A Review of Zeolite Based Treatment Water Systems and Thier Applicability in Hard Rock, Coal and...
-
Upload
daniel-eyde -
Category
Engineering
-
view
357 -
download
2
Transcript of A Review of Zeolite Based Treatment Water Systems and Thier Applicability in Hard Rock, Coal and...
SME 2016 Annual Conference & Expo
2/20/2016 1
Dan Eyde
CTO & President
St. Cloud Mining Company
Barbara Carroll – GeoGRAFX GIS Services
A Review of Zeolite Based Treatment
Water Systems and Their Applicability
in Hard Rock, Coal and Uranium Mining
Applications
Agenda
1. What are zeolites?
2. Selected large scale zeolite treatment projects
3. Case 1: West Virginia Coal Case study
4. Case 2: Homestake Uranium Tailings leak Grants, NM
5. Case 3: CR Kendall thallium control Hilger, MT
6. Case 4: Lead Queen Mine Passive treatment system Patagonia, AZ
7. Questions?
2/20/2016 2
What are Zeolites?
Zeolites are used commercially for several
reasons:
* Unique absorption
* Ion exchange
* Molecular sieve
* Catalytic abilities
2/20/2016 3
Natural zeolites are hydrated aluminosilicates.
Natural Zeolite-based Media Systems
• Natural zeolites are readily available. The resources are
large, well tested and consistent in performance.
• There are a number of available technologies that
improve sorbent selectivity or increase capacity for
specific contaminants.
• Technology is proven in municipal and drinking water,
nuclear, and industrial water treatment applications and
is becoming more common in polishing mine effluents
prior to discharge.
2/20/2016 4
Selected Large Scale Zeolite Projects
2/20/2016 5
Project Contaminant
Three Mile Island Cesium, Strontium
Kendall Gold Mine – Hilger, MT Thallium, Cu, Pb, Zn, Co
Homestake Legacy Site - Grants, NM Uranium
Colorado Tailings, Butte, MT Cu, Pb, Zn, Ag - Pilot
Greenbriar Coal – West Virgina AMD, Mn, Al - Pilot
Rimcon – Wyoming Mitigation High Sodic waters
WRT – >100 Commercial installations Arsenic, Radium, Thorium, Uranium
Fukushima, Japan – Kurion Cesium, Strontium, Americium,
Calcium
Case 1 - West Virginia – Coal Mine Water
Discharge
Issues to be resolved included the following:
• AMD – pH of the water can be extremely low
• Manganese
• Aluminum
• Iron
• Turbidity
• TDS
2/20/2016 6
2/20/2016 11
WV Test 1- Does Zeolite Do Anything?
Parameter Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3
pH 3.31 2.97 2.52
Dissolved Fe 2.48 9.23 617.20
Dissolved Mn 32.23 53.13 29.34
Dissolved Al 48.82 52.24 109.80
RAW WATER ANALYSIS
2/20/2016 12
Test 1 Results Parameter Raw Water After Zeolite
pH 3.31 5.71
Dissolved Fe 2.48 0.21
Dissolved Mn 32.23 8.27
Dissolved Al 48.82 0.11
Sample 1
Parameter Raw Water After Zeolite
pH 2.97 5.32
Dissolved Fe 9.23 0.22
Dissolved Mn 53.13 14.83
Dissolved Al 52.24 0.46
Sample 2
Parameter Raw Water After Zeolite
pH 2.52 4.00
Dissolved Fe 617.20 46.60
Dissolved Mn 29.34 30.01
Dissolved Al 109.80 12.05
Sample 3
2/20/2016 13
Test 2-Al Extraction
Parameter Raw AMD AMD-NaOH AMD-NaOH
Zeolite
AMD-Ca(OH)2 AMD-Ca(OH)2
Zeolite
pH 3.45 10.89 8.29 11.71 9.64
Alkalinity <0.45 162.64 25.23 604.67 31.51
Acidity 739.89 <0.33 <0.33 <0.33 <0.33
Conductivity 4,410.00 4,310.00 2,548.00 4,820.00 2,677.00
Dissolved Fe 213.00 0.01 0.04 0.02 0.01
Dissolved
Mn
30.50 <0.001 0.02 0.001 <0.001
Dissolved Al 52.68 1.46 <0.008 0.127 <0.008
Dissolved Na 25.78 871.30 336.20 54.44 156.80
Dissolved
Mg
149.30 0.34 35.37 0.24 16.01
Dissolved Ca 194.86 84.61 221.60 936.30 518.40
TDS 3,111.00 2,914.00 2,025.00 3,320.00 2,120.00
Case 2 - Legacy Uranium Mining and
Processing Grants, NM
• Uranium Processing facility built 1958 on remote ranchland
• Operated by Homestake or related entities through 1990
• Presently inactive except for ongoing remediating implemented in 1977
• June 2007 NM lowered standard for uranium in groundwater from 5000 ppb to 30 ppb matching the EPA MCL since 2000
• Use RO to augment the groundwater cleanup activities. Brine from RO put in evaporation ponds
• Testing zeolite to treat low concentrations of Ur contaminated water from Upper Chinle formation. Supernatent re-injected at rate of 50-100 gpm. System design RIMCON, LLC.
