Levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and dibenzothiophenes in wetland sediments and aquatic insects in the oil sands area of Northeastern Alberta, Canada

An immense volume of tailings and tailings water is accumulating in tailings ponds located on mine leases in the oil sands area of Alberta, Canada. Oil sands mining companies have proposed to use tailings- and tailings water-amended lakes and wetlands as part of their mine remediation plans. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are substances of concern in oil sands tailings and tailings water. In this study, we determined concentrations of PAHs in sediments, insect larvae and adult insects collected in or adjacent to three groups of wetlands: experimental wetlands to which tailings or tailings water had been purposely added, oil sands wetlands that were located on the mine leases but which had not been experimentally manipulated and reference wetlands located near the mine leases. Alkylated PAHs dominated the PAH profile in all types of samples in the three categories of wetlands. Median and maximum PAH concentrations, especially alkylated PAH concentrations, tended to be higher in sediments and insect larvae in experimental wetlands than in the other types of wetlands. Such was not the case for adult insects, which contained higher than expected levels of PAHs in the three types of ponds. Overlap in PAH concentrations in larvae among pond types suggests that any increase in PAH levels resulting from the addition of tailings and tailings water to wetlands would be modest. Biota-sediment accumulation factors were higher for alkylated PAHs than for their parent counterparts and were lower in experimental wetlands than in oil sands and reference wetlands. Research is needed to examine factors that affect the bioavailability of PAHs in oil sands tailings- or tailings water-amended wetlands.     

Risks associated with the mining of Pb–Zn minerals in some parts of the Southern Benue trough,Nigeria

The environmental effects of the mining of lead–zinc mineralization in Enyigba area, Southern Benue trough were examined. The samples used for this study were obtained from abandoned mine sites, mine tailings, streams, hand-dug wells, mine pond and borehole. Collected samples were subjected to X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction analyses, atomic absorption spectrometry and permeability tests. These were done using standard laboratory equipment and procedures. The concentrations of heavy metals present in analysed water samples fall below the world health organizations’ (WHO) acceptable limits. Conversely, the soil, mine tailings and stream sediments indicate appreciable pollution level by some potential toxic metals (PTMs). Consequently, the habitual use of these soils for construction purpose by inhabitants has possible health hazards. The shaly lithology underlying the area is increasingly affected by weathering and lateritization, thus improving its permeability and the easiness with which PTMs can be conducted to the water table by leachate. Regular monitoring assessment is recommended to ensure adherence of miners operating in the area to existing environmental laws.     

Soil criteria to protect terrestrial wildlife and open-range livestock from metal toxicity at mining sites

Thousands of hard rock mines exist in the western USA and in other parts of the world as a result of historic and current gold, silver, lead, and mercury mining. Many of these sites in the USA are on public lands. Typical mine waste associated with these sites are tailings and waste rock dumps that may be used by wildlife and open-range livestock. This report provides wildlife screening criteria levels for metals in soil and mine waste to evaluate risk and to determine the need for site-specific risk assessment, remediation, or a change in management practices. The screening levels are calculated from toxicity reference values based on maximum tolerable levels of metals in feed, on soil and plant ingestion rates, and on soil to plant uptake factors for a variety of receptors. The metals chosen for this report are common toxic metals found at mining sites: arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, and zinc. The resulting soil screening values are well above those developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency. The difference in values was mainly a result of using toxicity reference values that were more specific to the receptors addressed rather than the most sensitive receptor.     

Fractionation of heavy metals and assessment of contamination of the sediments of Lake Titicaca

Chemical weathering is one of the major geochemical processes that control the mobilization of heavy metals. The present study provides the first report on heavy metal fractionation in sediments (8–156 m) of Lake Titicaca (3,820 m a.s.l.), which is shared by the Republic of Peru and the Plurinational State of Bolivia. Both contents of total Cu, Fe, Ni, Co, Mn, Cd, Pb, and Zn and also the fractionation of these heavy metals associated with four different fractions have been determined following the BCR scheme. The principal component analysis suggests that Co, Ni, and Cd can be attributed to natural sources related to the mineralized geological formations. Moreover, the sources of Cu, Fe, and Mn are effluents and wastes generated from mining activities, while Pb and Zn also suggest that their common source is associated to mining activities. According to the Risk Assessment Code, there is a moderate to high risk related to Zn, Pb, Cd, Mn, Co, and Ni mobilization and/or remobilization from the bottom sediment to the water column. Furthermore, the Geoaccumulation Index and the Enrichment Factor reveal that Zn, Pb, and Cd are enriched in the sediments. The results suggest that the effluents from various traditional mining waste sites in both countries are the main source of heavy metal contamination in the sediments of Lake Titicaca.     

