Abstract
The combination of chemical stabilisation (using fly ash, lime and steel shots) and phytostabilisation (using grass mixture and two Sorghum species ) were applied to remediate a highly acidic metal ore mine waste in Gyongyosoroszi, Hungary. The change in metal mobility was monitored by chemical, biological and ecotoxicological methods. Chemical stabilisation reduced the amount of Cd from 441 to 0.42 μ g l -1 , Cu from 1510 to 11.7 μ g l -1 and Zn from 89079 to 48.8 μ g l -1 in drainage water and extractable As from 0.404 to 0.086 mg kg -1 in waste within two years. The high toxicity of the mine waste was reduced to non-toxic and healthy vegetation developed on the previously barren surface with metal content fulfilling animal fodder quality criteria. The technology reduced the risk on all possible pathways fulfilling all target criteria.
Highlights
The lead and zinc sulphide ore mine near Gyöngyösoroszi (Mátra Mountains, Northern Hungary, main mine entrance: 47 ̊51’01” N and 19 ̊52’14” E coordinates) closed in 1985 after 40 years of operation, leaving the Toka-valley and the surrounding area heavily polluted with toxic metals
3 Results and discussion The chemical-analytical and biological-ecotoxicological results of the field experiment are presented for the treated waste material, its drainage water, and the plants grown on the treated mine waste, respectively
4 Conclusions The aim of the field demonstration of CCP, the combination of chemical and phytostabilisation in Gyöngyösoroszi applied to toxic metal containing mine waste material was to verify the efficacy of this innovative remediation technology
Summary
The lead and zinc sulphide ore mine near Gyöngyösoroszi (Mátra Mountains, Northern Hungary, main mine entrance: 47 ̊51’01” N and 19 ̊52’14” E coordinates) closed in 1985 after 40 years of operation, leaving the Toka-valley and the surrounding area heavily polluted with toxic metals. A complex survey was carried out at catchment scale to assess the impacts of the mining activity and mine wastes on water, sediment, soil and ecosystem and to characterise the short and long-term environmental risks [1]-[6]. The results of the survey indicated, that heavy metal contamination of the Toka-valley has an unacceptably high environmental risk, risk reduction is necessary by remediation of point and diffuse sources [7]. The requirement of the catchment scale risk management concept at Gyöngyösoroszi is that the combined chemical and phytostabilisation technology should fulfil the target emission from the residual and diffuse pollution sources that remain after the encapsulation of the big waste dumps and the removal of smaller point sources [10].
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