Impact of Variability in Precipitation Patterns on the Geochemistry of Pyritic Uranium Tailings Rehabilitated with Saturated Cover Technology
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Mineralogical and Physicochemical Characterization of U Tailings
2.1.1. Tailings and Cover Material
2.1.2. Physical Characterization
2.1.3. Mineralogy
2.1.4. Chemical Characterization
2.2. Column Study
2.2.1. Static Testing
2.2.2. Column Set-Up
2.2.3. Predicted Climate Change Conditions
2.2.4. Leachate Analysis
3. Results and Discussion
3.1. Characterization of BHP Tailings
3.2. Leachate Analysis
3.2.1. pH, ORP and EC
3.2.2. Leaching of Uranium
3.2.3. Carbonate Leaching
3.2.4. Leaching of Thorium
3.2.5. Dissolution of Iron Sulfide Minerals
3.2.6. Precipitation Patterns and Oxygen Flux
4. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Mineralogical Characteristics | Lower William Lake (Core Identified as LWL-4-3 M-2) [36] | BHP Tailings |
---|---|---|
Average pyrite content | 5.9% | 5.5% |
Mineral phases (mass > 1%) | Quartz, K-feldspar, albite, muscovite, monazite, Fe-oxyhydroxide, pyrite, chalcopyrite | Quartz, muscovite, pyrite, orthoclase, anorthite, albite, calcite, kaersutite, hematite/magnetite |
Porosity | 52.5% | 42.1% |
Average Precipitation (mm) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Time Period | Annual | Winter | Spring | Summer | Fall |
1961–1990 | 910 | 177 | 225 | 263 | 245 |
2025 | 936 (+2.9%) | 195 | 221 | 248 | 272 |
2055 | 961 (+5.5%) | 199 | 244 | 230 | 288 |
2085 | 960 (+5.5%) | 215 | 250 | 190 | 305 |
Time Period | Column 1 and 2 * Reference Scenario | Column 3 and 4 * Low Rainfall Variability | Column 5 and 6 * High Rainfall Variability | Control | Blank |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Week 1 | 145 mL (0.33) | 64 mL (0.15) | 0 mL (0) | 145 mL (0.33) | 145 mL (0.33) |
Week 2 | 145 mL (0.33) | 145 mL (0.33) | 113 mL (0.26) | 145 mL (0.33) | 145 mL (0.33) |
Week 3 | 145 mL (0.33) | 226 mL (0.52) | 322 mL (0.74) | 145 mL (0.33) | 145 mL (0.33) |
Total—per cycle (mL) | 435 mL (1) | 435 mL (1) | 435 mL (1) | 435 mL (1) | 435 mL (1) |
Mineral | Weight (wt% of the Phase) | Mineral | Weight (wt% of the Phase) |
---|---|---|---|
Quartz Amphibole Orthoclase | 55.9 | Uraninite | 0.29 |
9.7 | Monazite | 0.26 | |
4.7 | Ilmenite | 0.10 | |
Muscovite | 4.7 | Pentlandite | 0.08 |
Pyrite | 4.6 | Chalcopyrite | 0.08 |
Anorthite | 3.5 | Zircon | 0.07 |
Plagioclase | 2.8 | Anhydrite | 0.06 |
Pyrrhotite | 1.7 | Apatite | 0.05 |
Enstatite-(Fe) | 1.0 | Titanite | 0.04 |
Albite | 1.0 | Allanite-(Ce) | 0.03 |
Hematite/magnetite | 0.64 | Baryte | 0.02 |