Environmental monitoring of heavy metals and arsenic from Ag-Pb-Zn mining: a case study over two millennia

2000 years of mining activity at Wiesloch, Germanyleft behind a legacy of mining wastes, some of which haveextremely high contents of toxic elements like As, Cd, Tl,Sb, Pb and Zn. To evaluate their long-term impact ondifferent environmental compartments, the detailedenvironmental monitoring presented here focused on themineralogical and chemical characterization of thedifferent waste materials, consisting of dumpings with orefragments, flotation tailings and medieval metallurgicalslags. Leaching experiments with these materials, usingeluents of different compositions and pHs were carried outto assess the conditions governing the mobilization and re-fixation of these species. It was shown, that the carbonatehost rock of the mineralization, the loess blanket coveringthe area and the organically rich municipal sewage sludgesdeposited on top of the tailings, represent potentialbarriers to the dispersion of toxic elements over a muchlarger area. Moreover, particulate emissions from thesteep, unvegetated escarpments of the tailing heapsrepresent a continuous thread to the environment.     

Atmospheric Monitoring at Abandoned Mercury Mine Sites in Asturias (NW Spain)

Mercury concentrations are usually significant in historic Hg mining districts all over the world, so the atmospheric environment is potentially affected. In Asturias, northern Spain, past mining operations have left a legacy of ruins and Hg-rich wastes, soils and sediments in abandoned sites. Total Hg concentrations in the ambient air of these abandoned mine sites have been investigated to evaluate the impact of the Hg emissions. This paper presents the synthesis of current knowledge about atmospheric Hg contents in the area of the abandoned Hg mining and smelting works at ‘La Peña–El Terronal’ and La Soterraña, located in Mieres and Pola de Lena districts, respectively, both within the Caudal River basin. It was found that average atmospheric Hg concentrations are higher than the background level in the area (0.1 μg Nm^?3), reaching up to 203.7 μg Nm^?3 at 0.2 m above the ground level, close to the old smelting chimney at El Terronal mine site. Data suggest that past Hg mining activities have big influences on the increased Hg concentrations around abandoned sites and that atmospheric transfer is a major pathway for Hg cycling in these environments.     

Speciation of mercury in mine waste: case study of abandoned and active gold mine sites at the Bibiani–Anwiaso–Bekwai area of South Western Ghana

Speciation determines toxicity, transport pathways and residence time of a metal in different compartments of the environment. This study investigated the speciation of mercury in soils, derived from sites known for dumping of mine wastes in the Bibiani–Anwiaso–Bekwai district, a gold mining community of the Western Region of Ghana. Soil samples were taken from the surface; depths of 20, 40 and 60?cm from mine waste at both abandoned and active mine sites. Each sample was analysed for total mercury, organic mercury and elemental mercury. After sample treatment, digestion and reduction with stannous chloride (SnCl₂), total mercury content was determined using the Inductively Coupled Plasma—Optical Emissions Spectrometer (ICP–OES). Organic mercury content was determined employing a differential technique after disposing of elemental mercury by heating. Total mercury content in samples ranged from 0.067 to 0.876?mg/kg for surface soils. The same soil of depths 20, 40 and 60?cm had total mercury from 0.102 to 1.066, 0.037 to 4.037 and 0.191 to 4.998?mg/kg, respectively. For organic mercury, concentrations range from 0.012 to 0.260?mg/kg for surface soil. Soil depths of 20, 40 and 60?cm had organic mercury concentrations from 0.016 to 0.653, 0.041 to 1.093 and 0.101 to 2.546?mg/kg respectively. Elemental mercury concentrations in surface soils, soils at depths of 20, 40 and 60 cm ranged from 0.043 to 0.780; 0.017 to 0.749; 0.014 to 2.944 and 0.009 to 2.452 mg/kg respectively. Among the sites studied, only galamsey tailings (GM) showed a trend of increasing total mercury level with increasing depth. For the other sites, trends were not defined. There has been no defined trend for elemental mercury with depth at any of the sampling sites. Just as with total mercury, it was only GM that showed an increasing trend of organic mercury concentration with depth.     

