Environmental and Geochemical characterization of alkaline mine wastes from Phalaborwa (Palabora) Complex, South Africa

A detailed characterization of alkaline tailing ponds and waste rock dumps from Phalaborwa Igneous Complex (PIC) South Africa, has been accomplished. The study goes beyond the environmental characterization of mining wastes, offering the first insight towards the recycling of the wastes as alkaline...

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Autores: Gómez Arias, Alba, Yesares Ortiz, María Dolores, Caraballo Monge, Manuel Antonio, Maleke, Maleke, Vermeulen, Danie, Nieto Liñán, José Miguel, Heerden, Esta van, Castillo Hernández, Julio Cesar
Formato: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2021
País:España
Recursos:Universidad de Huelva (UHU)
Repositorio:Arias Montano. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Huelva
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ariasmontano.uhu.es:10272/23233
Acesso em linha:https://hdl.handle.net/10272/23233
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palavra-chave:Mining waste recycling
Carbonatite tailing
Waste rock dump
Acid-base accounting
Leaching test
Sequential extraction
2503 Geoquímica
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spelling Environmental and Geochemical characterization of alkaline mine wastes from Phalaborwa (Palabora) Complex, South AfricaGómez Arias, AlbaYesares Ortiz, María DoloresCaraballo Monge, Manuel AntonioMaleke, MalekeVermeulen, DanieNieto Liñán, José MiguelHeerden, Esta vanCastillo Hernández, Julio CesarMining waste recyclingCarbonatite tailingWaste rock dumpAcid-base accountingLeaching testSequential extraction2503 GeoquímicaA detailed characterization of alkaline tailing ponds and waste rock dumps from Phalaborwa Igneous Complex (PIC) South Africa, has been accomplished. The study goes beyond the environmental characterization of mining wastes, offering the first insight towards the recycling of the wastes as alkaline reagent to neutralize acid industrial wastewater. To achieve these aims, tailings and waste rocks were characterized using a combination of conventional, novel and modified Acid Rock Drainage (ARD) prediction methodologies, as well as South African leachate tests, sequential extractions and pseudo-total digestions. The scarcity of Fe-sulphide minerals and the abundance of alkaline minerals indicated that PIC wastes are not ARD producers. The highest neutralization potential was found in the carbonatite rocks and East tailing samples (range between 289 and 801 kg CaCO3 eq/t). According to the National Environmental Management Waste Act (59/2008) of South Africa, tailing ponds and waste rock dumps from PIC classify as non-hazardous (Type 3 waste). The sequential extractions showed that the different fractions from most of the samples would mostly release sulphate and non-toxic elements, such as Ca, Mg, Na and K, which might be a concern if leached in high concentration. In addition, relatively high concentrations of radionuclides, such as U and Th (average of 6.7 and 36.3 mg/kg, respectively) are present in the non-labile fraction of PIC wastes, while the leachable concentrations were always below 0.006 mg/L. Among PIC wastes, East tailing would be the best option as alkaline reagent to neutralize acid wastewater because of its high neutralization potential and non-harmful leachate composition. In general, this study exposes the shortcomings in mine waste characterization, particularly for alkaline mine wastes, and introduces the assessment of potential revalorization as a novel practice in mine waste characterization that, if extended as a regular practice, would facilitate a circular economy approach to the mining industry with its consequent economic and environmental benefits.Elsevier20212021-01-0120212021-01-01journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501AMhttp://purl.org/coar/version/c_ab4af688f83e57aainfo:eu-repo/semantics/articleapplication/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/10272/23233reponame:Arias Montano. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Huelvainstname:Universidad de Huelva (UHU)Inglésengopen accesshttp://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2Atribución-NoComercial-SinDerivadas 3.0 Españahttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/es/info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:ariasmontano.uhu.es:10272/232332026-06-02T14:58:11Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Environmental and Geochemical characterization of alkaline mine wastes from Phalaborwa (Palabora) Complex, South Africa
title Environmental and Geochemical characterization of alkaline mine wastes from Phalaborwa (Palabora) Complex, South Africa
spellingShingle Environmental and Geochemical characterization of alkaline mine wastes from Phalaborwa (Palabora) Complex, South Africa
Gómez Arias, Alba
Mining waste recycling
Carbonatite tailing
Waste rock dump
Acid-base accounting
Leaching test
Sequential extraction
2503 Geoquímica
title_short Environmental and Geochemical characterization of alkaline mine wastes from Phalaborwa (Palabora) Complex, South Africa
