• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.263-270
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• 2024

In this study, impact factors for dehydration with KOMIR-Tube system using flocculant and dewatering tube were evaluated for mine drainage sludges. The experiments were conducted on semi-active facility sludges with water contents above 90 % using KOMIR-Tube system. The flocculant and input amount were determined from laboratory experiment and the dewatering efficiency was verified onsite experiment. The sludge characteristics were identified by instrumental analysis such as zeta potential measurement, particle size analysis, XRD, XRF and SEM-EDS. Selection of flocculants for sludge dewatering treatment need to consider not only precipitated rate but also filterated rate. Floc size has to keep at least 0.7 mm. From on-site experiments, sludge dewatering using KOMIR-Tube system suggests to carry out April and May that is low rainfall and humidity considering to climate conditions. Also, dewatering rate depends on the crystal degree of mineral that mainly makes up sludges. Particularly, goethite of the iron hydroxides has better dewatering rate than ferrihydrite. Ferrihydrite is low degree of crystallinity and uncleared or broad shaped crystal, goethite is good crystallinity with needle shaped crystal so that the effect of flocculation and dewatering showed to depend on the crystal. In results, impact factors of dewatering for mine drainage sludges are related to flocculant, climate, crystallinity and shape of iron hydroxides.