Abstract
The characterization of acid rock drainage (ARD) is traditionally based on mineralogical and geochemical techniques (e.g., Acid Base Accounting tests). The complexity of ARD processes warrants contribution of methods from various disciplines. In the past decade, the increasing role of environmental isotopes in pollution monitoring has enabled the successful application of isotope methods in ARD investigations. While isotopic compositions of different pollutants can refer to their parent mineral, the degree of isotope fractionations are indicative of the mechanisms taking place during the release and transportation of ARD-related contaminants. In natural environments, however, the measured isotope fractionations are predominantly the result of several coexisting or sequential processes. Therefore, the identification and quantification of the distinct contributions of these processes to isotope variations is difficult and requires well-defined laboratory conditions, where the influence of ARD generation on different isotope systems can be assessed with greater certainty. This review provides readers with a single source of information regarding isotopic variations generated by laboratory pyrite leaching.
Highlights
Acid rock drainage (ARD) is one of the major environmental problems at active and closed coal and metalliferous mining sites [1]
The importance of the oxidative dissolution of pyrite relates to its environmental impact through acid rock drainage (ARD) generation
An understanding of the processes and mechanisms governing pyrite dissolution facilitates the predictive modelling of ARD, which in turn can be used to inform effective geotechnical designs and rehabilitation strategies
Summary
Acid rock drainage (ARD) is one of the major environmental problems at active and closed coal and metalliferous mining sites [1]. To characterize and predict ARD accurately, the fundamental controls on ARD generation including pH, temperature, redox conditions, type and concentration of oxidants, mineralogy, and textural characteristics need to be understood These factors influence the oxidation and dissolution rate of pyrite. Formation of secondary water-soluble iron phases and minerals affects the ARD chemistry and influences pyrite oxidation dynamics directly and indirectly by providing H+ and/or Fe3+ and changing the mineralogy of the oxidized layers of pyrite [20,21]. The latter has significance in surface passivation that, in turn, affects the reaction rates of pyrite oxidation and dissolution.
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