A Review of Static Tests and Recent Studies

Abstract

Problem statement: Acid mine drainage from waste rocks, tailings and other mine components, is one of the most important environmental concerns at mining sites. To attempt to determine the balance between the acid and neutralization potentials of the material and evaluate the possible acid-forming potential of mine waste, many static prediction tests have been developed to evaluate the acid-forming potentials of samples in recent years. Approach: This study attempts to highlight and summarize their essential issues and collates the mining projects that have used such static tests. Results: The advantages and disadvantages of each technique are compared to formulate and present guidelines for the appropriate selection and application of these tests. According to many studies, although several test methods have been modified in recent years, the ABA, NAG and paste pH methods are the most commonly static tests reported for initially indicating the acid-generating and neutralizing potential of samples. Conclusion/Recommendations: To provide confident acidforming predictions and consequently, the best waste management plans, at least several different techniques needs to be applied together in order to classify the acid generating potential of a sample more reliably.

A critical review of acid rock drainage prediction methods and practices

“…Static tests are short-term (typically measured over a short time period i.e., hours or days) and relatively low-cost tools that quantify a sample's acid forming or neutralising potential (White et al, 1999;Chotpantarat, 2011). The most widely used static test protocols fall into two types, acid base accounting (ABA) and net acid generation (NAG) tests.…”

Preoperational assessment of solute release from waste rock at proposed mining operations

“…The term static test has historically been used to identify designed to determine the balance of acid-producing and acid-neutralizing potentials of mine wastes by fairly quick and inexpensive methods (e.g. Ferguson and Erickson 1987, USEPA 1994, Adam et al 1997, Lapakko 2002, Jambor et al 2003, Chotpantarat 2011. Development of short-term leach tests is more recent.…”

Spatial Mapping of Acidity and Geochemical Properties of Oxidized Tailings within the Former Eagle/Telbel Mine Site

“…The acid generation potential (AP) of each sample was calculated using the sulfide content (AP = 31.25 × %S-sulfide) [36,37]. The neutralization potential (NP) was calculated using the carbon content and using the Sobek method (NP = 83.3 × %C-carbonates) [7,36,[38][39][40] with a correction factor of 50% applied due to presence of Fe-Mn carbonates. These phases overestimate the NP as calculated based on the carbon content ( Figure S1); further details are provided in Section 3.…”