2/20/2016 17
Zeolite pilot-test area on the south side of the top of the large tailing pile.
Note extraction wells (white) and piping in foreground used to convey
collected groundwater to the RO treatment plant or to one of the evaporation
ponds for disposal. View looking northeast. 2/20/2016 21
Zeolite Pilot-Test Area
Zeolite pilot-test pit on the top of the large tailing pile. The zeolite is used to
extract low-concentration uranium before being re-injected at 50 gallons per
minute. Pit is lined with a 60 millimeter thick high density polyethylene
(HPDE) liner. View looking northeast. 2/20/2016 22
Zeolite Pilot-Test Pit
Update
• Pilot scale system worked as designed.
• Homestake committed to installing large scale system.
• Permitting and regulatory approvals received.
• Full scale installation late 2014-15.
For further information on system contact:
RIMCON, LLC
Dale Shay – Principal
2/20/2016 23
Final Mine Closure and Water
Management Plan 2012
• Kendall Mine area in intermittent operation since 1880.Present operations started in 1981 and continued through 1995 with gold recovery through 1997.
• All components of the Closure Water Management plan – Watershed flow augmentation, Groundwater capture, zeolite water treatment, discharge of treated water into the Kendall Pit in place sine 1998
2/20/2016 26
TCLP - Leaching Results
Metal Concentration (mg/L)
TCLP SPLP
Arsenic < 0.5 < 0.5
Barium < 10 < 1
Cadmium < 0.1 < 0.1
Chromium < 0.5 < 0.5
Lead < 0.5 < 0.5
Mercury < 0.02 < 0.02
Selenium < 0.1 < 0.1
Silver < 0.5 < 0.5
Thallium 1.89 0.08
2/20/2016 32
Case 4 Southern AZ AMD and Metals
Watershed area mitigation of AMD and
selected heavy metals:
• Raise pH of drainage waters
• Reduce zinc, cadmium, lead, and
copper in Alum Gulch-Flux Canyon and
Cox Gulch-3R Canyon, SE Arizona
utilizing gabion retaining wall and footer
structures combined with zeolite
material adsorption 2/20/2016 33
Legacy mining activity at the
top of the watershed
produces acid mine
drainage which is
incorporated in groundwater
& surface water discharges
(tailings, tunneling, wall
rock)
35
Reasons for this Project
2/20/2016
Several large removal
actions and expensive mine
portal closures implemented
in the area have had little
effect on heavy metals and
AMD -impacted loading
characteristics of several
tributaries flowing into
Sonoita Creek and
Patagonia Lake.
36
Reasons for this Project
2/20/2016
Average chemical composition of mine tailings in the Harshaw Creek Watershed
(measured in ppm). From Dean (1982, p.46)
TRENCH MINE TAILINGS
pH 2.6
SO4 41,076
Fe 6,050
Cu 43
Mn 4,621
Zn 838
As 466
Pb 3,972
Cd 20
Cr 16
Se 0
Hg 5.4
Ag 25
Al 528, 725
Storm-related Surface water from Trench Mine
Tailings (mg/L)
2/20/2016 40
Storm-related Surface Water from
Trench Mine Tailings
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
WATERSHED POSITION
Faults and
sympathetic
fractures influence
movement of water
through the system
in shallow and deep
groundwater
2/20/2016 41
Upper Alum / Trench Camp
Load estimates calculated during base-flow conditions at
Trench Camp indicate that the discharge produces
approximately 20 lbs of combined metals (Cd+Co+Cu+Ni+Pb+Zn) per month; the
World’s Fair segment produces approximately 86 lbs of combined metals
(Cd+Co+Cu+Ni+Pb+Zn) per month.
2/20/2016 42
Perennial Evaporative Salt Accumulation
44
Stone Gabions with Zeolite Filters
Up and Downstream Long-Term Maintenance
Erosion Control and Rock
Barrier BMPs are expected
to last 5-10 years depending
on the rate of storm run-off.
Zeolite material replacement
frequency will be
determined as part of
implementation of the
project.
Acknowledgements
Donald Stevens, P.E.
Project Manager/Civil Engineer
Direct 916.706.3379 | Cell 559.824.8711
www.ECMConsults.com
Tristen McGee
HAZMAT Project Supervisor
Office 520.622.3607
2/20/2016 50
Floyd Gray
Research Geologist
US Geological Survey
(520) 670-5582
Floyd Gray ([email protected])
Jerry Hanley
CR Kendall Mine
Hilger, MT
Dale A. Shay
RIMCON, LLC
605-381-4515
Contact Information
Daniel T. Eyde
St. Cloud Mining
520-744-8845
2/20/2016 51