Studies on effective utilization of precipitates from neutralized mine drainage

Conference · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:248211

Harada, Taneomi ^[1]

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1. Waseda Univ., Tokyo (Japan)

Mine drainage has high acidity and sometimes contains more than the allowable concentration of ionized iron. In such a case, mine drainage is neutralized with calcium carbonate and calcium hydroxide to separate precipitates, such as the iron hydroxide and gypsum generated. Currently, most of these precipitates are not utilized and are accumulated in tailing dams. As a result, the service life of the tailing dams is reduced. This becomes a matter of concern, since securing sites for such dams is difficult. A most effective means of solving this problem would be to promote utilization of these neutralized precipitates. This paper reports on the results of studies on neutralized precipitates produced at the old Matsuo Mine (Iwate Prefecture), which has the largest neutralization treatment facility in Japan. As a result of the studies, the following was proposed regarding application of neutralized precipitates. Utilization as ferrite: mix ferrous hydroxide and ferric hydroxide in water to synthesize magnetite-like ferrite, to be used in the manufacture of magnetic markers for a mobility support system for blind pedestrians, or in producing magnetic fluids for sink-and-float separation of nonmagnetic metals and nonmetals. Utilization as hematite: bake ferric hydroxide to produce hematite, thereby extracting metallic iron for paint pigment as well as for the manufacture of ironware by local industry. Production of aluminum sulfate: precipitate aluminum ions from water and add sulfuric acid to produce aluminum sulfate.

• OSTI ID: 248211
• Report Number(s): CONF-9510120--; ISBN 0-87335-142-8
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID MINE DRAINAGE
ALUMINIUM SULFATES
FERRITES
FLOWSHEETS
HEMATITE
IRON HYDROXIDES
MAGNETIC MATERIALS
MATERIALS RECOVERY
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTE PROCESSING PLANTS
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION