Growth of Trifolium pratense in Red Mud Amended With Process Sand, Gypsum and Thermally Dried Sewage Sludge

Courtney, Ronan; Timpson, J. P.; Grennan, E.

doi:10.1076/ijsm.17.4.227.17481

Cited by 23 publications

(26 citation statements)

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“…However, leaching may increase the mobility of micronutrients in sandy soils leading to reduction in their availability. Low DTPA Zn in gypsumtreated residue sand has been reported in the present study and by previous researchers (Fuller and Richardson 1986;Gherardi and Rengel 2003a, b;Courtney et al 2003); hence, further loss in plant available Zn would be detrimental to plant growth. Extractable Zn levels in the alkaline residue sand persisted even after 18 leaching events, equivalent to three PV of leaching.…”

Section: Leaching Effects On Zn Transformations In Bauxite Residue Sandsupporting

confidence: 54%

“…This amount of leaching is equivalent to approximately 340 mm of effective rainfall in the south-west of Western Australia where residue is stored in several large disposal areas (>1,000 ha). Indeed, leaching increased the DTPA Zn in the surface layers of residue sand only and could be attributed to changes in residue solution chemistry and to redistribution of previously formed precipitates or desorption from oxides forms (Courtney et al 2003;Kopittke et al 2004). The impact of leaching on Zn pools with 3% red mud addition was more marked than at 8% red mud addition suggesting that the increased extractability could be due to the lower salinity and alkalinity of residue sand with 3% addition.…”

Section: Leaching Effects On Zn Transformations In Bauxite Residue Sandmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Poultry manure is widely used as an organic amendment to alleviate the adverse effect of sodicity and nutrient disorders; however, its recent designation as a hazardous substance by the Western Australia Health Department restricted its further use in re-vegetation programmes in south-west Australia (Jasper et al 2000). Alternatively, sewage sludge has been used frequently in mine site reclamation practices, and its addition is reported to lower pH, increase nutrient levels and organic matter while reducing Na availability (Fuller and Richardson 1986;Brofas et al 2000;Courtney et al 2003). Composted sewage biosolid with wood chips at 1:1 (by volume) was commonly used to promote long-term plant growth in mine reclamation and attributed to topsoil development, increased water holding capacity and increased microbial activity and nutrient cycling (Seaker and Sopper 1988;Haering et al 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Addition of 25% (w/ w) red mud to sandy soils also seems to increase growth and nutrient uptake by plants owing to considerable improvement in physicochemical properties (Snars et al 2003;Menzies and Fulton 2004;Courtney and Timpson 2005). Though high rates of red mud addition increased water retention and extractable nutrient content appreciably in bauxite residue sand, it also increased exchangeable Na and electrical conductivity due to the extremely high pH (≈12) and salinity of red mud (Courtney et al 2003;Anderson et al 2007). Although amending residue sand with red mud is predicted to increase vegetation success to varying degrees, the impact on micronutrient availability and mobility remains a major research gap in sustaining vegetation on bauxite residue sand.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

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Zinc forms in compost and red mud-amended bauxite residue sand

et al. 2010

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Purpose Re-vegetation is the preferred long-term practice for managing Alcoa's bauxite-processing residue storage areas. Residue sand is the primary growth medium for rehabilitation; however, it is largely nutrient deficient. Although addition of organic and inorganic amendments can provide short-term supply of plant-available nutrients, but quickly exhausted, thus long-term deficiencies are often observed. The rapid transformation of added zinc into nonavailable pools is predicted as the main factor limiting vegetation performance. Materials and methods Two laboratory investigations were carried out to assess the effect of organic (composts) and inorganic (various types of red mud) amendments on Zn availability in residue sand. Three compost mixtures (piggery, biosolid and commercial compost), three rates of application (0, 10 and 50 t ha −1 ) were taken as organic amendments and incubated with residue sand for 30 days to examine the effects of compost on Zn availability. Seven column treatments were set up as: control residue sand, homogeneous mixtures of residue sand with 3% (w/w) and 8% (w/w) seawater-washed, carbonated or unaltered red mud with residue sand. Leaching with distilled water was carried out every 3 days by adding 1/6th pore volume and analysed for Zn availability and its distribution in various chemical pools. Results and discussion Fractionation studies found that Zn availability decreased with incubation time and red mud amendments. Residue pH and organic C were the major factors controlling Zn availability and its distribution. Column studies showed limited Zn mobility in residue sand even after three pore volumes of drainage. Increased DTPA extractable Zn in surface layers of residue sand with and without red mud amendments after leaching was found and attributed to decrease in residue water-soluble alkalinity. Addition of commercial compost (50 t ha −1 ) increased DTPA Zn, decreased the alkalinity and increased C content in residue sand. The red mud amendments had contrasting effects on Zn that were related to pH of the materials. Addition of seawater-washed red mud increased DTPA Zn in residue sand whereas unaltered red mud decreased DTPA Zn. Conclusions Plant available Zn extracted with 50 t ha −1 of commercial composts addition was well above deficient range, suggesting that they could be an effective Zn source for vegetation establishment. Zinc occurred predominantly in organically bound form in compostamended sand and as carbonate-bound form in leached red mud-amended columns, but the longer term effects of these Zn forms on the release of Zn for plant growth remain unclear.

