Chemical equilibria model analysis of Hope Creek eastern oil shale lysimeter leachate data

Technical Report · Fri Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7179501· OSTI ID:7179501

Essington, M E

Leachates from field lysimeters containing an eastern oil shale, a retorted eastern oil shale, and an oil shale fines/retorted oil shale mixture were subjected to chemical equilibria analysis by the GEOCHEM model. Results of the chemical equilibria model analysis provided a more detailed characterization of the chemistry of oil shale materials. The aqueous chemistry of the lysimeter leachates is dominated by free ionic metal species and metal sulfate ion pairs. Activity diagrams shows that free metal ion activities (with the exception of Ca{sup 2+}) are directly related to SO{sub 4}{sup 2{minus}} activities. This suggests that the aqueous activities of the metals examined are not supported by metal sulfate solid phases. However, an examination of metal sulfate ion activity products (IAPs) as a function of time shows that the IAPs approach constant values after approximately 800 days of the field study. For the great majority of the metals examined, the IAP values suggest leachate undersaturation with respect to even the most stable metal sulfate phases. Leachates from all three materials are predicted by GEOCHEM to approach equilibrium with respect to gypsum and goethite. In addition, leachates from the oil shale lysimeter are predicted by GEOCHEM to approach equilibrium with respect to melanterite, Fe-jurbanite, franklinite, molybdite, and molybdic acid. Aluminum activities in all three lysimeter leachates fall within the stability region of several basic aluminum sulfates. However, Al{sup 3+} activities in the lysimeter leachates are not supported by sulfate phases. 34 refs., 15 figs., 2 tabs.

• Research Organization: Western Research Inst., Laramie, WY (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/FE
• DOE Contract Number: FC21-86MC11076
• OSTI ID: 7179501
• Report Number(s): DOE/MC/11076-2788; ON: DE90000457
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040500* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Properties & Composition
041000 -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Environmental Aspects
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM SULFATES
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMICAL REACTORS
CHEMISTRY
COMPUTER CODES
DISPERSIONS
DISTILLATION EQUIPMENT
ENERGY SOURCES
EQUILIBRIUM
EQUIPMENT
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
G CODES
IRON COMPOUNDS
IRON SULFATES
LEACHATES
LYSIMETERS
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
MAGNESIUM SULFATES
MATERIALS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MIXTURES
OIL SHALES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RETORTS
SOLUBILITY
SOLUTIONS
SPENT SHALES
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS