Chemistry for Sustainable Development 15 (2007) 329-342 Processes of Chemical Weathering of Minerals in Sulphide-Containing Tailing Dumps: Modeling of the Composition of Vadose Water and Secondary Phases

Abstract Thermodynamic model of the oxidative leaching of sulphide-rich tailings from dressing of gold-containing ores (Berikul settlement, West Siberia) is investigated. When calculating the water-rock interactions, we applied some special approaches allowing one to determine the effect of the degree of reaction progress and change of the parameters of the medium (E h , pH) on the composition of the formed secondary minerals that restrain the development of acid drainage at the objects of this kind. Substantiation of several stages of the formation of a technogenic system in time and space is presented, depicting the approach of the system to equilibrium with the environment. The distinguished stages correspond to the zoning of mineral associations described at the object. These associations were formed during 50 years of storing the tailing mounds from the lowest weakly oxidized sulphide parageneses with gypsum and covellite to the capping jarosite-quartz-gypsum zones. The results of modelling provide evidence that an increase in rock affection by atmospheric water brings about the conditions favourable for the formation of the "final" association (goethite and quartz); however, this association is not stable even on the surface of the Berikul tailing dump. It is concluded on the basis of preliminary evaluation that hypergenesis processes in the objects of this kind may proceed hundreds of years till complete depletion of the acid-producing and toxic potential of industry-related wastes

REE, Uranium (U) and Thorium (Th) contents in Betula pendula leaf growing around Komsomolsk gold concentration plant tailing (Kemerovo region, Western Siberia, Russia)

The article deals with the research findings of peculiarities of REE, Uranium and Thorium distribution in the territory surrounding the tailing of former Komsomolsk gold concentration plant according to the data from Betula pendula leaf testing. In the leaf element composition the slight deficiency of MREE and substantial excess of HREE are presented. In the nearest impacted area around the tailing, La, Yb, U and Th content, and Th/U ratio are lower than in the distant buffer area. It is shown, that value of Th/U ratio and REE can be an indicator for geochemical transformations of technogenic landscapes in mining districts. The results of the research can be used for biomonitoring of the territory around the tailing

Chemistry for Sustainable Development 20 (2012) 375384 Features of Soil Pollution in the Region of Storage of the Wastes from Pyrometallurgical Zinc Extraction at the Belovo Zinc Plant

Abstract Total heavy metal content in the soil in the region of the storage of wastes from pyrometallurgical works (Belovo Zinc Plant) was investigated. It was established that the high level of zinc and copper pollution is conserved also after the plant stops its operation. The maximal pollution was detected in the direct vicinity of clinker mound; it exceeds the background values for zinc by a factor of 60. At a distance of 300 m pollution decreases (17-fold excess over the background value) but it can be followed even at a distance of 5 km from the Belovo Zinc Plant (5-fold level). The fraction of mobile forms of a number of elements extracted through stepwise leaching was determined. For the soil with the heaviest pollution (ðÍ of water extract 5.58), the fraction of mobile zinc forms exceeds the MPC by a factor of 66, copper by a factor of 2, manganese is below the normal value, mobile forms of nickel were not detected. Thus obtained row depicts the geoecological condition of soil in the region of waste storage of the Belovo Zinc Plant

Evidence of Volatility Metals and Metalloids at Environment Conditions

Tailings represent a significant risk to the environment globally, but very little is known about the composition of the near-surface air. We conducted laboratory experiments to determine the sizes of the particles and the chemical composition of the flow above the mine waste. A condensate of vapor–gas flow was collected in parallel with particle control by an aerosol diffusion spectrometer (ADS). We reveal that there were no aerosol particles bigger than 3 nm in the flow. The collected condensate contained chemical elements, ions of sulfates, chlorides, phosphates, and formates and a wide range of sulfur-, selenium-, and carbon-containing gases. The main findings of the study are the presence of the metals Zn, Cu, Fe, Al, Cd, Ni, and Ba and the metalloids As, Sb, Se, Ag, Co, Ti, and V in the true-gas phase or in the form of particles smaller than 3 nm in the air above the mine tailings. The surprising fact is that the migration of metals and metalloids in a true-gas form or in ultrafine particles (<3 nm) is possible, which opens up a new research direction on the volatile forms of chemical elements in various climatic conditions and their bioavailability and toxicity

Determination of Arsenic Species Distribution in Arsenide Tailings and Leakage Using Geochemical and Geophysical Methods

This study describes the distribution of arsenic mobile species in the tailings of Cu–Co–Ni–arsenide using the sequential extraction and determining the contents of arsenate (AsV) and arsenite (AsIII). The object of this study is the tailings ponds of the Tuvakobalt plant, which contains waste from the hydrometallurgical arsenide ore processing of the Khovu-Aksy deposit (Republic of Tuva, Russia). A procedure of sequential extraction for arsenic was applied, and it includes the extraction of the following forms: water-soluble, potentially water-soluble and exchangeable, easily sorbed on the surface of carbonates, associated with Fe/Mn oxides/hydroxides, associated with easily oxidized minerals, and accounted for by non-oxidized arsenic minerals. This procedure, which takes into account the peculiarities of the physical and chemical composition of the waste, was supplemented by the analytical determination of the arsenite and arsenate content by using the methods of inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) combined with the hydride generation technique (HG-ICP-AES). The content of the most mobile forms of arsenic, which are water-soluble, potentially water-soluble, and exchangeable species, is equal to 56% of the total arsenic content, 23% and 33% of which are arsenite and arsenate, respectively. Unlike arsenic, the mobile forms of metals have been determined in small quantities. The largest proportion of water-soluble and exchangeable forms is formed by Mg, Ca, and Sr at 11, 9.4, and 20%, respectively (residual and redeposited carbonates). The proportion of water-soluble forms of other metals (Cu, Zn, Co, and Ni) is < 1% or 0. The main part of the metals is adsorbed on the surface of Fe and Mn hydroxides, enclosed in easily and hardly oxidized minerals. In addition to geochemical studies, the presence of leaks from the tailing ponds into ground waters was determined by using electrical resistivity tomography. The data obtained indicate a high environmental hazard of tailings and the possibility of water-soluble and highly toxic arsenic compounds entering ground waters and aquifers