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Section: Leaching Effects On Zn Transformations In Bauxite Residue Sandsupporting

confidence: 54%

Section: Leaching Effects On Zn Transformations In Bauxite Residue Sandmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

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Zinc forms in compost and red mud-amended bauxite residue sand

et al. 2010

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“…Carbonate represented >85% of total water-soluble alkalinity of the FRS, while bicarbonate was the dominant source of alkalinity in GRS. Gypsum dissolution and subsequent precipitation of CO 3 as CaCO 3 is considered the most likely cause for the decline in water-soluble carbonate (Barrow 1982;Courtney et al 2003). Aged residue sand exhibited water-soluble alkalinity levels 10-15 times lower than fresh samples, with bicarbonate being the dominant inorganic carbon ion.…”

Section: Characterisation Of Residue Sand Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Micronutrient fractionation and plant availability in bauxite-processing residue sand

et al. 2009

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Bauxite-processing residue must be disposed of in specifically designed facilities for longterm management. Consideration of alkalinity, salinity, sodium content, and poor nutritional status is essential for successful rehabilitation of residue disposal areas (RDA). The aim of this study was to examine the availability and distribution of the micronutrients, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn, in (i) fresh bauxite-processing residue sand (particle size >150 μm) with and without gypsum amendment, and (ii) aged residue sand from a 4-year-old rehabilitated RDA that had received past gypsum and fertiliser addition. Samples of fresh residue sand from India and Australia exhibited high alkalinity, high salinity, and sodicity. Gypsum addition significantly lowered pH, soluble Na, and alkalinity. Aged residue sand had low levels of all micronutrients, with low extractability for Zn and Mn followed by B, Cu, and Fe. exchangeable Na, and alkalinity of residue. Nutrient management strategies that account for the characteristics of residue sand need to be developed for residue rehabilitation.Importantly, strategies to limit the conversion of nutrients to non-available forms are required to minimise micronutrient disorders.

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Revegetation Strategies for Bauxite Refinery Residue: A Case Study of Alcan Gove in Northern Territory, Australia

Wehr

Fulton²,

Menzies

2006

Environmental Management

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Alumina extraction from bauxite ore with strong alkali produces waste bauxite refinery residue consisting of residue sand and red mud. The amount and composition of refinery residue depend on the purity of the bauxite ore and extraction conditions, and differs between refineries. The refinery residue is usually stored in engineered disposal areas that eventually have to be revegetated. This is challenging because of the alkaline and sodic nature of the residue. At Alcan Gove's bauxite refinery in Gove, Northern Territory, Australia, research into revegetation of bauxite residue has been conducted since the mid-1970s. In this review, we discuss approaches taken by Alcan Gove to achieve revegetation outcomes (soil capping of refinery residue) on wet-slurry disposal areas. Problems encountered in the past include poor drainage and water logging during the wet season, and salt scalding and capillary rise during the dry season. The amount of available water in the soil capping is the most important determinant of vegetation survival in the seasonally dry climate. Vegetation cover was found to prevent deterioration of the soil cover by minimising capillary rise of alkalinity from the refinery residue. The sodicity and alkalinity of the residue in old impoundments has diminished slightly over the 25 years since it was deposited. However, development of a blocky structure in red mud, presumably due to desiccation, allows root penetration, thereby supplying additional water to salt and alkali-tolerant plant species. This has led to the establishment of an ecosystem that approaches a native woodland.

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Growth of Trifolium pratense in Red Mud Amended With Process Sand, Gypsum and Thermally Dried Sewage Sludge

Cited by 23 publications

References 0 publications

Zinc forms in compost and red mud-amended bauxite residue sand

Zinc forms in compost and red mud-amended bauxite residue sand

Micronutrient fractionation and plant availability in bauxite-processing residue sand

Revegetation Strategies for Bauxite Refinery Residue: A Case Study of Alcan Gove in Northern Territory, Australia

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