INVESTIGATION
OF PREDICTION TECHNIQUES FOR ACID MINE DRAINAGE
Mine Environment Neutral Drainage at CANMET-MMSL |
MEND Project
1.16.1 a
November 1989
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
A laboratory
test program has been carried out to evaluate and compare methods
to predict the formation of acid mine drainage (AMD) in mine wastes,
to evaluate the reliability of the methods in predicting actual
field behaviour at minesites, and to recommend prediction methods
most suitable ' for laboratory and field use. Methods evaluated
included static tests and kinetic tests. The following documented
prediction procedures were studied:
- B.C. Research
Initial Test
- Acid Base
Accounting
- Alkaline
Production Potential : Sulphur Ratio Test
- Hydrogen
Peroxide Test for Pyrite Estimation
- B.C. Research
Confirmation Test
- Humidity
Cell Test
- Shake Flask
Weathering Test
- Soxhlet
Extraction Test
- Manometric
Carbonate Pressure Analysis
In addition,
three other tests, modified from the original procedure or developed
during the study were evaluated
- Modified
Acid Base Accounting
- Net Acid
Production Test
- Modified
Biological Confirmation Test
Evaluation
of the above tests was carried out by performing each procedure
on each of eight tailing samples and four waste rock samples from
Canadian mines. This report presents all of the data produced in
the evaluations and provides discussion on each method and its performance
relative to the other tests of similar procedure and objective.
From the results
of the study it is concluded that confident prediction of acid mine
drainage is not likely to be achieved in a single test. Static tests
are recommended for use for initial screening of samples, followed
by some form of kinetic weathering test to confirm the initial prediction
and to provide drainage quality and kinetic data. Several static
and kinetic tests were shown to provide credible prediction Of field
AMD behaviour. Choice of method can be made on the basis of the
comparison of simplicity, time required, equipment required, cost,
ease of interpretation and correlation with the field data. Results
indicate that the mode of waste deposition in the field can also
affect the Choice of test used. some tests were shown to be unrealistic
in their methodology. In other cases, data obtained was believed
to be unreliable or difficult to interpret.
Changes to
established procedures have been suggested and recommended to facilitate
performance and interpretation of certain existing test methods
and/or to improve the accuracy of AMD prediction. in addition',
recommendations have been made for further research, development,
and evaluation of existing and new methods to provide more reliable
procedures and equipment for confident AMD prediction in the future.
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