analyses of the goethite indicate that it contains up to 0.6 weight % Ni, suggesting that the goethite is a repository for Ni. Other sinks detected for heavy metals include jarosite and a vemiculite-type clay mineral which locally contains up to 1.6 weight % Ni. To estimate the mass and distribution of heavy metals associated with the secondary phases within the shallow tailings, a series of chemical extractions was completed. The experimental design permitted four fractions of the tailings to be evaluated independently. These four fractions consisted of a water-soluble, an acid-leachable, and a reducible fraction, as well as the whole-rock total. Twenty-five percent of the total mass of heavy metals was removed in the acid-leaching experiments, and 100% of the same components were removed in the reduction experiments. The data suggest that precipitation/coprecipitation reactions are providing an effective sink for most of the heavy metals released by sulfide mineral oxidation. In light of these results, potential decommissioning strategies should be evaluated with the recognition that changing the geochemical conditions may alter the stability of the secondary phases within the shallow tailings. Received: 9 April 1997 · Accepted: 21 July 1997     

Characterization of Kolar gold field mine tailings for cyanide and acid drainage

The gold mining process at Kolar gold field (KGF) mines has generated about 32 million tons of tailings. Gold was extracted from the mined ores using cyanidation technique that involved dissolution of gold in the ore by water soluble alkali metal cyanides (example, sodium cyanide or potassium cyanide). Of the several dumps that received the mine tailings only the Kennedy’s Line dump was active prior to closure of the KGF mines in the year 2000. The Kennedy’s Line dump received sulfide bearing tailings in slurry form that comprised of spent ore and process water bearing soluble alkali metal cyanide. Depending on the pH of the tailing slurry, the free cyanides may exist as aqueous hydrogen cyanide that can escape to the atmosphere as hydrogen cyanide gas or occur as soluble cyanide (CN⁻) ions that can be leached by infiltrating water to the sub-surface environment. Additionally, the presence of pyrite minerals in the Kennedy’s Line dump makes them susceptible to acid drainage. This study examines the potential of gold tailings of Kennedy’s Line dump to release cyanide ions (CN⁻) and acid drainage to the sub-surface environment by performing physico-chemical and leaching tests with tailing samples collected from various depths of the dump, sub-surface soil samples beneath the dump and groundwater samples from vicinity of Kennedy’s Line dump. The chemical mechanisms responsible for the ambient cyanide and pH levels of the tailing dump, sub-surface soil samples and groundwater are also inferred from the laboratory results.     

广西大厂巴里碳酸盐型尾矿的酸化特征及机理

以一个堆放近20年的碳酸盐型尾矿的垂向剖面作为研究对象,采用综合地质-地球化学分析方法,包括尾矿组构及组分分析、X衍射分析以及Sobek-ABA估算和NAG测试等,探讨这类尾矿酸化的地质-地球化学特征及酸化作用机理,获得如下认识:①该尾矿剖面由下至上,随着氧化程度的增强,其酸化作用也逐步增强,呈现出明显的层带结构,即下部C层(还原带及原生带)为未蚀变松散尾砂,中部B层(次氧化带及碱缓冲带)为蚀变松散尾砂层,上部A层(氧化带及酸化带)呈厚约100～150cm的板结硬化层;在A层与B层之间形成一个酸化-碱缓冲界面;而氧化-还原界面则较低,位于B层底部接近C层顶部位置。②碱缓冲作用发生在B层内,方解石为碱质的主要来源。③该尾矿的酸中和有效率约为80%,这可能归因于尾矿酸化所产生的次生纤铁矿、石膏等包裹残余方解石,阻断了中和反应的进行。因此,即便是富含碱性碳酸盐的金属硫化物矿尾矿仍然存在酸化污染的可能性。     

山东莱芜垂阳矽卡岩型铁矿尾矿中关键金属钴综合利用评价探讨

钴是高温合金、电池材料、防腐材料、磁性材料等重要原料,广泛应用于航空航天、电子电器、机械制造、汽车、化工农业、陶瓷等领域,在国民经济和社会发展中具有特殊的意义。特别是从移动电子设备,到新能源汽车的动力电池,再到电网储能,钴作为锂电池正极材料——钴酸锂的重要组成,都是不可或缺。因此,钴被世界上众多国家列为21世纪重要的关键战略资源(Gulley et al., 2018)。现今我国是世界上最大的钴资源进口国(95%依靠进口)和消费国(US Geological Survey, 2018),而且钴资源紧缺,保障程度低(蒋少涌等,2019;许德如等,2019)。因此,在复杂的国际政治和经济形势下,摸清我国钴资源的家底,增强我国钴矿资源供应保障程度,对我国国民经济发展和国家安全保障具有重要的战略意义。我国钴矿床类型多样,包括岩浆铜镍硫化物型、红土风化型、沉积砂岩型、热液型(如沉积喷流型、矽卡岩型、斑岩型、IOCG型等)(王辉等,2019;许德如等,2019;卢宜冠等,2020)。然而,与世界上钴矿资源相比,我国钴矿规模小、品位低,大部分钴矿为伴生矿,钴多作为副产品回收利用,主要伴生铜、镍金属产出,其次伴生铜铁矿床。其中,矽卡岩型矿床是我国伴生钴矿的一种重要类型,富钴矽卡岩矿床主要发育在东昆仑地区、长江中下游和冈底斯地区。目前,关键金属元素在自然界的矿物和岩石中赋存状态研究已广泛开展,但在矿山尾矿中的赋存状态和可回收利用性研究则相对薄弱。基于山东省新一轮找矿突破战略行动及鲁西地区矽卡岩型铁矿尾矿综合利用程度低等背景,为有效发挥尾矿二次资源的作用,摸清尾矿中伴生的矿产资源的可利用性,本次选取山东省莱芜垂阳铁矿床开展了尾矿中伴生矿产资源的综合利用评价工作,大致查明垂阳铁矿尾矿中可利用伴生资源类型、赋存状态及推荐选矿工艺。通过铁矿尾矿中伴生矿产资源综合利用评价工作,对提高山东矽卡岩型铁矿床中矿产资源综合利用水平,提升战略性矿产资源安全保障能力,助力山东省新一轮找矿突破战略行动具有重要意义。     

