English

Abstract

MSE Technology Applications has independently evaluated several technologies for eliminating acid rock drainage (ARD) from waste rock, under the Mine Waste Technology Program. Summary information and results from three individual and separate demonstration projects will be presented. This paper is an extended abstract with only cursory project details and is meant to serve as an additional information source to the poster presentation material. The first project was a laboratory-based weather accelerated evaluation of two commercial technologies applied to unoxidized material. Evaluated over a two-year period were treatment technologies from Klean Earth Environmental Company (KEECO) and Metals Treatment Technologies (MT 2 ). The second project was a field pilot-scale multi-cell evaluation of four technologies demonstrated at the Gilt Edge Mine Site. Treatment with lime was conducted along with treatment technologies from KEECO, University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), and MT 2 . The level of contaminants of concern released over time was monitored to determine technology performance, as the project objective was to reduce the effluent of each treatment cell effluent. The third project was a field-based demonstration with application to prevent acid generation on open-pit highwalls. Four technologies were applied at the Golden Sunlight Mine in Montana. Two treatment technologies, potassium permanganate and magnesium oxide, were from UNR. MT 2 and Intermountain Polymers provided the third and fourth treatment technologies. The impact on total metals loading per unit area of each treated section was monitored. Results of the treatment effectiveness of the technologies tested in all three projects were obtained by comparison to control conditions by field monitoring and laboratory analysis. Results of the weather- accelerated project were most favorable to the KEECO technology. Results of the field multi-cell project were most favorable to the lime technology. Results from the highwall project indicated that all treatments reduced the concentrations of sulfate removed and reduced the mobility of metals from the highwall.