Calcite | 0.41 | Dolomite | 0.02 |
Ankerite | 0.34 | Biotite | 0.01 |
Ferrosaponite | 0.33 | Jacobsite | 0.01 |
Rutile | 0.32 | Other | 7.3 |
Elements | Average Concentration |
---|---|
Major elements (%) | |
Mg | 0.43 ± 0.04 |
Ca | 0.13 ± 0.05 |
Fe | 3.06 ± 0.00 |
Si | 31.81 ± 0.81 |
S (total) | 2.26 ± 0.01 |
C (total) | 0.16 ± 0.00 |
C (inorg) | 0.16 ± 0.00 |
Minor elements (mg/kg) | |
Mn | 111.2 ± 17.3 |
Ni | 161.8 ± 11.6 |
Th | 122.1 ± 4.9 |
U | 378.0 ± 19.1 |
Sc | 4.8 ± 0.3 |
Y | 18.9 ± 1.6 |
La | 201.5 ± 13.3 |
Ce | 645.0 ± 74.7 |
Pr | 64.9 ± 7.2 |
Nd | 205.3 ± 22.9 |
Sm | 28.5 ± 2.9 |
Eu | 1.3 ± 0.1 |
Gd | 15.1 ± 1.5 |
Tb | 1.3 ± 0.1 |
Dy | 4.6 ± 0.3 |
Ho | 0.6 ± 0.0 |
Er | 1.1 ± 0.2 |
Tm | 0.2 ± 0.0 |
Yb | 1.0 ± 0.1 |
Lu | 0.1 ± 0.0 |
Minerals | Pristine Tailings (wt% of the Phase) | Leached Tailings (wt% of the Phase) |
---|---|---|
Quartz Amphibole Orthoclase | 55.9 | 62.6 |
9.7 | 7.6 | |
4.7 | 3.9 | |
Muscovite | 4.7 | 5.0 |
Pyrite | 4.6 | 4.7 |
Anorthite | 3.5 | 2.0 |
Plagioclase | 2.8 | 1.7 |
Pyrrhotite | 1.7 | 0.9 |
Enstatite-(Fe) | 1.0 | 0.8 |
Albite | 1.0 | 0.8 |
Hematite/Magnetite | 0.64 | 0.59 |
Calcite | 0.41 | 0.00 |
Ankerite | 0.34 | 0.21 |
Ferrosaponite | 0.33 | 0.19 |
Rutile | 0.32 | 0.30 |
Uraninite | 0.29 | 0.00 |
Monazite | 0.26 | 0.44 |
Ilmenite | 0.10 | 0.09 |
Chalcopyrite | 0.08 | 0.04 |
Pentlandite | 0.08 | 0.26 |
Zircon | 0.07 | 0.12 |
Anhydrite | 0.06 | 0.01 |
Apatite | 0.05 | 0.02 |
Titanite | 0.04 | 0.02 |
Allanite-(Ce) | 0.03 | 0.05 |
Baryte | 0.02 | 0.05 |
Dolomite | 0.02 | 0.00 |
Biotite | 0.01 | 0.01 |
Jacobsite | 0.01 | 0.02 |
Unclassified | 7.3 | 7.5 |
Total | 100.0 | 100.0 |
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Gagné-Turcotte, R.; Reynier, N.; Larivière, D.; Zagrtdenov, N.R.; Goulet, R.; Huntsman, P. Impact of Variability in Precipitation Patterns on the Geochemistry of Pyritic Uranium Tailings Rehabilitated with Saturated Cover Technology. Mining 2022, 2, 385-401. https://doi.org/10.3390/mining2020020
Gagné-Turcotte R, Reynier N, Larivière D, Zagrtdenov NR, Goulet R, Huntsman P. Impact of Variability in Precipitation Patterns on the Geochemistry of Pyritic Uranium Tailings Rehabilitated with Saturated Cover Technology. Mining. 2022; 2(2):385-401. https://doi.org/10.3390/mining2020020
Chicago/Turabian StyleGagné-Turcotte, Roselyne, Nicolas Reynier, Dominic Larivière, Nail R. Zagrtdenov, Richard Goulet, and Philippa Huntsman. 2022. "Impact of Variability in Precipitation Patterns on the Geochemistry of Pyritic Uranium Tailings Rehabilitated with Saturated Cover Technology" Mining 2, no. 2: 385-401. https://doi.org/10.3390/mining2020020