Neutralization of Pyrophyllite Mine Wastes by the Lime Cake By-Product

Numerous abandoned or closed mines are present in the steep mountain valleys in Korea due to the depression of the mining industry since the late 1980s. From the mines, enormous amounts of wastes were dumped on the slopes causing sedimentation and acid mine drainage to be discharged directly into streams causing detrimental effects on surrounding environment. Objective of this research was to evaluate the feasibility of the lime cake by-product from the soda ash production (Solvay process) to neutralize the pyrophyllite mine wastes, which have discharged the acid drainage to soil and stream in the watershed. The pH of mine wastes was strongly acidic at pH 3.67 containing over 16% of $Al_2O_3$ and 11% of $Fe_2O_3$. Whereas the lime cake by-product was strongly basic at pH 9.97 due to high contents of CaO, MgO and $CaCl_2$ as major components. Column experiments were conducted to test the neutralizing capacity of the lime cake by-product for the acidic pyrophyllite mine wastes. The column packed with the wastes (control) was treated with the lime cake by-product, calcium carbonate, the dressing soil or combination. The distilled water was eluted statically through the column and the leachate was collected for the chemical analyses. Treatments of the mine wastes with the lime cake by-product (or calcium carbonate) as mixtures increased pH of the leachate from $3.5{\sim}4.0\;to\;7{\sim}8$. Concentrations of Fe and Al in the leachate were also decreased below 1.0 mg $L^{-1}$. A Similar result was observed at the combined treatments of the mine waste, the lime by-product (or calcium carbonate) and the dressing soil. The results indicated that the lime cake by-product could sufficiently neutralize the acid drainage from the pyrophyllite mine wastes without dressing soils.

부산석회를 이용한 납석광산 폐석의 중화처리

납석광산 폐석의 중화제로서 Solvay 공정에서 발생되는 알칼리성 부산물인 부산석회의 활용 가능성을 평가하기 위하여 폐석을 충진한 컬럼 용출시험을 수행한 결과는 다음과 같다. 폐석의 pH 값은 3.67로 매우 낮았으며 화학성분 중 $Al_2O_3$ 함량은 16.44%, $Fe_2O_3$의 함량은 11.62%로 높게 나타났다. 컬럼시험에서는 폐석 단독 처리구의 경우 침출수의 pH가 $3.5{\sim}4.0$으로 매우 낮게 나타났으나 폐석+탄산석회 전층혼합 및 폐석+부산석회 전층혼합 처리에서는 침출수의 pH가 $7.0{\sim}8.0$의 수준으로 유지되어 뚜렷한 중화효과를 나타내었다. 침출수의 EC 값은 폐석+부산석회 전층혼합 처리에서 초기에 높게 나타났는데 이는 부산석회에 Ca을 비롯한 염류물질이 다량 함유되었기 때문인 것으로 판단되었다. 침출수 중 Fe의 농도는 폐석+부산석회 전층혼합 처리예서 1 mg $L^{-1}$ 이하의 수준으로 나타났고, Al의 농도는 초기 용출에서 다소 높게 나타났으나 이후 1 mg $L^{-1}$ 이하의 수준으로 안정화되었다. 이상의 결과를 통해 부산석회는 복토제의 피복 없이도 납석광산 폐석의 오염물질 유출을 차단할 수 있는 중화제로 활용할 수 있을 것으로 판단되었고, 부산석회는 폐석과 혼합하여 처리하는 것이 효율적이었다.