Static tests to assess acid mine drainage potential of copper sulfide flotation tailings
Ruberlan Gomes da Silva, Danielly Couto, Aline Tavares, Morgana Menezes Ribeiro, Luzia Chaves, Lorena Guimarães , Kely Fonseca, André Carlos Silva
Abstract
Most copper flotation tailings contain a significant amount of sulfide minerals that can generate effluent resulting from the oxidation of sulfides when they are exposed to oxygen and water. This study aimed to characterize and evaluate the acid drainage potential of five different copper flotation tailings, named samples I, II, III, IV, and V. Sample I was taken from an industrial operation, while Samples II, III, IV, and V were produced in pilot plant tests. All samples were characterized and submitted to static acid drainage tests, such as paste pH, Net Acid Generation (NAG) pH, and Modified Acid-Base Accounting (MABA). The sulfur as sulfide/total sulfur mass ratios varies from 0.40 up to 0.89 showing the presence of a high amount of minerals rich in pyrite and alunite, being higher than 13 wt% of pyrite in samples IV and V and around 19 wt% of alunite in sample III. Samples I and II presented a high number of alkaline elements, totalizing more than 8 wt% of K2 O+CaO+MgO, while samples III, IV, and V show the lowest amount of these elements (<4 wt%). Only samples III, IV, and V show Paste pH results lower than 5.0, indicating superficial oxidation on their surfaces and/or the presence of water-soluble acidity minerals. Due to the high pyrite content in samples III and IV, it was not possible to measure their NAG pH due to the high heat released with the addition of hydrogen peroxide. The low NAG pH obtained with sample III (5.30) was due to its high pyrite content (0.30 wt%) in comparison with the results obtained with sample I (NAG pH of 8.15 and 0.10 wt% of pyrite), and sample II (NAG pH of 8.18 and 0.10 wt% of pyrite). The MABA results show that samples III, IV and V presented acid drainage potential due to the neutralization potential (NP)/acidity potential (AP) ratio being lower than 1. On the other hand, samples I and II presented NP/AP ratio higher than 4, not showing potential to generate acid drainage. Due to these results, it is recommended to carry out acid drainage kinetic tests with samples III, IV, and V to determine the long-term weathering rates, evaluate lag time to acid generation and provide reaction rates for geochemical modeling.
Keywords
Referências
1 Schlesinger ME, Sole K, Davenport W, Alvear G. Extractive metallurgy of copper. 6th ed. Amsterdam: Elsevier; 2021.
2 Gordon RB. Production residues in copper technological cycles. Resource Conservation Recycle. 2002;36(2):87-106. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0921-3449(02)00019-8.
3 Lan ZQ, Lan ZY. The progress of comprehensive utilization of copper tailings resource. Conservation and Utilization of Mineral Resources. 2015;10(5):51-56. http://dx.doi.org/10.13779/j.cnki.issn1001-0076.2015.05.011.
4 Lane DJ, Cook NJ, Grano SR, Ehrig K. Selective leaching of penalty elements from copper concentrates: a review. Minerals Engineering. 2016;98:110-121. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mineng.2016.08.006.
5 Zhu JL, Song JW, Wang L, Xiong RR, Feng SL, Ouyang Y. Research progress on application of copper tailing in cement-based materials. Bull. Chin. Ceram. Soc. 2018;37(11):3492-3497. http://dx.doi.org/10.16552/j.cnki.issn1001-1625.2018.11.021.
6 Hamza MF, El-Assay IE, Guibal E. Integrated treatment of tailing material for the selective recovery of uranium, rare earth elements and heavy metals. Minerals Engineering. 2019;133:138-148. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mineng.2019.01.008.
7 Liu S, Wang L, Li Q, Song J. Hydration properties of Portland cement-copper tailing power composite binder. Construction & Building Materials. 2020;251:118882. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.118882.
8 Silva RG, Silva JM, Souza TC, Bianchetti M, Guimarães L, Reis L, et al. Enhanced process route to produce magnetite pellet feed from copper tailing. Minerals Engineering. 2021;173:107195. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mineng.2021.107195.
9 Jia T, Wang R, Chai B. Various phyllosphere and soil bacterial communities of natural grasses and the impact factors in a copper tailings dam. Current Microbiology. 2019;76:7-14. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00284-018-1575-0.
10 Jian S, Gao W, Lv Y, Tan H, Li X, Li B, et al. Potential utilization of copper tailing in the preparation of low heat cement clinker. Construction & Building Materials. 2020;252:119130. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.119130.
11 Zhang Y, Shen W, Wu M, Shen B, Li M, Xu G, et al. Experimental study ion the utilization of copper tailing as micronized sand to prepare high performance concrete. Construction & Building Materials. 2020;244:118312. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.118312.
12 Nikolic N, Böcker R, Nikolic M. Long-term passive restoration following fluvial deposition of sulphidic copper tailings: nature filters out the solutions. Environ. Sci. Pollut. R. 2016;23(14):13672-13680. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5205-0.
