The Phosphorus Transport in Groundwater from Phosphogypsum-Based Cemented Paste Backfill in a Phosphate Mine: A Numerical Study

Qiusong Chen, Huibo Zhou, Yikai Liu and Daolin Wang ()
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Qiusong Chen: School of Resources and Safety Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
Huibo Zhou: School of Resources and Safety Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
Yikai Liu: Department of Geosciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
Daolin Wang: School of Resources and Safety Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 22, 1-15

Abstract: Stacked phosphogypsum (PG) can not only cause a waste of resources but also has a serious negative impact on the surface environment. Phosphogypsum backfilling (PGB) in the underground goaf is a useful approach to effectively address the PG environmental problems. However, the effects of this approach on the groundwater environment have not been studied. Therefore, the present study aims to assess the spatiotemporal evolution mechanism of total phosphorus (TP) in groundwater to solve the diffusion regular pattern of TP in PGB bodies, as well as to manage and mitigate the impacts of TP on the groundwater system. In this study, leaching toxicity experiments and a numerical groundwater simulation software (GMS10.4) were combined to develop a three-dimensional conceptual model for predicting the groundwater flow and contaminant transport under steady-state conditions in a phosphorus mine in Anhui. The results showed a lower TP concentration than the TP standard concentration (0.2 mg/L) at a source concentration of 0.59 mg/L. However, groundwater TP source concentrations of 1.88 and 2.46 mg/L in the study area were found to exceed the standard concentration for a certain time and areas. In addition, the transport and dispersion of TP are influenced not only by the groundwater flow field, drainage ditches, rivers, and wells but also by the adsorption and attenuation effects of the soil that occur during the transport process, affecting the dispersion distance and distribution of groundwater TP concentrations. The results of the present study can promote the development of groundwater-friendly PGB technology, providing a great significance to the construction of green mines and the promotion of ecological civilization.

Keywords: cemented paste backfilling; green mine; phosphogypsum; leaching; phosphorus transport (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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