Arsenic mobilization and attenuation by mineral-water interactions: implications for managed aquifer recharge

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) has potential for addressing deficits in water supplies worldwide. It is also widely used for preventing saltwater intrusion, maintaining the groundwater table, and augmenting ecological stream flows, among many other beneficial environmental applications. However, field MAR sites have experienced arsenic mobilization from aquifer formation minerals due to induced changes in groundwater chemistry. To address this environmental concern, it is crucial to understand the potential sources and sinks impacting arsenic mobilization. This paper outlines important mineral-water interactions that can occur at MAR sites. Detailed information on minerals of concern, physiochemical processes for arsenic mobilization or attenuation, and the potential impact of microbial activity and hydrology on these processes is provided. Based on these mineral-water interactions, guidelines for predicting arsenic mobility are presented, and recommendations are made concerning MAR site monitoring. The review emphasizes important aspects in correlating interfacial reactions to reactive transport modeling and elucidating future challenges, a first step toward developing safer and more sustainable MAR operations.     

Tracking acid mine-drainage in Southeast Arizona using GIS and sediment delivery models

This study investigates the application of models traditionally used to estimate erosion and sediment deposition to assess the potential risk of water quality impairment resulting from metal-bearing materials related to mining and mineralization. An integrated watershed analysis using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) based tools was undertaken to examine erosion and sediment transport characteristics within the watersheds. Estimates of stream deposits of sediment from mine tailings were related to the chemistry of surface water to assess the effectiveness of the methodology to assess the risk of acid mine-drainage being dispersed downstream of abandoned tailings and waste rock piles. A watershed analysis was preformed in the Patagonia Mountains in southeastern Arizona which has seen substantial mining and where recent water quality samples have reported acidic surface waters. This research demonstrates an improvement of the ability to predict streams that are likely to have severely degraded water quality as a result of past mining activities.     

Geochemical position of Pb,Zn and Cd in soils near the Olkusz mine/smelter,South Poland: effects of land use,type of contamination and distance from pollution source

The soils adjacent to an area of historical mining, ore processing and smelting activities reflects the historical background and a mixing of recent contamination sources. The main anthropogenic sources of metals can be connected with historical and recent mine wastes, direct atmospheric deposition from mining and smelting processes and dust particles originating from open tailings ponds. Contaminated agriculture and forest soil samples with mining and smelting related pollutants were collected at different distances from the source of emission in the Pb–Zn–Ag mining area near Olkusz, Upper Silesia to (a) compare the chemical speciation of metals in agriculture and forest soils situated at the same distance from the point source of pollution (paired sampling design), (b) to evaluate the relationship between the distance from the polluter and the retention of the metals in the soil, (c) to describe mineralogy transformation of anthropogenic soil particles in the soils, and (d) to assess the effect of deposited fly ash vs. dumped mining/smelting waste on the mobility and bioavailability of metals in the soil. Forest soils are much more affected with smelting processes than agriculture soils. However, agriculture soils suffer from the downward metal migration more than the forest soils. The maximum concentrations of Pb, Zn, and Cd were detected in a forest soil profile near the smelter and reached about 25 g kg^− 1, 20 g kg^− 1 and 200 mg kg^− 1 for Pb, Zn and Cd, respectively. The metal pollutants from smelting processes are less stable under slightly alkaline soil pH then acidic due to the metal carbonates precipitation. Metal mobility ranges in the studied forest soils are as follows: Pb > Zn ≈ Cd for relatively circum-neutral soil pH (near the smelter), Cd > Zn > Pb for acidic soils (further from the smelter). Under relatively comparable pH conditions, the main soil properties influencing metal migration are total organic carbon and cation exchange capacity. The mobilization of Pb, Zn and Cd in soils depends on the persistence of the metal-containing particles in the atmosphere; the longer the time, the more abundant the stable forms. The dumped mining/smelting waste is less risk of easily mobilizable metal forms, however, downward metal migration especially due to the periodical leaching of the waste was observed.     

