The oxidation of sulfide minerals releases acidic leachate enriched in sulfate, iron, and toxic metals and metalloids (e.g., As, Sb, Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn, Hg, etc.) known as acid mine drainage (AMD). This eco-hydrological hazard is imminent when mineralogical and geochemical analysis indicates that acid-generating (sulfides) overcome the acid-neutralizing (carbonate) minerals in the ore and mining waste. AMD represents a multifaceted problem faced by the mining industry. The most widespread management technique is to store the tailings into engineered impoundments and actively neutralize the acidity produced by the oxidation of the sulfide minerals by adding alkaline chemical agents. However, this method involves a constant and long-term commitment, elevated operational costs, and several geotechnical and environmental drawbacks. In a pre-mining stage, geological, geochemical, mineralogical, and textural characterization of the mine waste could guide proper and site-specific mining waste management.

In this paper, we present an integrated strategy to reduce the acid mine drainage (AMD) potential of the Dundee Precious Metals Chelopech (DPM-Ch) tailings through a combination of environmental desulfurization and cemented paste backfill (CPB) – the latter one being already practiced on-site. In the proposed scenario, a desulfurization plant would be installed downstream to re-float the non-valuable reactive pyrite. The reactive pyrite concentrate would be combined with the CPB material, whereas the remaining tailings would be discharged at the tailings management facility (TMF). The lack of neutralizing gangue (NP of untreated tailings < 8 kg CaCO₃/t) precludes converting the tailings into non-acid generating. However, reducing nearly six times the amount of lime required to neutralize the acidity produced by pyrite oxidation was feasible without substantially increasing operational costs. Supporting the environmental benefits of combining desulfurization and backfill, an X-ray mapping of the CPB material revealed that this approach effectively encapsulates the reactive gangue, ultimately avoiding pyrite oxidation and leaching of heavy metals.

硫化物矿物的氧化释放出富含硫酸盐、铁和有毒金属和准金属（例如，As、Sb、Cu、Pb、Cd、Zn、Hg 等）的酸性浸出液，称为酸性矿山排水 (AMD)。当矿物学和地球化学分析表明产酸（硫化物）克服了矿石和采矿废料中的酸中和（碳酸盐）矿物时，这种生态水文危害迫在眉睫。AMD 代表了采矿业面临的多方面问题。最普遍的管理技术是将尾矿储存到工程蓄水池中，并通过添加碱性化学试剂主动中和硫化矿物氧化产生的酸度。然而，这种方法涉及持续和长期的承诺、较高的运营成本以及一些岩土工程和环境缺陷。在预挖阶段，

在本文中，我们提出了一种综合策略，通过环境脱硫和胶结膏回填 (CPB) 相结合来降低 Dundee Precious Metals Chelopech (DPM-Ch) 尾矿的酸性矿山排水 (AMD) 潜力——后者已经现场练习。在提议的方案中，将在下游安装一个脱硫装置，以重新浮选无价值的活性黄铁矿。反应性黄铁矿精矿将与 CPB 材料结合，而剩余的尾矿将在尾矿管理设施 (TMF) 中排放。缺乏中和脉石（未处理尾矿的 NP < 8 kg CaCO ₃/t) 排除了将尾矿转化为不产生酸的可能性。然而，在不显着增加运营成本的情况下，将中和黄铁矿氧化产生的酸度所需的石灰量减少近六倍是可行的。支持脱硫和回填相结合的环境效益，CPB 材料的 X 射线图显示，这种方法有效地封装了反应性脉石，最终避免了黄铁矿氧化和重金属浸出。