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Valorisation of Partially Oxidized Tailings in a Cover System to Reclaim an Old Acid Generating Mine Site

Gabrielle Dublet-Adli, Thomas Pabst, Gudny Okkenhaug, Christian Sætre, Anna Vårheim, Mari Tvedten, Samuel Gelena, Andreas Smebye, Marianne Kvennås et Gijs Breedveld

Article de revue (2021)

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Abstract

The reclamation of acid-generating mine tailings typically involves building cover systems to limit interactions with water or oxygen. The choice of cover materials is critical to ensure long-term performance, and partly determines the environmental footprint of the reclamation strategy. The objective of this research was to evaluate if tailings pre-oxidized on-site could be used in cover systems. Column experiments were performed to assess the effectiveness of a cover with capillary barrier effects (CCBE), where the moisture retention layer (MRL) was made of pre-oxidized tailings with little to no remaining sulfides (LS tailings). The columns were submitted to regular wetting and drying cycles, and their hydrological and geochemical behaviour was monitored for 510 days. The LS tailings showed satisfying hydrological properties as an MRL and remained saturated throughout the test. The concentrations of Cu in the drainage decreased by more than two orders of magnitude compared to non-covered tailings. In addition, the pH increased by nearly one unit compared to the control column, and Fe and S concentrations decreased by around 50%. Despite these improvements, the leachate water remained acidic and contaminated, indicating that acid drainage continued to be generated despite a hydrologically efficient CCBE.

Mots clés

mine tailings; sulfides; acid mine drainage; oxidation; reclamation; cover with capillary barrier effects; sustainability

Sujet(s): 1400 Génie minier et minéral > 1400 Génie minier et minéral
Département: Département des génies civil, géologique et des mines
Organismes subventionnaires: Norwegian Directorate of Mining - project 20140321 Folldal gruver, Research Council of Norway, Norwegian Geotechnical Institute - Research Council of Norway and internal funds - research projects GBV20160117 and SP12
URL de PolyPublie: https://publications.polymtl.ca/9415/
Titre de la revue: Minerals (vol. 11, no 9)
Maison d'édition: MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/min11090987
URL officielle: https://doi.org/10.3390/min11090987
Date du dépôt: 15 nov. 2022 15:43
Dernière modification: 26 sept. 2024 11:33
Citer en APA 7: Dublet-Adli, G., Pabst, T., Okkenhaug, G., Sætre, C., Vårheim, A., Tvedten, M., Gelena, S., Smebye, A., Kvennås, M., & Breedveld, G. (2021). Valorisation of Partially Oxidized Tailings in a Cover System to Reclaim an Old Acid Generating Mine Site. Minerals, 11(9), 987 (20 pages). https://doi.org/10.3390/min11090987

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