Exposure of insects and insectivorous birds to metals and other elements from abandoned mine tailings in three Summit County drainages, Colorado

Concentrations of 31 metals, metalloids, and other elements were measured in insects and insectivorous bird tissues from three drainages with different geochemistry and mining histories in Summit Co., Colorado, in 2003, 2004, and 2005. In insect samples, all 25 elements that were analyzed in all years increased in both Snake and Deer Creeks in the mining impacted areas compared to areas above and below the mining impacted areas. This distribution of elements was predicted from known or expected sediment contamination resulting from abandoned mine tailings in those drainages. Element concentrations in avian liver tissues were in concordance with levels in insects, that is with concentrations higher in mid-drainage areas where mine tailings were present compared to both upstream and downstream locations; these differences were not always statistically different, however. The lack of statistically significant differences in liver tissues, except for a few elements, was due to relatively small sample sizes and because many of these elements are essential and therefore well regulated by the bird's homeostatic processes. Most elements were at background concentrations in avian liver tissue except for Pb which was elevated at mid-drainage sites to levels where delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase activity was inhibited at other mining sites in Colorado. Lead exposure, however, was not at toxic levels. Fecal samples were not a good indication of what elements birds ingested and were potentially exposed to.     

Heavy metal contamination from mining sites in South Morocco: Monitoring metal content and toxicity of soil runoff and groundwater

The aim of the present work is the assessment of metal toxicity in runoff, in their contaminated soils and in the groundwater sampled from two mining areas in the region of Marrakech using a microbial bioassay MetPLATE™. This bioassay is based on the specific inhibition of the β-galactosidase enzyme of a mutant strain of Escherichia coli, by the metallic pollutants. The stream waters from all sampling stations in the two mines were all very toxic and displayed percent enzyme inhibition exceeding 87% except SWA₄ and SWB₁ stations in mine C. Their high concentrations of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) confirm the acute toxicity shown by MetPLATE. The pH of stream waters from mine B and C varied between 2.1 and 6.2 and was probably responsible for metal mobilization, suggesting a problem of acid mine drainage in these mining areas. The bioassay MetPLATE™ was also applied to mine tailings and to soils contaminated by the acidic waters. The results show that the high toxicity of these soils and tailings was mainly due to the relatively concentration of soluble Zn and Cu. The use of MetPLATE™ in groundwater toxicity testing shows that, most of the samples exhibited low metal toxicity (2.7–45.5% inhibition) except GW3 of the mine B (95.3% inhibition during the wet season and 82.9% inhibition during the dry season). This high toxicity is attributed to the higher than usual concentrations of Cu (189 μg Cu l⁻¹) and Zn (1505 μg Zn l⁻¹). These results show the potential risk of the contamination of different ecosystems situated to the vicinity of these two metalliferous sites. The general trend observed was an increase in metal toxicity measured by the MetPLATE with increasing total and mobile metal concentrations in the studied matrices. Therefore, the MetPLATE bioassay is a reliable and fast bioassay to estimate the metals toxicity in the aquatic and solids samples.     

Migration of As, Hg, Pb, and Zn in arroyo sediments from a semiarid coastal system influenced by the abandoned gold mining district at El Triunfo, Baja California Sur, Mexico

Extensive waste deposits (tailings) and ash from the ignition oven of the abandoned gold mine of mining district El Triunfo (MD-ET) in Baja California Sur, Mexico have released trace elements into the sediments of the Hondo-Las Gallinas-El Carrizal arroyo, which connects to the Pacific Ocean through an evaporitic basin. Migration of these elements through the arroyo is mainly caused by winds or tropical hurricanes that occur sporadically during the summer and cause the otherwise dry arroyo to overflow. To evaluate the concentration and distribution of the elements As, Hg, Pb, and Zn along the 48 km arroyo, surface sediments were collected from 26 sites, ranging from close to the MD-ET to the mouth of the arroyo at the Pacific Ocean. Concentrations in tailings and ash were for As 8890 and 505?000 mg kg(-1); for Hg 0.336 and 54.9 mg kg(-1); for Pb 92,700 and 19,300 mg kg(-1); and for Zn 49,600 and 1380 mg kg(-1). The average of the Normalized Enrichment Factor (Av-NEF) in surface sediments, calculated using background levels, indicates that the sediments are severely contaminated with As and Zn (Av-NEF = 22), Pb (Av-NEF = 24) and with a moderate contamination of Hg (Av-NEF = 7.5). The anthropogenic influence of those elements is reflected in the arroyo sediments as far as 18 km away from the MD-ET, whereas the samples closest to the discharge into the Pacific Ocean show a natural to moderate enrichment for As and Zn and low or no enrichment for Hg and Pb. A principal components analysis identified four principal components that explained 90% of the total variance. Factor 1 was characterized by a high positive contribution of the anthropogenic source elements, especially As, Pb, and Zn (37%), whereas Factor 2 was strongly correlated with the oxy-hydroxides of Fe and Mn (27%). Factor 3 was correlated with Li (16%) and Factor 4 with Al (10%), which indicates more than one source of lithogenic composition, though they played a minor role in the distribution of the elements.     

