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ASTM Normalized Humidity Cell Kinetic Test: Protocol Improvements for Optimal Sulfide Tailings Reactivity

Genormter kinetischer ASTM Luftfeuchtigkeitstest: Methodenverbesserungen zur optimalen Sulfid-Tailings-Reaktivität

Celdas de humedad ASTM normalizadas: Mejoras del protocolo para analizar la reactividad de colas sulfuradas

ASTM规范的模拟风化反应动力学湿箱试验:硫化物尾矿试验规程的优化

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Abstract

The humidity cell (HC) kinetic method is widely used to assess acid-generating potential and is the only method normalized by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). HC test results can be influenced by complete drying of the sample or by a long water saturation step during weekly cycles, which significantly reduces sulfide oxidation rates, leading to erroneous interpretations. This paper investigates a protocol modification of the HC, which involves keeping the sample permanently at an optimal degree of saturation, between 40 and 60 %, corresponding to maximal sulfide reactivity, as demonstrated in the literature. For this purpose, two mine tailings with different acid-generating potentials were submitted to both modified and standard ASTM HC protocols. The influence of the thickness and the porosity of the sample into the HC were also investigated. The results obtained clearly show that, for a given sample, the oxidation rate under the modified ASTM protocol was higher than the standard ASTM protocol, which underestimated tailings reactivity due to excessive drying of the sample. On the other hand, when the porosity of the sample decreased, and its thickness increased, the difference between the standard and the modified HC protocol results decreased. These differences were more significant when the sample was more acid-generating.

Zusammenfassung

Die Methode des genormten kinetischen Luftfeuchtigkeitstest (HC) nach ASTM ist weit verbreitet, um das Säurebildungspotential zu beurteilen. Es ist die einzige derartige Methode, die durch die American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) genormt wurde. Die HC Messergebnisse können durch die vollständige Trocknung der Probe oder eine lange Wassersättigungsphase in wöchentlichen Zyklen erheblich beeinflusst werden. Diese reduzieren Sulfidoxidationsraten erheblich, wodurch es zu Fehlinterpretationen der Ergebnisse kommen kann. In diesem Artikel wird eine Methodenmodifikation des HC untersucht, die darin besteht, die Probe ständig auf einem optimalen Grad der Feuchtigkeitssättigung zwischen 40 und 60 % zu halten. Diese Vorgehensweise führt zu einer optimalen Sulfidreaktivität, wie sie hier vorgestellt wird. Zu diesem Zweck wurden zwei Taillingmaterialien mit unterschiedlichen Säurebildungspotenzialen gemäß Modifizierter-ASTM-Methode und Standard-ASTM-Methode behandelt. Der Einfluss der Dicke und Porosität der Probe auf die Messergebnisse wurden ebenfalls untersucht. Die erhaltenen Ergebnisse zeigen deutlich, dass für eine gegebene Probe, die Oxidationsgeschwindigkeit unter der Modifizierten-ASTM-Methode höher ist als bei der Standart-ASTM-Methode. Die Reaktivität der Taillings durch übermäßige Trocknung der Probe damit unterschätzt. Wenn die Porosität der Probe verringert wird, und ihre Dicke erhöht wird, wird die Differenz zwischen der Standard- und der modifizierten Methode verringert. Diese Unterschiede wurden signifikanter mit steigendem Säurebildungspotential des Probenmaterials.

Resumen

El método cinético de celdas de humedad (HC) es ampliamente usado para relevar el potencial de generación de ácido y es el único método normalizado por la American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Los resultados del test HC pueden ser influidos por el excesivo secado de la muestra que reduce significativamente las velocidades de oxidación de sulfuros, dando interpretaciones erróneas. Este trabajo investiga una modificación del protocolo de los HC, que implica mantener la muestra permanentemente a un óptimo grado de saturación, entre 40 y 60 %, correspondiente a la máxima reactividad de sulfuros como está demostrado en la literatura. Para este propósito, 2 colas de minas con diferente potencial de generación de ácido fueron sometidos a protocolos ASTM HC estándar y modificados. Se investigaron las influencias sobre HC del espesor y de la porosidad de la muestra. Los resultados muestran claramente que para una muestra dada, la velocidad de oxidación bajo el protocolo ASTM modificado fue mayor que el del protocolo ASTM estándar, que subestima la reactividad de las colas debido al excesivo secado de la muestra. Por otro lado, cuando la porosidad de la muestra decrece y su espesor se incrementa, la diferencia entre los protocolos estándar y modificado decrece. Estas diferencias fueron más significativas cuando la muestra tenía mayor potencial de generación de ácido.

摘要

湿箱(humidity cell, HC)是一种模拟风化的反应动力学试验,广泛应用于评价矸石或尾矿的产酸潜力,也是本领域内仅有的由“美国材料与试验协会(ASTS)”规范化的试验方法。湿箱试验结果受样品干燥程度和每周水饱和周期的影响,它们严重影响着硫化物氧化速率,最终导致试验结果的不正确解释。本文研究了模拟风化湿箱试验方法的修正,样品需要长时保持的优化饱和度在40%至60%之间,相应的硫化物反应速率最大。分别对两种具有不同产酸潜力的尾矿样品进行了修正的和ASTM规范的试验。研究了湿箱中样品的厚度和孔隙度。试验结果清楚表明:对于给定样品,修正试验比ASTM规范试验的硫化物氧化率高,ASTM规范的湿箱试验方法低估了过度干燥对尾矿反应的影响。另一方面,样品孔隙度减小和厚度增大可减小修正试验和ASTM规范湿箱试验结果之间的差异。当样品产酸潜力较大时,两种试验方法之间的差异也越大。

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported with funds from the Canada Research Chair on Integrated Mine Waste Management, the NSERC Industrial Chair Polytechnique-UQAT on Mining Environment, the UQAT foundation (FUQAT), and the International Research Chairs Initiative (IDRC). The authors also thank the “Unité de Recherche et de Service en Technologie Minérale” personnel for their technical assistance.

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  1. Univiversité du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, 445 boul de l’Université, Rouyn-Noranda, QC, J9X 5E4, Canada

    Hassan Bouzahzah, Mostafa Benzaazoua, Bruno Bussière & Benoit Plante

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  1. Hassan Bouzahzah
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  3. Bruno Bussière
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Correspondence to Hassan Bouzahzah.

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Bouzahzah, H., Benzaazoua, M., Bussière, B. et al. ASTM Normalized Humidity Cell Kinetic Test: Protocol Improvements for Optimal Sulfide Tailings Reactivity. Mine Water Environ 34, 242–257 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10230-014-0307-3

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