title_full Environmental and Geochemical characterization of alkaline mine wastes from Phalaborwa (Palabora) Complex, South Africa
title_fullStr Environmental and Geochemical characterization of alkaline mine wastes from Phalaborwa (Palabora) Complex, South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Environmental and Geochemical characterization of alkaline mine wastes from Phalaborwa (Palabora) Complex, South Africa
title_sort Environmental and Geochemical characterization of alkaline mine wastes from Phalaborwa (Palabora) Complex, South Africa
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Gómez Arias, Alba
Yesares Ortiz, María Dolores
Caraballo Monge, Manuel Antonio
Maleke, Maleke
Vermeulen, Danie
Nieto Liñán, José Miguel
Heerden, Esta van
Castillo Hernández, Julio Cesar
author Gómez Arias, Alba
author_facet Gómez Arias, Alba
Yesares Ortiz, María Dolores
Caraballo Monge, Manuel Antonio
Maleke, Maleke
Vermeulen, Danie
Nieto Liñán, José Miguel
Heerden, Esta van
Castillo Hernández, Julio Cesar
author_role author
author2 Yesares Ortiz, María Dolores
Caraballo Monge, Manuel Antonio
Maleke, Maleke
Vermeulen, Danie
Nieto Liñán, José Miguel
Heerden, Esta van
Castillo Hernández, Julio Cesar
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Mining waste recycling
Carbonatite tailing
Waste rock dump
Acid-base accounting
Leaching test
Sequential extraction
2503 Geoquímica
topic Mining waste recycling
Carbonatite tailing
Waste rock dump
Acid-base accounting
Leaching test
Sequential extraction
2503 Geoquímica
description A detailed characterization of alkaline tailing ponds and waste rock dumps from Phalaborwa Igneous Complex (PIC) South Africa, has been accomplished. The study goes beyond the environmental characterization of mining wastes, offering the first insight towards the recycling of the wastes as alkaline reagent to neutralize acid industrial wastewater. To achieve these aims, tailings and waste rocks were characterized using a combination of conventional, novel and modified Acid Rock Drainage (ARD) prediction methodologies, as well as South African leachate tests, sequential extractions and pseudo-total digestions. The scarcity of Fe-sulphide minerals and the abundance of alkaline minerals indicated that PIC wastes are not ARD producers. The highest neutralization potential was found in the carbonatite rocks and East tailing samples (range between 289 and 801 kg CaCO3 eq/t). According to the National Environmental Management Waste Act (59/2008) of South Africa, tailing ponds and waste rock dumps from PIC classify as non-hazardous (Type 3 waste). The sequential extractions showed that the different fractions from most of the samples would mostly release sulphate and non-toxic elements, such as Ca, Mg, Na and K, which might be a concern if leached in high concentration. In addition, relatively high concentrations of radionuclides, such as U and Th (average of 6.7 and 36.3 mg/kg, respectively) are present in the non-labile fraction of PIC wastes, while the leachable concentrations were always below 0.006 mg/L. Among PIC wastes, East tailing would be the best option as alkaline reagent to neutralize acid wastewater because of its high neutralization potential and non-harmful leachate composition. In general, this study exposes the shortcomings in mine waste characterization, particularly for alkaline mine wastes, and introduces the assessment of potential revalorization as a novel practice in mine waste characterization that, if extended as a regular practice, would facilitate a circular economy approach to the mining industry with its consequent economic and environmental benefits.
publishDate 2021
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2021
2021-01-01
2021
2021-01-01
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv journal article
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
AM
http://purl.org/coar/version/c_ab4af688f83e57aa
dc.type.openaire.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
format article
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://hdl.handle.net/10272/23233
url https://hdl.handle.net/10272/23233
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
eng
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
language eng
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv open access
http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
Atribución-NoComercial-SinDerivadas 3.0 España
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/es/
dc.rights.openaire.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv open access
http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
Atribución-NoComercial-SinDerivadas 3.0 España
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/es/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:Arias Montano. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Huelva
instname:Universidad de Huelva (UHU)
instname_str Universidad de Huelva (UHU)
reponame_str Arias Montano. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Huelva
collection Arias Montano. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Huelva
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
_version_ 1869413215980486656
score 15,811543

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