Plant and soil reactions to nickel ore processed tailings

Journal Article · Thu Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1982 · J. Environ. Qual.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq1982.00472425001100030026x· OSTI ID:5848665

Sheets, P J; Volk, V V; Gardner, E H

Greenhouse and laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the effect that tailings, produced during the processing of nickeliferous laterite ores by a proposed U.S. Bureau of Mines Process, would have on plant growth and soil properties. The tailings contained soluble salts (7.6 mmhos/cm), NH/sub 4/-N (877 ..mu..g/g), Ni (0.28%), Mn (82 ..mu..g/g DTPA-extractable), Cr (0.44%), P (2 and 6 ..mu..g/g acid F- and NaHCO/sub 3/-extractable, respectively), and Ca and Mg (1.0 and 20.7 meq/100 g NH/sub 4/Ac-extractable, respectively). Water leaching decreased the NH/sub 4/-N concentration to 53 ..mu..g/g and the EC to 0.4 mmhos/cm by removal of (NH/sub 4/)/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ and MgSO/sub 4/ salts. Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) was grown on Eightlar clay soil (skeletal, serpentinitic, mesic Typic Xerochrept) amended with 0, 223, 446, and 669 g tailings/kg soil and pure, unleached tailings for 32 weeks in the greenhouse. Seedling establishment of plants grown on soil amended at the highest tailings rate and the pure tailings was initially slow, but plants grown on soil amended at lower rates established readily and grew well. Plant P was <0.24%, while plant Ca concentrations were <0.45% throughout the growth period even though Ca(H/sub 2/PO/sub 2/)/sub 2/ and gypsum had been added. Ammonium acetate-extractable Ca at the end of the growth period was <5.0 meq/100 g on all amended soils.The Mn, Ni, and Cr concentrations of plants grown on treated soils were within normal ranges, although soil-analysis values were higher than commonly found. It is recommended that the tailings be washed to reduce NH/sub 4/-N and soluble salts prior to revegetation, and that native soil be added to the surface to reduce crusting.

• Research Organization: Oregan State Univ., Corvallis
• OSTI ID: 5848665
• Journal Information: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States), Vol. 11:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
GRASS
PLANT GROWTH
NICKEL ORES
TAILINGS
ORE PROCESSING
SOILS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
REVEGETATION
AMMONIA
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM
CHROMIUM
FLUORIDES
MAGNESIUM
MANGANESE
NICKEL
PHOSPHORUS
PLANTS
SEEDLINGS
SERPENTINE
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ELEMENTS
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
GROWTH
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
METALS
MINERALS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
NONMETALS
ORES
PROCESSING
SILICATE MINERALS
SOLID WASTES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
WASTES
560303* - Chemicals Metabolism &amp; Toxicology- Plants- (-1987)