Abstract
Sulfide-rich tailings are a well-known environmental threat due to their production of acid drainage (AD) and release of potential toxic elements (PTE) to the local environment. The presence of heterogeneous materials produces complex environmental signatures and complicates the quantitative prediction of contamination. The present work provides a method of quantifying such heterogeneities, starting from mineral processing data of the Reps, Mirdita (Albania) site. A quantitative flow sheet (QF) method was applied to a selected dump site of the Mirdita copper mining district where secondary pyrite separation had been used in the past. The site is subject to long-lasting (103 years) AD processes with significant release of PTE into the local environment. The tailings at the Reps site are divided into two classes based on the sulfide S content, respectively, represented by high-sulfide-content (S > 10 wt%) materials (hS) and low-sulfide-content (S < 3 wt%) material (lS). The reconstruction of the QF allowed us to identify the hS tailings as the discharge of single-flotation processing lines. This material accounts for about 82% of the total potential H2SO4 production, even though it represents < 20% of the entire tailing discard. The QF is a useful tool for the evaluation of heterogeneity and consequently for the modeling of waste management within abandoned sites and in working plants. Given a good quantification, heterogeneity can in fact support the setting of pyrite separation lines or the separate management of pyrite-rich tailing dumps.
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Acknowledgements
This study was financially supported by MIUR PRIN 2010–2011 (Grant 2010MKHT9B to P. Costagliola and P. Lattanzi). The authors would like to thank Asslan Daci, Donald Deda, and Endri Daci for their support in the bibliographic and cartographic research. Actlab Laboratories are acknowledged for ICP analyses. Thanks to Paolo Gentile (SEM laboratory of Milano-Bicocca University) and Monica Da Piaggi (X-ray powder diffraction laboratory of the Earth Science Department of the University of Milano) for analytical support. Thanks to Elena Ferrari (University of Milano) for her essential help in sample preparation and analytical approaches. Dr Simon J. Blott is acknowledged for providing the Gradstat program. Dr Annie Rassios is acknowledged for editing the manuscript for English language. Special gratitude is addressed to and in memory of Prof. Dr Luisa De Capitani for her contribution to this work.
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Fantone, I., Grieco, G., Sinojmeri, A. et al. A quantitative approach to the influence of pyrite separation on Cu-processing tailings: a case study at Reps, Mirdita district, Albania. Environ Earth Sci 76, 774 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-017-7078-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-017-7078-7