Contamination from historic metal mines and the need for non-invasive remediation techniques: a case study from Southwest England

The UK is legally required by the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) to improve the environmental quality of inland and coastal waters in the coming years. Historic metal mine sites are recognised as an important source of some of the elements on the WFD priority chemicals list. Despite their contamination potential, such sites are valued for their heritage and for other cultural and scientific reasons. Remediating historic mining areas to control the contamination of stream waters, whilst also preserving the integrity of the mine site, is a challenge but might be achieved by novel forms of remediation. In this study, we have carried out environmental monitoring at a historic, and culturally-sensitive, lead-silver mine site in southwest England and have undertaken a pilot experiment to investigate the potential for a novel, non-invasive remediation method at the site. Concentrations of Pb and Zn in mine spoil were clearly elevated with geometric mean concentrations of 6,888 and 710 microg g(-1), respectively. Mean concentrations of Pb in stream waters were between 21 and 54 microg l(-1), in exceedance of the WFD environmental quality standard (EQS) of 7.2 microg l(-1) (annual average). Mean Zn concentrations in water were between 30 and 97 microg l(-1), compared to the UK EQS of 66.5 microg l(-1) (average). Stream sediments within, and downstream from, the mining site were similarly elevated, indicating transport of mine waste particles into and within the stream. We undertook a simple trial to investigate the potential of hydroxyapatite, in the form of bonemeal, to passively remove the Pb and Zn, from the stream waters. After percolating through bonemeal in a leaching column, 96-99% of the dissolved Pb and Zn in stream water samples was removed.     

Geochemistry of mine tailings and behavior of arsenic at Kombat,northeastern Namibia

The mine tailings at Kombat, in semiarid northeastern Namibia, were investigated by the combination of solid-phase analyses, mineralogical methods, leaching tests, and speciation modeling. Dissolution of the most abundant primary sulfides, chalcopyrite and galena, released copper and lead which were adsorbed onto ferric oxyhydroxides or precipitated in the form of malachite, Cu₂CO₃(OH)₂, and cerussite, PbCO₃, respectively. Arsenic released from arsenopyrite was incorporated into ferric oxyhydroxides. Based on sequential extraction and ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, a large amount of ferric iron is present as low solubility hematite and goethite formed rapidly (<10 years) under warm semiarid climatic conditions, and arsenic in these phases is relatively tightly bound. It seems that Cu and especially Pb in carbonate minerals represent a more serious environmental risk. Immobilization of As in hematite has implications for other mining sites in regions with similar climatic conditions because this process results in long-term immobilization of As.     

Arsenic and trace metals in river water and sediments from the southeast portion of the Iron Quadrangle, Brazil

The Iron Quadrangle has been one of the most important gold production regions in Brazil since the end of the seventeenth century. There, arsenic occurs in close association with sulfide-rich auriferous rocks. The most abundant sulfide minerals are pyrite and arsenopyrite, yet trace metal sulfides occur in subordinate phases as well. Historical mining activities have been responsible for the release of As and trace metals to both aquatic and terrestrial environments close to mining sites in the region. Therefore, this study was aimed to evaluate the distribution and mobility of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in streams in the southeast portion of the Iron Quadrangle between the municipalities of Ouro Preto and Mariana, the oldest Brazilian Au mining province. Total concentrations of some trace metals and arsenic in water were determined. The four-stage sequential extraction procedure proposed by the commission of the European Communities Bureau of Reference (BCR) was used to investigate the distribution of these elements in stream sediments. Arsenic concentration in water was >10 ??g L^???1 (maximum limit permitted by Brazilian environmental regulations for water destined for human consumption) at all sampling sites, varying between 36.7 and 68.3 ??g L^???1. Sequential extraction in sediments showed high concentrations of As and trace metals associated with easily mobilized fractions.     

