Recent Advances and Future Prospects on the Tailing Covering Technology for Oxidation Prevention of Sulfide Tailings

Abstract

Acid mine drainage, produced from sulfur-containing mine waste exposed to air, water, and bacteria, is considered as a serious environmental pollutant because of its extremely low pH and excessive heavy metals. In order to solve the ecological environment problems caused by the acid mine drainage, treatment methods such as neutralization, adsorption, passivation, bio-inhibition, and physical coverage have been developed. Nevertheless, these methods are terminal treatment methods, which are unable to prevent the generation of acid mine drainage at the source. Recently, it is noteworthy that the tailing covering technology is particularly emphasized, owing to its superior source control capability. By reducing the contact with air, water, and bacteria, the oxidation of sulfide tailings is significantly reduced, thus avoiding the production of acid mine drainage. To date, massive research has been studied and parts of technologies have been applied, but the review on the principles, processes, and applications of these technologies are still lacking. Thus, the present review aims to increase the knowledge related to the most relevant application of tailing covering technology with the following aspects: (i) the background, concepts, and performance of tailing covering technology; (ii) the applicable conditions for each tailings coverage system and their advantages and limitations; and (iii) the future perspective of this technology.

Socio-Environmental Risks Linked with Mine Tailings Chemical Composition: Promoting Responsible and Safe Mine Tailings Management Considering Copper and Gold Mining Experiences from Chile and Peru

“…Environmental and geochemical issues must be integrated with geotechnical and hydraulic aspects related to the management of mine tailings. Due to the oxidation and leaching potential of metals in mine tailings, their physical and mechanical properties can be altered, reducing their resistance over time, which has a direct impact on the physical stability parameters of tailings dams built with cycloned tailings sands from total mine tailings (for example, see [ 133 ]). Geotechnical parameters such as cohesion and internal friction angle can suffer reductions during the useful life of a tailings storage facility, either due to the increase in confining pressures or to the complex and highly dynamic biogeochemical behavior of the mine tailings materials [ 95 , 134 ].…”

Acid Mine Drainage Treatment and Control: Remediation Methodologies, Mineral Beneficiation and Water Reclamation Strategies

“…The most commonly used method of control is minimising the penetration of air and water into the tailings waste by using dry covers; which are inorganic mineral materials that reduce the oxidation rate of sulfide minerals [19]. Dry covers are generally composed of materials with different granulation characteristics including compacted clay, portland cement and fly ash amongst others [20]. However, extensive analysis needs to be conducted during the selection of dry covers because alkaline covers like fly-ash can cause metal mobilisation from the waste, resulting in weathering of the tailing waste [21].…”

“…Alternatively, wet covers (water) have been proposed and used as an oxygen diffusion barrier. This is because, under normal conditions, the solubility of oxygen in water is low, which limits the rate of sulfide mineral oxidation when mine waste is covered with it [20].…”

MICP mediated by indigenous bacteria isolated from tailings for biocementation for reduction of wind erosion

“…The mining industry is in constant development to reduce waste generation, improve storage as well as treatment techniques for its tailings deposits. Among them, strategies related to: (i) improvement of soil mechanical properties; (ii) chemical and physical stabilization; (iii) liquefaction, permeability and neutralization of acid leachates; (iv) resistance to water lixiviation, seismic action and wind erosion; (v) bioremediation, phytoremediation and biomineralization, are some of the most studied techniques ( Edraki et al, 2014 ; De Giudici et al, 2019 ; Kiventerä et al, 2019 ; Barati et al, 2020 ; Kaseng et al, 2020 ; Kiventerä et al, 2020 ; Xie and van Zyl, 2020 ; East and Fernandez, 2021 ; Gerding et al, 2021 ; Rezasoltani, 2021 ; Woodcock, 2021 ; Zandarin, 2021 ; Jayapal et al, 2023 ; Si et al, 2023 ). Currently, biotechnological applications using biomineralizing microorganisms have generated interest in the materials industry, because they significantly reduce the energy demand to produce biocement if compared to that necessary for the conventional cement and, moreover, they can be used successfully in the neutralization of toxic elements such as PTEs or fossil fuel residues ( Akyel et al, 2022 ).…”