Low-Cost Removal of Trace Metals from Copper-Nickel Mine Stockpile Drainage. Volume 1. Laboratory and Field Investigations

摘要

The report describes a two-phase experimental program to examine the feasibility of removing trace metals (Cu, Ni, Co, Zn) from stockpile effluent using readily available materials in low-cost, low-maintenance systems. Volume I details the process, beginning with the first phase, a laboratory screening program using (1) batch experiments to screen wood chips, peat, till, tailings, zeolite, lime, and sponge iron, and (2) column experiments to select the most promising materials for field trials. Low-sulfide tailings were chosen for the second phase field testing, utilizing both treatment beds and joint disposal bins. Saturated and unsaturated flow tailings treatment beds demonstrated the greatest removal efficiency for copper (95 and 89 pct) and lowest for nickel (9 and 24 pct). A model was developed for the unsaturated bed to express output flow at a given distance from the input as a function of input flow.