Comparison of laboratory testing protocols to field observations of the weathering of sulfide-bearing mine tailings

A laboratory weathering study using a humidity cell procedure was conducted on two sulfide-bearing tailing samples from a metallurgical site in Ontario (Canada). The test was accompanied by microbiological studies to enumerate the major groups of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria and determine their potential role at different stages during the oxidation process. To evaluate the utility of this method, results were compared with those of previous laboratory and field studies on the same materials. The mineralogy of the laboratory samples differs only by the addition of a small amount of hydronium-bearing natrojarosite [(Na,H₃O)Fe₃(SO₄)₂(OH)₆] to one sample. The progress of sulfide oxidation and the rates of solute release were determined to evaluate the extent of mineral dissolution. These processes were influenced strongly by the capacity of the material to generate acidity, which was enhanced by the presence of hydronium-bearing natrojarosite. Acid-neutralization processes occurring during the laboratory tests were affected by reaction kinetics, consistent with field observations. In particular, the extent of carbonate-mineral dissolution appears to be different in the laboratory than in the field, where more prolonged rock–water interaction allowed more complete chemical equilibration. As a consequence, the capacity of this test procedure to predict weathering reactions in mine tailings is limited by its inability to reproduce the weathering sequence observed in the field. The results of the microbiological study showed that distinct groups of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria operate at different stages of the oxidative process, as was observed in field studies where tailings oxidation occurred under natural conditions, suggesting that microbiological tests performed for laboratory studies are reflective of field conditions.