Saline Mine Water Research Articles

97/01204 Program for complete utilization of saline mine water drained off into the Vistula river basin

97/01204 Program for complete utilization of saline mine water drained off into the Vistula river basin

96/02163 Removing radium from saline mine waters

96/02163 Removing radium from saline mine waters

Evidence for low-temperature alteration of sulfides in the Kupferschiefer copper deposits of southwestern Poland

Minerals of the Cu-Fe-S system from the Lubin and Rudna mines in the Polish Kupferschiefer display textures and compositional trends consistent with copper depletion. The compositions, optical properties, textures, and distribution of Cu-S minerals indicate progressive alteration from chalcocite to covellite in the sequence chalcocite-djurleite-anilite-geerite-spionkopite-yarrowite-covellite. Bornite compositions plot on the Cu-Fe-S phase diagram along a line between ideal bornite (Cu 5 FeS 4 ) and Idaite (Cu 3 FeS 4 ). The range in bornite compositions extends from ideal bornite to Cu (sub 3.5) FeS 4 . Copper-poor bornites within the composition range Cu (sub 4.5) FeS 4 to Cu (sub 3.5) FeS 4 texturally appear to have partially decomposed to covellite and chalcopyrite. Both of these mineralogical trends have been previously reported from zones of supergene alteration in other copper deposits, where they result from copper leaching. Grains observed to be of uniform anilite composition indicate that the alteration occurred at low temperatures, probably less than 40 degrees C. In the Lubin mine samples, the most copper-depleted minerals, yarrowite, covellite, copper-poor bornite, and chalcopyrite occur in association with veins of gypsum, anhydrite, and atacamite. This association probably results from the interaction of saline mine waters with the sulfides. In the Rudna mine samples, copper leaching is confined to distinct impermeable horizons, most notably at the top of the Weissliegendes and in the Kupferschiefer at the contact between the Cu and Pb zones. On both horizons, the mineralogical change passing upward corresponds to increasing copper depletion. Considering the impermeability of the horizons and the low temperature of anilite formation, the horizon-specific copper depletion probably occurred during early diagenesis...

Brief Historical Review of Membrane Development and Membrane Applications in Wastewater Treatment in Southern Africa

Away back in 1953 few people in the world, let alone South Africa, knew or had heard about membrane desalination, but there was an increasing awareness that electrodialysis had considerable potential for the desalination of brackish water. In South Africa the development of the new gold fields in the northern Orange Free State and the problems posed by the presence of excessive volumes of very saline mine waters stimulated interest in desalination and the CSIR* in collaboration with the mining industry became involved in the development of the electrodialysis process. By 1959 the largest brackish desalination plant in the world had been built and commissioned. South Africans were thus in the forefront of this technology, even to the extent of making the required membranes locally. Our historical review of membrane development and the applications of membrane technology in Southern Africa encompasses both pressure- and voltage-driven processes. Examples of the pressure processes are microfiltration, ultrafiltration and charged membrane ultrafiltration or nanofiltration, and finally reverse osmosis with fixed and dynamically formed membranes. The voltage-drive processes considered are electrodialysis and electrodialysis reversal.

Desalination and Utilization of saline mine waters in Poland

A short evaluation of the development of desalination from standpoint of water resources protection is presented. A few cases of management, disposal or utilization of saline mine waters are discussed.