Geochemical Stability of Tailings Dams at Closure
Osvaldo Aduvire
SRK Consulting, Peru
ABSTRACT
To plan proper management of tailings dams during their construction, operation, and closure, it is
important to have a geochemical characterization of the tailings to predict the behaviour of these
materials when deposited on the surface. With this information, we can carry out the study of
alternatives to choose the storage system that incorporates the necessary barriers to ensure its
chemical stability in the closing stage.
In the geochemical characterization of mining tailings, the use of static tests ABA, short-lived leaching
tests NAG, SPLP, SFE and kinetic tests, which simulate the processes of alteration of tailings and
leachate are collected in the resulting solutions, where certain criteria are applied, such as the
neutralizing potential ratio and acidic potential, the sulphur content as sulphide and the assessment
of the leaching capacity, which allow to estimate the release of metal charge and to define whether
or not the tailings generate acidity.
In case of closure of tailings deposits, the geochemical characterization of the tailings will allow to
choose the type of barrier that must be implemented to ensure the physical, chemical and
hydrological stabilization of the tailings deposits in the closure and post-closure.
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INTRODUCTION
Mining as an activity dedicated to the extraction of resources that houses a deposit, has, in each case,
a limited lifespan, marked by a set of variables such as: exploitable reserves, production rates and
generation of waste such as tailings and others. After completing the operational phase, the Closure
Plan must be implemented to rehabilitate all the altered areas and mainly the tailings deposit.
This paper describes the process to achieve the chemical stability of the tailings deposits in the
Closure, ranging from the geochemical evaluation of the tailings through the application of a series
of static and short-term leaching tests, mineralogical studies by DRX to the use of kinetic tests, whose
results allow to choose the best alternative of closure of the tailings deposits.
METHODOLOGY
The closure of a tailings deposit is a set of actions and measures that are carried out to protect people
and the environment, they must be carried out with the best available techniques, using clean
technology with materials from the place that allow the area’s recovery in the shortest possible time.
For the geochemical characterization of the tailings have been taken samples in the field and then
subjected to laboratory tests as ABA that estimates the amount of acid that could generate or consume
the sample by total oxidation of the material, whose result is interpreted by applying criteria such as
NNP and NPR.
To complete the geochemical characterization of tailings, short-lived leaching tests such as SPLP and
SFE, and mineralogical studies by DRX have been performed. In addition to the kinetic tests that
allow to predict the generation of acidity over time, in case of alteration of the tailings.
All solutions gathered as results from the tests have been analyzed via ICP-MS, with the intention of
determining the potential metals that would be released under oxidizing conditions.
With the results obtained, selection of barriers to be used in the Closure to ensure the chemical
stability of the tailings deposits, whether these are acidity generators (PAG) or non-acidity generators
(No PAG).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The choice of the type of coverage for the closure of the tailings tank at the end of its operational life
based on the geochemical characterization of the tailings, allows to assign the barrier that will control
the contact of the tailings with atmospheric oxygen and rainwater in wet seasons. Below are the
results of some samples of tailings, information that allows to choose the type of coverage that would
help rehabilitate the spaces occupied by the tailings dam.
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Geochemistry Assessment
The results obtained in the tailings samples submitted to ABA tests and interpreted using criteria
(Table 1) such as NNP and NPR according to the acidity potential (AP) and neutralising potential
ratio (NP) are shown in Fig. 1, where it is observed that the tailings samples are acidity generators.
Table 1 Criterion for estimating the acidity generation potential according to NNP and NPR.
PAG UNCERTAIN NO PAG
NNP < - 20 – 20 < NNP < + 20 NNP < + 20
NP/AP < 1 1 < NP/AP < 3 NP/AP ≥ 3
Figure 1 Acid generation potential of tailings according to ABA assays.
NAG tests have also been carried out which is based on the accelerated oxidation of sulphides in the
presence of peroxide, for the evaluation of the results the criterion of the pH value measured in the
resulting solution and the amount of acid generated in kg H2SO4/t is used, as presented in Fig. 2. The
pH in the resulting solution is less than 4.5 and the amount of acid generated is greater than 10 kg
H2SO4/t, indicating that the tailings samples are acidity generators.
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.
Figure 2 NAG criteria to indicate the potential for acid generation.
The content of dissolved metals in the solution resulting from the NAG test have also been
determined by multi-element analysis, the results obtained are presented in Table 2.
Table 2 . NAG test results of the samples studied
M-01 M-02 ECA
Total
Und. LMP (*)
Concentration Cat. 3D1 Cat. 3D2
Tailings
Al mg/L 5.37 4.20 - 5 5
Cd mg/L 0.0329 0.0302 0.05 0.01 0.05
Cu mg/L 1.435 1.412 0.5 0.2 0.5
Fe mg/L >50 >50 2* 5 -
Mn mg/L 34.28 35.502 - 0.2 0.2
Pb mg/L 1.003 0.80582 0.2 0.05 0.05
Zn mg/L 28.5 26.2 1.5 2 24
Sulfates mg/L 1754 1780 - 1000 1000
pH - 2.37 2.34 6-9 6.5-8.5 6.5-8.4
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The leachate from the NAG tests of the tailings samples showed concentrations of Fe, Cu, Pb and Zn
above the LMP (D.S. 010-2010-MINAM) and concentrations of Al, Cd, Mn and Sulphate that are
above the water RCTs (D.S. 004-2017-MINAM).