玢岩型铁矿床尾矿中磷、稀土战略性矿产资源调查与综合利用研究:以安徽凹山矿田为例

玢岩型铁矿床是铁矿石的重要来源,其除了赋存巨量铁矿资源外,还以产出大量磷灰石为特征,伴生大量的磷、稀土、钒等资源。20世纪,矿业开发大多只回收主要矿种铁,对伴生资源的评价和综合利用较少。文章以凹山玢岩型铁矿田尾矿库为研究对象,开展伴生资源调查评价和综合利用示范研究。通过系统钻探采样、矿物组合分析、元素赋存状态和综合利用实验等研究,文章揭示出尾矿库中经济矿物为磷灰石,可综合利用资源为磷和稀土,并估算尾矿库中磷储量超过115万t、稀土5万t,社会和经济效益巨大,可作为范例进一步研究并推广应用。     

Effects of the addition of complexants and bacteria on the soil-plant transfer at metal contaminated sites

Within a series of pot experiments with substrates sampled at heavily to moderately polluted sites of past metal mining activities, it was tried to influence the soil plant transfer of metals via addition of complexants, soil bacteria and perlite. Lettuce （lactuca sativa） was chosen as a universal accumulator plant. A wide range of concentrations in the samples ensures a rather general approach. The goal was to develop a strategy to enable plant growth at metal contaminated substrates for phytoremediation purposes. One contaminated mine tailing from Shiheung/Korea was treated with EDTA, NTA, citric acid, malic acid, NaCl, citrate＋NaCl, as well as compost, to provoke effects from chemical treatment. This should yield low molecular metal complexes in the soil solution and provide a carbon source to natural soil life. Other samples from Shiheung, from Okdong mine tailings, Okdong farmland, as well as from three contaminated sites from a medieval mine tailing at Oberzeiring/Styria/Austrias were treated with Cd- adapted soil bacteria, perlite, and soil bacteria and perlite, to impose of changes in microbial life directly. Fresh mine tailings are low in microbial life and plant- available nitrogen, whereas in the contaminated Austrian medieval samples, conditions have had time to adapt for more than 600 years. In the test substrates, supply with nutrient nitrogen was low, supply with nutrient phosphorus was low to adequate, and supply with potassium and sulfate was adequate. Effects of various additives on the plant yield mainly depend on the initial nutrient status. After harvest, the soils were parted in root soils and bulk soils to recognize possible differences. The lettuce plants were parted in leaves and roots. The solids were characterized by convential methods and aqua regia digestion, as well as by a Tessier-type sequential leaching procedure. The plant samples were digested with HNO3/HClO4. Basically, sample solutions were simultaneously read for 23 elements in ICP-OES in appropriate dilutions. Various treatments result in concentration shifts in root soil, bulk soil, plant roots and plant leaves. Interpretation is not easy, but physiologically active elements or contaminants are usually more involved.     

某钼矿集中开采区尾矿库排水重金属环境风险等级及其贡献率分析

为研究具有20年采矿历史的陕南某钼矿集中开采区对外环境的水污染效应,笔者采集25个尾矿库酸性外排水的水量及水质测试数据,包括Hg、Cd、As、Pb、Cu、Zn、Mn、Fe、Mo等9种重金属元素含量,对多污染源多种重金属复合污染进行评价。采用单项污染指数法和综合污染指数法与《污水综合排放标准》（GB 8978–1996）和《地表水环境质量标准》（GB 3838–2002）进行对标分析,结合外排水水量计算单项重金属元素污染负荷;在等权指标法的基础上,以地表水环境质量标准为基准,按照“标准值大小决定其重要性”的原则,根据两基点相对重要程度,引入三标度间接矩阵,计算得出含Fe元素在内的9种元素相对权重,与其污染负荷共同给出某一尾矿库环境风险值。在此基础上,计算得出25个尾矿库对受纳水体的污染贡献率,为制定尾矿库污染源优先治理方案提供参考。