Development of a domestic methodology for assessing the risks of acid effluent formation during storage and use of wastes from coal mining and processing

Abstract

It is shown that the main ecologically significant characteristics of wastes from mining and processing of coal, which are considered when assessing their impact on the environment, are the indicators reflecting the risks of acidic water formation and leaching of macro- and microelements from rocks. A review of the methods used abroad to determine the risks of formation of acidic effluents during storage or use of wastes is carried out. It is shown that at present in the Russian Federation there is no regulatory support for assessing this indicator in wastes from mining, processing and combustion of coals. It is noted that for a preliminary assessment of the risks of acidic wastewater drainage, the most common method for determining the neutralization potential of waste is the so-called A. Sobek static test (ABA). The main stages of the development of the domestic method for determining the potential of neutralization in waste are presented and its approbation is carried out on existing research objects. The developed methodology takes into account the main provisions of the classical method for determining the neutralization potential of A. Sobek and makes additions to the procedure for testing of the samples, which makes it possible to increase the accuracy of the obtained results and extend the domestic methodology not only to wastes from mining and benefication of coals, but also to wastes from combustion and processing of coal, such as fly ash, slag and ash and slag wastes. The study was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, Grant No. 19-35-90117.