Application of artificial neural networks for classification of uranium distribution in the Central Rand goldfield,South Africa

Mine tailings generate significant environmental impacts and contribute to water pollution. The Central Rand goldfield, South Africa is replete with gold mine tailings which have contributed significantly to water pollution as a result of acid mine drainage (AMD). Water quality is affected by mine tailings and spillages, especially from active slimes dams, currently reprocessed tailings, as well as footprints left behind after reprocessing. The release and distribution of uranium from these sites was studied. Correlation matrices show a strong link between different variables as a result of AMD produced. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify very influential variables which account for the pollution trends. Artificial neural networks (ANN) using the Kohonen algorithm were applied to visualise these trends and patterns in the distribution of uranium. High concentrations of this radionuclide were detected in streams in the vicinity of the tailings dumps, active slimes and reprocessing areas. The concentrations are reduced drastically in dams and wetlands as a result of precipitation and dilution effects.     

Heavy Metal Contents of the Karasu Creek Sediments, Nigde, Turkey

Heavy metal contamination in sediments of the Karasu spring was investigated in the presented study. In this respect, sediment samples were collected from contaminant sites along the spring starting from the spring water manifestation site, base of the Akkaya dam to the dam exit site. Heavy metal concentrations were determined by X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer. Cobalt, copper, arsenic, tin, nickel, zinc, cadmium, lead, aluminum, iron, titan, chromium and manganese contents of the Karasu creek sediments are found as 18.30–69.00, 12.40–595.0 5.50–345.3, 5.80–15.1, 10.9–64.1, 28.90–103,300, 4.1–356.2, 7.70–37,840, 13,460–109,400, 11,740–62,900, 22.18–59.04, 41.70–369 and 12.09–3,480 mg/kg, respectively. Results indicate the presence of a contamination in the Karasu creek. All the metal concentrations were found to be exceeding their acceptable limit values. Eutrophication is developed in the Karasu creek and the Akkaya dam. It is thought that heavy metal accumulation in the creek is originated from discharge from mine quarries, industrial and domestic wastes. Protection zones should be defined and all necessary measures must be taken along the Karasu creek.     

Arsenic contamination and speciation in surrounding waters of three old cinnabar mines

The impact of arsenic pollution in waters from the surroundings of three abandoned Hg mines in Northern Spain, as well as reaching the Caudal River, was evaluated. For assessing the factors controlling arsenic release, an extensive study based on the physicochemical characterization and multivariate statistical analysis of waters upstream and downstream each mine site was performed. Waters downstream of the La Soterra?a mine present the highest arsenic concentrations, up to 38.8 mg L(-1), coming mainly from the solubilisation of calcium, magnesium and strontium arsenates at a pH close to neutral. Although arsenic concentrations downstream of La Pe?a are markedly lower, these values remain too high, indicating that the encapsulation carried out in this spoil heap is insufficient. In addition, the high water flow in this point involves an extremely high input of arsenic to the surroundings (0.3 g s(-1)). Waters close to tailings from Los Rueldos suffer from acid mine drainage, provoking an important solubilisation of arsenic and heavy metals, a situation which is rapidly softened with distance. The study of arsenic speciation reveals the omnipresence of As(v) in waters from the three mines, whereas in La Pe?a low amounts of As(iii) were also detected. Different preservation methods for As speciation were compared, such as the addition of HCl, EDTA and the storage of samples without any additive, and no alteration of samples in any case up to nine months after the collection was observed. A study of seasonal variations of As and the main parameters affecting its concentration and speciation was completed throughout a year, showing no remarkable dependency with rainfall for any studied variable.     

Comparison of static and mineralogical ARD prediction methods in the Nordic environment

Acid rock drainage (ARD) is a major problem related to the management of mining wastes, especially concerning deposits containing sulphide minerals. Commonly used tests for ARD prediction include acid–base accounting (ABA) tests and the net acid generation (NAG) test. Since drainage quality largely depends on the ratio and quality of acid-producing and neutralising minerals, mineralogical calculations could also be used for ARD prediction. In this study, several Finnish waste rock sites were investigated and the performance of different static ARD test methods was evaluated and compared. At the target mine sites, pyrrhotite was the main mineral contributing to acid production (AP). Silicate minerals were the main contributors to the neutralisation potential (NP) at 60% of the investigated mine sites. Since silicate minerals appear to have a significant role in ARD generation at Finnish mine waste sites, the behaviour of these minerals should be more thoroughly investigated, especially in relation to the acid produced by pyrrhotite oxidation. In general, the NP of silicate minerals appears to be underestimated by laboratory measurements. For example, in the NAG test, the slower-reacting NP-contributing minerals might require a longer time to react than is specified in the currently used method. The results suggest that ARD prediction based on SEM mineralogical calculations is at least as accurate as the commonly used static laboratory methods.