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http://hdl.handle.net/10136/496
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| Title: | Leachate chemistry and solids characteristics in mill tailings near Magdalena, NM |
| Authors: | Wenman, David P. |
| Issue Date: | 26-Aug-2009 |
| Abstract: | There is a need to measure characteristics of existing mine tailings sites and use these observations to predict the chemical evolution of the tailings. Mine tailings near Magdalena, NM were examined for solid and aqueous phase characteristics. SiO2, FeS2, Fe2O3, and ZnCO3 composed the bulk of the solids. Columns of tailings were leached under simulated rainfall. Leachate from columns of tailings contained much Zn, Mn, and SO4. The geochemical equilibrium model, MINTEQ (Felmy et al., 1983), yielded good predictions of leachate composition. Sorption capacity of the alluvium for zinc was considerable (1800 ppm) but not enough to prevent ultimate migration of zinc to groundwater. Travel-time to the groundwater by an ideal tracer was estimated to be 40 years. Zinc travel-time to the groundwater was estimated to be long (>100,000 yrs.) since the retardation factor is high (98,000). A rapid decrease of metals underlying the tailings within 10 cm of the soil/tailings interface suggested that there was a very slow travel time for metals (Zn, Pb and Cu). Thus, zinc is not an immediate groundwater threat at the site. |
| URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/10136/496 |
| Appears in Collections: | Independent Studies
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| Wenman, David P..pdf | | 1766Kb | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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