Evaluation of long-term sulfide oxidation processes within pyrrhotite-rich tailings, Lynn Lake, Manitoba.

Oxidation reactions have depleted sulfide minerals in the shallow tailings and have generated sulfate- and metal-rich pore water throughout the East Tailings Management Area (ETMA) at Lynn Lake, Manitoba, Canada. Information concerning the tailings geochemistry and mineralogy suggest the sulfide oxidation processes have reached an advanced stage in the area proximal to the point of tailings discharge. In contrast, the distal tailings, or slimes area, have a higher moisture content close to the impoundment surface, thereby impeding the ingress of oxygen and limiting sulfide oxidation. Numerical modelling of sulfide oxidation indicates the maximum rate of release for sulfate, Fe, and Ni occurred shortly after tailings deposition ceased. Although the sulfide minerals have been depleted in the very shallow tailings, the modelling suggests that sulfide oxidation will continue for hundreds and possibly thousands of years. The combination of sulfide minerals, principally pyrrhotite, that is susceptible to weathering processes and the relatively dry, coarse-grained nature of the tailings have resulted in the formation of a massive-hardpan layer in the proximal area of the ETMA. Because extensive accumulations of secondary oxyhydroxides of ferric iron are already present, remediation strategies for the ETMA should focus on mitigating the release of sulfide oxidation products rather than on preventing further oxidation.

Effect of peroxide on neutralization-potential values of siderite and other carbonate minerals.

To assess quantitatively the effect of peroxide addition to standard static tests of the neutralization potential (NP) of mine wastes, 10 specimens of carbonate minerals, including five of siderite (FeCO3) and two of rhodochrosite (MnCO3), were analyzed by electron microprobe. The compositions of the siderite span a range from 60 to 86 mol % Fe. Tests of NP for the siderite diluted with 80% (w/w) kaolinite gave values of 647 to 737 kg CaCO3 equivalent per Mg for determinations by the standard Sobek method. However, if it is assumed that the ferrous carbonate component of the mineral does not contribute to NP in field situations because oxidation of Fe(II) to Fe(III) and the subsequent hydrolysis of Fe(III) leads to the release of an equivalent amount of acid, then the calculated NP for the samples ranges from 110 to 390 kg CaCO3 equivalent per Mg. Two different methods involving the addition of peroxide to the test solutions were successful in bringing the measured NP values closer to the theoretical ones. By contrast, the tests with rhodochrosite indicated the Mn(II) to be stable. For long-term environmental planning, especially for wastes from metalliferous sulfide-poor deposits in which gradual dissolution of silicate and aluminosilicate minerals may be involved in attenuating the acidity, consideration in the overall NP budget needs to be given to the ferrous iron content of those minerals. The presence of Fe2+-bearing minerals, especially carbonates, in tested mine-waste materials may lead to overestimated Sobek NP values, thus increasing the risk of poor-quality drainage and the need for costly remediation.