Regarding the short-duration leaching tests SPLP and SFE that allow the evaluation of the leaching
potential of metals, pH, redox, EC have also been measured and chemical analyses were performed
on the resulting solutions and are compared with the LMP and ECA of water to identify the ability
to provide metal charge to the environment. As in the NAG tests, the solutions resulting from the
SPLP and SFE tests can release metal load when the tailings are altered. Therefore, preventive
controls must be carried out, and coverages must be applied in the closure of the tailing dams.
The samples were also subjected to kinetic tests in order to estimate their ability to generate acid
drains in the long term, for this, the tailings samples were evaluated in wet cells with a duration of
20 cycles with measurements of physical and chemical parameters at the end of each cycle. The results
indicate that the pH is maintained with little variation during the 20 cycles in acid range (Fig. 3), in
the case of metals its release is significant, which confirms that tailings have high potential to generate
acidity. Thus, their alteration should be avoided.
Figure 3 pH behavior during the 20 wet cell cycle.
The results obtained in the mineralogical analysis by X-ray diffraction provide us with information
regarding the percentage content of minerals and their diffractograms. This data is very useful for
samples with significant contents of quartz and silica with uncertain behaviour in the ABA tests.
Knowing in detail the mineralogy, the chemistry of drains can be predicted, assuming that they can
be influenced by the impurities they contain and accompany the minerals that affect the composition,
reaction rates and chemistry of water.
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Table 3 Mineralogical composition in the tailing samples studied.
Mineralogical Tailings samples
Composition
M-01 M-02
Quartz 32.14 42.23
Calcite 0.63 0.5
Orthoclase 11.89 3.2
Albite 3.56 1.86
Anortite 2.29 2.79
Pyrite 20.591 30.924
Chalcopyrite 0.217 0.396
Sphalerite 0.241 0.674
Galena 3.201 0.234
Hematite 3.88 2.54
Barite 0.68 1.39
Pyrolusite 0.03 0.02
Montmorillonite 15.26 7.93
Hornblende 5.39 5.31
According to the mineralogical analysis of the tailings samples, a large amount of acid generating
minerals (sulphides) is observed while the content of acidity-consuming minerals in the sample such
as Calcite is low. Therefore, the tailing has a high probability of generating acidity in case of
undergoing dissolution.
Coverage Design
One of the biggest environmental problems of tailings with potential for acidity generation is the
contact with oxygen and water. In that sense, to achieve chemical stability, the use of barriers or
impermeable covers is used, formed by an impermeable layer of clay or GCL placed on the tailings,
on which a layer of draining material is placed to evacuate the infiltration water that crosses the layer
of organic soil that supports vegetation.
For the design of the waterproof coverage, the HELP (Hydrologic Evaluation of Landfill
Performance) software is used, to which information is entered, including: meteorological data that
can be measured in the field or taken from the database of a weather station located near the site of
the tailings deposit and properties of the materials of each of the layers that will make up the
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coverage. As a result, we obtain, by simulation, the thicknesses of the layers of the coverage (Table
4).
Table 4 Water balance expressed as a percentage for different coverages.
Vegetation is very important in the design of the covers, because it helps to stabilize the soils and
manage rainwater in a balanced way on the rehabilitated surfaces. It will therefore control erosive
processes, infiltration, evapotranspiration and moisture in the layers of the cover (Fig. 4).
The vegetation recommended for this purpose are the native species of the area, because this
vegetation, along with the soils, have adapted to the climatic conditions of the place.
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Figure 4 Waterproof coverage to achieve chemical and hydrological stability in the closure of acidity-
generating tailings dams.
CONCLUSION
Considering the results of the geochemical characterization of the tailings as mining residues with a
high probability of generating acidity, the recommended kind of closure is the use of an impermeable
cover. This is to avoid contact from the tailing dam with oxygen from the atmosphere or rainwater
in wet season.
To optimize water management over the rehabilitated surfaces of the tailing dam, covers with native
vegetation are to be chosen and installed. This is because revegetation with new species includes
maintenance and application of organic modifications frequently.
NOMENCLATURE
ABA Acid–base accounting
NAG Net acid generation
SPLP Synthetic precipitation leaching procedure
SFE Shake flask extraction
MTD Best available techniques
DRX X-ray diffraction
PAG Acidity generator
No PAG No acidity generator
NNP Net Neutralization Potential
NPR Net Potential Ratio
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