13 Caraballo MA, Rötting TS, Macias F, Nieto JM, Ayora C. Field multi-step limestone and MgO passive system to treat acid mine drainage with high metal concentration. Applied Geochemistry. 2009;24:2301-2311. http://dx.doi. org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2009.09.007.
14 Berghorn GH, Hunzeker GR. Passive treatment alternatives for remediating abandoned‐mine drainage. Remediation Journal: The Journal of Environmental Cleanup Costs, Technologies & Techniques. 2001;11(3):111-127.
15 Marchand L, Mench M, Jaboc DL, Otte ML. Metal and metalloid removal in constructed wetlands, with emphasis on the importance of plants and standardized measurements: a review. Environmental Pollution. 2010;158:3447- 3461. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2010.08.018.
16 Lottermoser BG, Ashley PM. Trace element uptake by Eleocharis equisetina (spike rush) in an abandoned acid mine tailings pond, northeastern Australia: implications for land and water reclamation in tropical regions. Environmental Pollution. 2011;159:3028-3035. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2011.04.014.
17 Alemdag S, Akaryali E, Gücer MA. Prediction of mine drainage generation potential and the prevention method of the groundwater pollution in the Gümüsköy (Kütahya) mineralization area, NW Turkey. Journal of Mountain Science. 2020;17:2387-2404. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11629-020-6124-1.
18 Kontopoulos A. Acid mine drainage control. In: Castro SH, Vergara F, Sanchez MA, editors. Effluent treatment in the mining industry. Concepción, Chile: University of Concepción; 1998. p. 57–118.
19 Simate GS, Ndlovu S. Acid mine drainage: challenges and opportunities. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering. 2014;2(3):1785-1803.
20 Dold B. Acid rock drainage prediction: a critical review. Journal of Geochemical Exploration. 2016;172:120-132. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gexplo.2016.09.014.
21 Sapsford DJ, Bowell RJ, Dey M, Willians KP. Humidity cell tests for the prediction of acid rock drainage. Minerals Engineering. 2009;22:25-36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mineng.2008.03.008.
22 Johnson DB, Hallberg KB. Acid mine drainage remediation options: a review. The Science of the Total Environment. 2005;338(1):3-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2004.09.002
23 Lawrence RW, Poling GP, Marchant PB. Investigation of predictive techniques for acid mine drainage (MEND Report, 1.16.1a). Ottawa, Canada: Energy Mines and Resources Canada; 1989.
24 Weiler J, Silva AC, Firpo BA, Fernandes EZ, Schneider IAH. Using static, kinetic and metal mobility procedures to evaluate possibilities of coal waste land disposal at Moatize Mine, Mozambique. REM - International Engineering Journal. 2020;73(4):587-596. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/0370-44672019730112.
25 Lapakko KA. Developments in humidity-cell tests and their application. In: Jambour JL, Blowes DW, Ritchie AIM, editors. Environmental aspects of mine wastes: mineralogical association of Canada short course series. Ottawa: Economic Geology Publishing Company; 2003. p. 147-164.
26 USEPA. Method 3005A: acid digestion of waters for total recoverable dissolved metals for analysis by FLAA or ICP spectroscopy. 1992 [cited 2022 Aug 20]. Available at: https://www.epa.gov/hw-sw846/sw-846-test-method-3005aacid-digestion-waters-total-recoverable-or-dissolved-metals
27 USEPA. Method 300.0: determination of inorganic anions by ion chromatography (Revision 2.1). 1993 [cited 2022 Aug 20]. Available at: https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-08/documents/method_300-0_rev_2-1_1993.pdf
28 Standard Methods Committee of the American Public Health Association, American Water Works Association, and Water Environment Federation. 2320 alkalinity In: Standard Methods For the Examination of Water and Wastewater. Lipps WC, Baxter TE, Braun-Howland E, editors. Washington DC: APHA Press.
29 Standard Methods Committee of the American Public Health Association, American Water Works Association, and Water Environment Federation. 2310 acidity In: Standard Methods For the Examination of Water and Wastewater. Lipps WC, Baxter TE, Braun-Howland E, editors. Washington DC: APHA Press.
30 Price WA. Draft guidelines and recommended methods for the prediction of metal leaching and acid rock drainage at minesites in British Columbia. Smithers, BC: British Columbia Ministry of Employment and Investment, Energy and Minerals Division; 1997.
31 Tanda BC, Eksteen JJ, Oraby EA. An investigation into the leaching behaviour of copper oxide minerals in aqueous alkaline glycine solutions. Hydrometallurgy. 2017;167:153-162. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.hydromet.2016.11.011.
32 Lawrence RE. Laboratory procedures for the prediction of long-term weathering characteristics of mining wastes. In: Proceedings of Symposium on Acid Mine Drainage; Annual Meeting Geological Association. Canada: Mineralogical Association; 1990.
33 American Society for Testing and Materials. ASTM D5744-96: standard test method for accelerated weathering of solid materials using a modified humidity cell. West Conshohocken: ASTM; 2001.
Submetido em:
28/08/2022
Aceito em:
09/12/2022
Facebook
Google+
Twitter
LinkedIn
Mendeley
StumbleUpon
CiteULike
Reddit
Email