Geochemical recovery of the Torna–Marcal river system after the Ajka red mud spill, Hungary

Anton, Attila; Klebercz, Orsolya; Magyar, Ádám; Burke, Ian T.; Jarvis, Adam P.; Gruiz, Katalin; Mayes, William M.

doi:10.1039/c4em00452c

Cited by 8 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Furthermore, there are many examples of environmental catastrophes resulting from poorly controlled landfilling. A recent example is the spilling of red mud around villages in Hungary [44]. By finding possible uses of industrial waste products as raw materials for preparation of alternative binders for concrete, it is possible to avoid ecological problems (which could lead to environmental disasters) and high landfill costs (which could lead to increase in energy or material costs).…”

Section: Opportunities -Raw Materials Available In Southeast Europementioning

confidence: 99%

Alternative binders for concrete: opportunities and challenges

Serdar¹,

Bjegović²,

Štirmer³

et al. 2019

Future Trends in Civil Engineering

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Rapid population growth and urbanisation has entailed a strong motivation to develop more sustainable construction solutions in line with the 7 th basic requirement for construction works-sustainable use of natural resources. One of the strategies is to use materials available in abundant quantities as partial replacement for cement, or to create alternative binders for concrete. The aim of the paper is to provide an overview of the current state of the art in the field of alternative binders for concrete, and to point to the opportunities and challenges for their more systematic application in engineering practice. The state of the art review is connected to scientific projects currently undertaken at the

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Section: Opportunities -Raw Materials Available In Southeast Europementioning

confidence: 99%

Alternative binders for concrete: opportunities and challenges

Serdar¹,

Bjegović²,

Štirmer³

et al. 2019

Future Trends in Civil Engineering

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“…2). This was considered to be a function of both the extensive dredging efforts (in the region of 80 km of the channel) and the fine particle size of the red mud (D 50 of 3.4 lm) which lends itself to entrainment and downstream transport out of the system [6].…”

Section: Landscape and Catchment Scale Recoverymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the aftermath of the Ajka spill, the Hungarian government invested 38 billion Hungarian Forint (*€127 million) in emergency and rehabilitation measures between 2010 and 2013 [6]. Emergency works on the BRDA saw the breached corner of the dam rebuilt, with the surface of the bauxite residue covered with a depth of 40 cm of humus-containing soil that had been collected from the inundated areas around Kolontár and Devecser.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Advances in Understanding Environmental Risks of Red Mud After the Ajka Spill, Hungary

Mayes

Burke

Gomes

et al. 2016

J. Sustain. Metall.

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129

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In the 5 years since the 2010 Ajka red mud spill (Hungary), there have been 46 scientific studies assessing the key risks and impacts associated with the largest single release of bauxite-processing residue (red mud) to the environment. These studies have provided insight into the main environmental concerns, as well as the effectiveness of remedial efforts that can inform future management of red mud elsewhere. The key immediate risks after the spill were associated with the highly caustic nature of the red mud slurry and fine particle size, which once desiccated, could generate fugitive dust. Studies on affected populations showed no major hazards identified beyond caustic exposure, while red mud dust risks were considered equal to or lesser than those provided by urban dusts of similar particle size distribution. The longer-term environmental risks were related to the saline nature of the spill material (salinization of inundated soils) and the release and the potential cycling of oxyanion-forming metals and metalloids (e.g., Al, As, Cr, Mo, and V) in the soil-water environment. Of these, those that are soluble at high pH, inefficiently removed from solution during dilution and likely to be exchangeable at ambient pH are of chief concern (e.g., Mo and V). Various ecotoxicological studies have identified negative impacts of red mud-amended soils and sediments at high volumes (typically [5 %) on different test organisms, with some evidence of molecularlevel impacts at high dose (e.g., genotoxic effects on plants and mice). These data provide a valuable database to inform future toxicological studies for red mud. However, extensive management efforts in the aftermath of the spill greatly limited these exposure risks through leachate neutralization and red mud recovery from the affected land. Monitoring of affected soils, stream sediments, waters and aquatic biota (fungi, invertebrates and fish) have all shown a very rapid recovery toward prespill conditions. The accident also prompted research that has also highlighted potential benefits of red mud use for critical raw material recovery (e.g., Ga, Co, V, rare earths, inform), carbon sequestration, biofuel crop production, and use as a soil ameliorant.

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“…PROCESSING of the primary aluminium ore, bauxite, to produce alumina (Al 2 O 3 ) using the Bayer process produces a waste material known as red mud. Long term storage of this is expensive and represents an environmental risk, as demonstrated by disasters such as the red mud dam failure at Kolontár, Hungary which caused extensive damage to neighbouring land and waterways and the death of nine people (Gelencsér et al, 2011;Milačič et al, 2012;Anton et al, 2014). To mitigate this risk, as well as to reduce cost, a number of studies have been undertaken to identify possible uses for red mud (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of the potential for rare-earth element resources from European red muds: examples from Seydişehir, Turkey and Parnassus-Giona, Greece

et al. 2016

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Rare-earth elements (REE) are viewed as 'critical metals' due to a complex array of production and political issues, most notably a near monopoly in supply from China. Red mud, the waste product of the Bayer process that produces alumina from bauxite, represents a potential secondary resource ofREE. Karst bauxite deposits represent the ideal source material forREE-enriched red mud as the conditions during formation of the bauxite allow for the retention ofREE. TheREEpass through the Bayer Process and are concentrated in the waste material. Millions of tonnes of red mud are currently stockpiled in onshore storage facilities across Europe, representing a potentialREEresource. Red mud from two case study sites, one in Greece and the other in Turkey, has been found to contain an average of ∼1000 ppm totalREE, with an enrichment of light over heavyREE. Although this is relatively low grade when compared with typical primaryREEdeposits (Mountain Pass and Mount Weld up to 80,000 ppm), it is of interest because of the large volumes available, the cost benefits of reprocessing waste, and the low proportion of contained radioactive elements. This work shows that ∼12,000 tonnes ofREEexist in red mud at the two case study areas alone, with much larger resources existing across Europe as a whole.

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Geochemical recovery of the Torna–Marcal river system after the Ajka red mud spill, Hungary

Cited by 8 publications

References 28 publications

Alternative binders for concrete: opportunities and challenges

Alternative binders for concrete: opportunities and challenges

Advances in Understanding Environmental Risks of Red Mud After the Ajka Spill, Hungary

A review of the potential for rare-earth element resources from European red muds: examples from Seydişehir, Turkey and Parnassus-Giona, Greece

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