Abstract
An exploratory study demonstrated that subtle changes in solids and process water were caused by long-distance turbulent transport of tailings from the concentrator to the impoundment of a Cu (Mo) porphyry copper deposit. Slurry water chemical analysis was complemented by modelling potential phase precipitation or dissolution and speciation of dissolved metals. It was found that transport did not affect major insoluble mineral phases. However, the degrees of liberation of several phyllosilicates, as determined by automated mineralogy, were reduced close to the impoundment, which points to separation of clay particles from tectosilicate surfaces by the turbulence; this also was observed by SEM examination of micro-aggregate specimens. Reduction of maximum particle sizes, increased N2 monolayer adsorption, and resultant specific surface areas indicate that transport modified the micro-aggregates. Major element water chemistry is controlled by the presence of soluble mineral phases, such as gypsum, and reagents, such as lime, in the flotation process. Changes in the dissolved concentrations of some elements could potentially affect tailings deportment in the impoundment. Increased concentrations of Al may affect the clay settling behaviour, while Mo and As levels will require treatment prior to the discharge of water from the tailings impoundment. This study demonstrated that systematic scrutiny of tailings slurries leaving the concentrator and before entering the impoundment can be potentially useful, though care will have to be exercised to replicate sample handling and analytical conditions, during any long-term monitoring.
Zusammenfassungd
Die vorliegende Forschungsstudie demonstrierte, dass der turbulente Transport von Tailings einer Cu(Mo) porphyrischen Kupferlagerstätte vom Eindicker zum Absetzbecken leichte Änderungen in Feststoffen und Prozesswasser hervorruft. Die chemische Analyse des Schlammwassers wurde durch Modellierung potentieller Phasenausfällung oder -auflösung und Speziation gelöster Metalle ergänzt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass der Transport keine Auswirkungen auf die wesentlichen unlöslichen Mineralphasen hat. Allerdings reduzierte sich der Freisetzungsgrad mehrerer Schichtsilikate, bestimmt durch automatische Mineralogie, in der Nähe des Absetzbeckens, was auf eine Abtrennung von Tonpartikeln von der Oberfläche von Tectosilikaten infolge der Turbulenz hindeutet. Dies wurde auch im Zuge der SEM-Betrachtung von Mikroaggregatproben beobachtet. Eine Verringerung der maximalen Partikelgrößen, erhöhte N2 Einschichtadsorption und daraus folgende spezifische Oberfläche weisen darauf hin, dass der Transport eine Veränderung der Mikroaggregate nach sich zieht. Das wasserchemische Verhalten von Hauptelementen wird durch Vorliegen löslicher Mineralphasen wie z.B. Gips und Reagenzien wie z.B. Kalk im Flotationsprozess kontrolliert. Eine Veränderung der gelösten Konzentrationen einiger Elemente könnte potentiell Auswirkungen auf das Verhalten der Tailings im Absetzbecken haben. Eine erhöhte Al-Konzentration kann das Sedimentationsverhalten von Ton beeinflussen, während Mo und As Gehalte eine Behandlung des Wassers aus dem Tailingsbecken vor der Ableitung erforderlich machen. Die vorliegende Studie zeigt, dass eine systematische Untersuchung von Tailingsschlämmen am Ablauf eines Eindickers und vor dem Zulauf zum Absetzbecken potentiell nützlich sein kann, wobei besondere Vorsicht hinsichtlich der Reproduzierbarkeit von Probenbehandlung und Analysebedingungen im Zuge eines langfristigen Monitorings geboten ist.
抽象
探索性研究曾表明,尾矿从选矿厂到斑岩铜(钼)尾矿库的长距离紊流运输会引起尾矿固体和处理水的细微变化。通过模拟潜在物相的沉淀与溶解和可溶金属形态,分析了尾矿砂浆水的化学特征。结果发现,运输过程并未影响主要不溶矿物相。然而,自动矿物分析显示,几种层状硅酸盐的解离度已经接近尾矿库,指示紊流使粘土颗粒从架状硅酸盐表面分离出来;微团聚体的电镜扫描(SEM)也观察到这一现象。最大粒径的减小、N2单分子层吸附量的增加以及由此产生的比表面积的增加都表明,运输改变了微团聚体。主要元素的水化学性质受所含可溶性矿物(如石膏)和浮选过程反应试剂(如石灰)的控制。一些元素的溶解浓度变化也可能影响尾矿库内尾矿形态。铝浓度增加可能影响粘土沉降行为,废水从尾矿库排出之前需要处理钼和砷浓度。研究表明,在尾矿砂浆离开选矿厂至进入尾矿库之前,对尾矿砂浆进行系统检查是有用的。在长期监测期间,注意不断重复取样和条件分析。
Resumen
Un estudio exploratorio demostró que los cambios sutiles en los sólidos y el agua del proceso fueron causados por el transporte turbulento a larga distancia de los relaves desde el concentrador hasta el depósito de un pórfido de cobre Cu (Mo). El análisis químico del agua de la suspensión se complementó con el modelado de la fase potencial de precipitación o disolución y especiación de metales disueltos. Se descubrió que el transporte no afectaba a las principales fases minerales insolubles. Sin embargo, los grados de liberación de varios filosilicatos, según lo determinado por la mineralogía automatizada, se redujeron cerca del embalse, lo que apunta a la separación de las partículas de arcilla de las superficies de tectosilicato por la turbulencia; esto también fue observado mediante el examen SEM de muestras de microagregados. La reducción de los tamaños máximos de partículas, el aumento de la adsorción de monocapa de N2 y las áreas de superficie específicas resultantes, indican que el transporte modificó los microagregados. La química del agua está controlada por la presencia de fases minerales solubles, como yeso, y reactivos, como cal, en el proceso de flotación. Los cambios en las concentraciones disueltas de algunos elementos podrían afectar el comportamiento de los relaves en el embalse. El aumento de las concentraciones de Al podría afectar el comportamiento de sedimentación de las arcillas, mientras que los niveles de Mo y As requerirán tratamiento antes de la descarga de agua del depósito de relaves. Este estudio demostró que el análisis sistemático de los lodos de relaves que salen del concentrador y antes de ingresar al depósito puede ser potencialmente útil, aunque se deberá tener cuidado para replicar el manejo de la muestra y las condiciones analíticas, durante cualquier monitoreo a largo plazo.
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Acknowledgements
The financial support by CORFO (Chilean Economic Development Agency), grant 13CEI-21844-SMI-UdeC is acknowledged. Prof. Gina Pecchi (Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad de Concepción) is thanked for conducting the BET determinations. The comments and suggestions of two anonymous reviewers helped to improve the manuscript.
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Alcalde, J., Edraki, M., Jerez, O. et al. Assessment of Mineralogical, Textural, and Water Chemistry Changes During Long-Distance Tailings-Slurry Transport. Mine Water Environ 39, 135–149 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10230-020-00658-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10230-020-00658-x