Variability of Stockton Coal Mine drainage chemistry and its treatment potential with biogeochemical reactors

McCauley, CA; O’Sullivan, Aisling D.; Weber, P.A.; Trumm, D.

doi:10.1080/00288306.2010.503565

Cited by 14 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…The concentrations of major cations, trace elements, and anions in the AMD are shown on Table 1, which are typical and comparable with previous studies [18,19]. Figure 1 shows the neutralisation pathway of AMD determined by NaOH titration.…”

Section: Amd Composition and Fe/al Precipitationsupporting

confidence: 87%

Nickel and Zinc Removal from Acid Mine Drainage: Roles of Sludge Surface Area and Neutralising Agents

Olds

Tsang

Weber³

et al. 2013

Journal of Mining

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During acid mine drainage (AMD) treatment by alkaline reagent neutralisation, Ni and Zn are partially removed via sorption to Fe and Al hydroxide precipitates. This research evaluated the effect of surface area of precipitates, formed by neutralisation of AMD using three alkalinity reagents (NaOH, Ca(OH) 2 , and CaCO 3 ), on the sorption of Ni and Zn. The BET surface area of the precipitates formed by neutralisation of AMD with NaOH (173.7 m 2 g −1 ) and Ca(OH) 2 (168.2 m 2 g −1 ) was an order of magnitude greater than that produced by CaCO 3 neutralisation (16.7 m 2 g −1 ). At pH 6.5, the residual Ni concentration was 0.32 and 0.41 mg L −1 for NaOH and Ca(OH) 2 neutralised AMD, respectively, resulting in up to 60% lower Ni concentrations than achieved by CaCO 3 neutralisation which had no effect on Ni removal. The residual Zn concentration was even more dependent on precipitate surface area for NaOH and Ca(OH) 2 neutralised AMD (0.33 and 1.02 mg L −1 ), which was up to 85% lower than the CaCO 3 neutralised AMD (2.20 mg L −1 ). These results suggest that the surface area of precipitated flocs and the selection of neutralising reagent critically affect the sorption of Ni and Zn during AMD neutralisation.

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Section: Amd Composition and Fe/al Precipitationsupporting

confidence: 87%

Nickel and Zinc Removal from Acid Mine Drainage: Roles of Sludge Surface Area and Neutralising Agents

Olds

Tsang

Weber³

et al. 2013

Journal of Mining

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“…Details of the MSB and mine site have been described in past studies [9,[13][14][15]. The coal mine is located on the west coast of New Zealand within the Brunner Coal Measures, a formation containing 1-5 wt% pyrite and is potentially acid forming (PAF) [14,16,17].…”

Section: Site Description and Laboratory Incubationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biogeochemical Characterization of Metal Behavior from Novel Mussel Shell Bioreactor Sludge Residues

Butler

Pope²,

Chaganti

et al. 2019

Geosciences

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Acid mine drainage (AMD) remediation commonly produces byproducts which must be stored or utilized to reduce the risk of further contamination. A mussel shell bioreactor has been implemented at a coal mine in New Zealand, which is an effective remediation option, although an accumulated sludge layer decreased efficiency which was then removed and requires storage. To understand associated risks related to storage or use of the AMD sludge material, a laboratory mesocosm study investigated the physio-chemical and biological influence in two conditions: anoxic storage (burial deep within a waste rock dump) or exposure to oxic environments (use of sludge on the surface of the mine). Solid phase characterization by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and selective extraction was completed to compare two environmental conditions (oxic and anoxic) under biologically active and abiotic systems (achieved by gamma irradiation). Changes in microbial community structure were monitored using 16s rDNA amplification and next-generation sequencing. The results indicate that microbes in an oxic environment increase the formation of oxyhydroxides and acidic conditions increase metal mobility. In an oxic and circumneutral environment, the AMD sludge may be repurposed to act as an oxygen barrier for mine tailings or soil amendment. Anoxic conditions would likely promote the biomineralization of sulfide minerals in the AMD sludge by sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB), which were abundant in the system. The anoxic conditions reduced the risk of trace metals (Zn) associated with oxides, but increased Fe associated with organic material. In summary, fewer risks are associated with anoxic burial but repurposing in an oxic condition may be appropriate under favorable conditions.

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“…Zinc concentrations have been measured in mine drainages from many mine environments in New Zealand and in rock leachate experiments for mine drainage prediction studies (Black and Craw 2001;Giles et al 2010;McCauley et al 2010;Pope et al 2010a, and others). Zinc is one of the most abundant transition metals in mine drainage seeps and leachates from bituminous coal mines and epithermal metal mines.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Controls on Zn Concentrations in Acidic and Neutral Mine Drainage from New Zealand’s Bituminous Coal and Epithermal Mineral Deposits

Pope¹,

Trumm²

2015

Mine Water Environ

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Zinc is one of the most abundant transition metals in mine water from coal mines and epithermal metal mines in New Zealand. Zinc is commonly conservative in mine drainage systems and remains soluble at concentrations that exceed guideline values for protection of aquatic ecosystems. This study presents a compilation of Zn concentrations and geochemical data from acid and neutral mine drainage sites. Geochemical modelling using PhreeqC indicates that secondary Zn minerals are unlikely to influence Zn concentrations except where Zn exceeds 100 mg/L and mine drainage pH [ 7. Adsorption modelling using WHAM indicates that Zn is unlikely to be attenuated by adsorption onto Fe and Al precipitates that could form during neutralisation or oxidation of mine drainages, except when the ratio of precipitate to dissolved Zn is high (&100 mg/L precipitate and 0.1 mg/L Zn) and the pH [ 6. Instead, Zn concentration is controlled by the source minerals and their rate of dissolution and dilution, rather than precipitation of secondary Zn minerals or adsorption. At some abandoned mine sites, or mineral prospects where leachate testing has been completed, Zn (±acidity) is the main chemical parameter that must be removed before discharge to the aquatic environment. Our results and interpretations constrain options for water management at future mine sites in New Zealand where Zn is present to: active treatment, passive treatment using reducing systems, or passive treatment that incorporate CaO-bearing reagents to achieve a pH [ 7. Conventional limestone-based passive treatment systems are unlikely to remove Zn because pH [ 6 is seldom achieved in such systems in an acceptable reaction time. Active treatment is unlikely to be possible at sites established to clean up abandoned mines sites, and therefore passive treatment should include a reducing system to remove Zn in order to meet guidelines for protection of aquatic ecosystems.

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Variability of Stockton Coal Mine drainage chemistry and its treatment potential with biogeochemical reactors

Cited by 14 publications

References 23 publications

Nickel and Zinc Removal from Acid Mine Drainage: Roles of Sludge Surface Area and Neutralising Agents

Nickel and Zinc Removal from Acid Mine Drainage: Roles of Sludge Surface Area and Neutralising Agents

Biogeochemical Characterization of Metal Behavior from Novel Mussel Shell Bioreactor Sludge Residues

Controls on Zn Concentrations in Acidic and Neutral Mine Drainage from New Zealand’s Bituminous Coal and Epithermal Mineral Deposits

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