Treatment of acid mine drainage with fly ash: Removal of major contaminants and trace elements
- University of Western Cape, Cape Town (South Africa). Dept. of Chemistry
Acid mine drainage (AMD) has been reacted with two South African fly ashes in a batch setup in an attempt to evaluate their neutralization and major, trace elements removal capacity. Different fly ash:acid mine drainage ratios (FA:AMD) were stirred in a beaker for a set time and the process water analyzed for major, trace elements and sulphate content. The three factors that finally dictated the nature of the final solution in these neutralization reactions were the FA:AMD ratio, the contact time of the reaction and the chemistry of the AMD. Efficiency of the elements removal was directly linked to the amount of FA in the reaction mixture and to the final pH attained. Most elements attained approximate to 100% removal only when the pH of minimum solubility of their hydroxides was achieved (i.e., Mg = 10.49 - 11.0, Cu{sup 2+} = 6, Pb{sup 2+} = 6 - 7). Dissolution of CaO and subsequent precipitation of gypsum and formation of Al, Fe oxyhydroxysulphates, Fe oxyhydroxides with subsequent adsorption of sulphate contributed to the sulphate attenuation. Significant leaching of B, Sr, Ba and Mo was observed as the reaction progressed and was observed to increase with quantity of fly ash in the reaction mixture. However B was observed to decrease at high FA:AMD ratios probably as result of co-precipitation with CaCO{sub 3}(s).
- OSTI ID:
- 20781568
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A: Toxic Hazardous Substances and Environmental Engineering, Vol. 41, Issue 8; ISSN 1093-4529
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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