Application of a Sequential Extraction Method for Analyzing Cu Distribution in Pre-Treated Mine Tailings after Electrodialytic Remediation

Andrea Lazo, Henrik K. Hansen, Pamela Lazo and Claudia Gutiérrez
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Andrea Lazo: Departamento de Ingeniería Química y Ambiental, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Avenida España 1680, Valparaíso 2390123, Chile
Henrik K. Hansen: Departamento de Ingeniería Química y Ambiental, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Avenida España 1680, Valparaíso 2390123, Chile
Pamela Lazo: Instituto de Química y Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Avenida Gran Bretaña 1111, Playa Ancha, Valparaíso 2360102, Chile
Claudia Gutiérrez: Departamento de Ingeniería Química y Ambiental, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Avenida España 1680, Valparaíso 2390123, Chile

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 4, 1-9

Abstract: Mine tailings have been analyzed by a sequential extraction procedure after their pre-treatment with a leaching solution for 24 h and electrodialytic remediation during 15 days with a constant electric field of 2.7 V cm −1 . Four leaching solutions were tested: H 2 SO 4 + HNO 3 (2:1 vol.) pH = 1.9; H 2 SO 4 + HNO 3 (2:1 vol) pH = 4.2; NH 4 Cl 0.8M, pH = 5.5 and 30% H 2 O 2 adjusted to pH 2 with HNO 3 1M + HCl 1M. After the treatment, the tailings were divided in six slices from anode to cathode. The highest removal efficiency of copper was obtained with H 2 SO 4 + HNO 3 pH = 1.9, which allows one to remove 67% of the copper in the total cell and 85% of the copper in the slice closest to anode. The same solution with pH = 4.2 allows one to remove 62% of the total copper. The analysis realized by the sequential extraction method indicates the easy removal of water-soluble and exchangeable fractions in all experiments, moreover, residual and sulfide are the less mobile fractions. The general trend was the movement of copper associated to different fractions from anode to cathode and its accumulation closest to the cathode in the case of exchangeable, Fe-Mn oxides and acid soluble fractions, possibly due to some precipitation of copper compounds associated with less acidic conditions.

Keywords: copper; electrodialytic remediation; mine tailings; sequential extraction (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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