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Geochemical behavior of ultramafic waste rocks with carbon sequestration potential: a case study of the Dumont Nickel Project, Amos, Québec

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Abstract

The geochemical behavior of ultramafic waste rocks and the effect of carbon sequestration by these waste rocks on the water drainage quality were investigated using laboratory-scale kinetic column tests on samples from the Dumont Nickel Project (RNC Minerals, QC, Canada). The test results demonstrated that atmospheric CO2 dissolution induced the weathering of serpentine and brucite within the ultramafic rocks, generating high concentrations of Mg and HCO3 − with pH values ranging between 9 and 10 in the leachates that promote the precipitation of secondary Mg carbonates. These alkaline pH values appear to have prevented the mobilization of many metals; Fe, Ni, Cu, and Zn were found at negligible concentrations in the leachates. Posttesting characterization using chemical analyses, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT), and scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations confirmed the precipitation of secondary hydrated Mg carbonates as predicted by thermodynamic calculations. The formation of secondary Mg carbonates induced cementation of the waste particles, resulting in the development of a hardpan.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank RNC Minrals and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) for their contributions to a Research and Collaborative Grant, the Research Institute in Mining and Environment (RIME-UQAT) and the RNC Minerals staff. The URSTM (UQAT) staff is also acknowledged for their laboratory support during this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Institute in Mining and Environment (RIME), UQAT (Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue), 445 boulevard de l’Université, Rouyn-Noranda, Québec, J9X 5E4, Canada

    El Hadji Babacar Kandji, Benoit Plante & Bruno Bussière

  2. Department of Geology and Geological Engineering, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, G1V 0A6, Canada

    Georges Beaudoin

  3. RNC Minerals, 42 Rue Trudel, Amos, Québec, J9T 4N1, Canada

    Pierre-Philippe Dupont

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  1. El Hadji Babacar Kandji
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  2. Benoit Plante
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  3. Bruno Bussière
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  4. Georges Beaudoin
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  5. Pierre-Philippe Dupont
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Correspondence to Benoit Plante.

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Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Figure S1

Cumulative and normalized column loadings for SO4, Mg, Si, and Ca (PDF 83 kb)

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Figure S2

Post column test dismantling (PDF 253 kb)

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Figure S3

Water saturation profile upon column dismantling (PDF 23 kb)

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Kandji, E.H.B., Plante, B., Bussière, B. et al. Geochemical behavior of ultramafic waste rocks with carbon sequestration potential: a case study of the Dumont Nickel Project, Amos, Québec. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 11734–11751 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-8735-9

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