how could the gold king mine water be passively treated? · pdf filehow could the gold king...
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How Could the Gold King Mine Water be Passively Treated?
Jim Gusek, P.E.Sovereign Consulting Inc.
Lakewood, Colorado
GeoloGical Society of america annual meetinG – Denver, coloraDo
GolD kinG mine Special SeSSion
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Outline
• Gold King Mine Thumbnail Sketch
• Passive Treatment Biogeochemistry
• Two Gold King Passive Treatment Design Concepts
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The Gold King Site
2 miles
US Bureau of Reclamation, 2015
American Tunnel Profile
No “direct” mine connection
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“Natural” Attenuation
Mother Nature is pretty talented; to remediate heavy metals situations, She uses:SequentialEcologicaleXtraction
processes that have evolved over millennia (Thanks, C. Darwin)
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What Is the Passive Treatment Process?
Passive Treatment of MIW involves the:SequentialEcologicaleXtraction
Of metals in a man-made but naturalistic bio-system
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Iron Stromatolites & Fe/Mn Nodules
Shark Bay, Australia
Fe/Mn Fossil Nodules Courtesy of Nick Shearer, WV DEP
Stromatolites built by cyanobacteria/algae, a
process over 1 billion yrs. old
www.terradaily.com
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Ferricrete Deposits
Animas Basin, Colo.
Courtesy of USGS
Deposit of iron-cemented stream gravel (ferricrete) with embedded wood fragments
Natural Iron-rich Acidic Spring Flowing into
Cement Creek
Courtesy of USGS
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Manganocrete Deposits
Animas Basin, CO & Patagonia, AZ
Alluvial manganocrete near the former Lake
Emma in Eureka Gulch
MnO2-cemented alluvium in Alum Creek
Courtesy of USGS
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Maj
orM
inor
Natural Metal Removal Mechanisms
• Sulfide and carbonate precipitation via sulfate reducing bacteria, et al.
• Hydroxide and oxide precipitation by acidithiobacillus ferro-oxidans bacteria, et al.
• Filtering of suspended materials and precips• Carbonate dissolution/replacement• Metal uptake into live roots, stems and
leaves• Adsorption and exchange with plant, soil and
other biological materials
?
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Periodic Table of Passive Treatment
Gusek, 2009
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Periodic Table of Passive Treatment Re-Visited
Adsorption to MnO2
Gusek, 2013
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Anaerobic Biochemical Reactors (BCRs)
Aluminum and heavy metal removal,
selenium removal, de-nitrification, pH
adjustment, alkalinity & hardness addition
AKA Vertical Flow Reactors
orSulfate Reducing
Bioreactors (SRBRs)
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Aerobic Cells
Fe, As, Biochemical
Oxygen Demand (BOD), and Mn
removal
(plus adsorbed metals)
AKA Rock Filters
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Iron Terraces – Aerobic Special CaseModern Aerobic Wetlands & Ferricrete/Iron Terraces
Forest litter
Some ferricrete deposits in the Animas Basin are 9,000 yrs. old!
Elizabeth Mine Superfund Site VT
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Natural Treatment Chemistry 102
IRON TERRACE REACTIONS
6H+ + (C6H10O5)n + 3/2 O2 6C + 16 H2O + heat(Cellulose Dehydration by Acidity)
Reaction consumes H+
(acid) & pH rises and iron or aluminum can drop out
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Volunteer Aluminum Terrace Deposition Idaho
pH 2.5; Al 800 mg/LFe 500 mg/L
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Compare to Red and Bonita Mine Portal
US Bureau of Reclamation, 2015
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Algae Holdfast of MnO2
River Rock
Algae Strandleptothrix discophora
Manganese/algae in outfall from Leadville Colorado (El. 10,000ft/3,050m) WTP in March
Manganese Oxidation at Neutral pH
Manganocrete from paleo-channel near Prescott, AZ
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ArsenicCopperLeadZincCadmiumMercuryMolybdenum
CobaltNickelSeleniumUraniumRadiumSilver
ManganeseOxide
(black stain on stream
gravel)
Why is manganese removal so important?
(MoreManganese)
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The Gold King PTS Design ConditionsParameter Value Units Assumed ConditionFlow 300 gpm Spring freshet
Flow 200 gpm Steady state
pH 3.0 S.U. Steady state
Aluminum 25 mg/L Steady state
Arsenic 22 µg/L Steady state
Iron 126 mg/L Steady state
Cadmium 75 µg/L Steady state
Copper 6.0 mg/L Steady state
Cobalt 111 µg/L Steady state
Manganese 35 mg/L Steady state
Sulfate 1,760 mg/L Steady state
Zinc 26 mg/L Steady state
US EPA, 2016Chemistry from Aug-Sept 2015
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Passive Treatment Decision Tree 2016
Gold King Conceptual PTS Design #1
RELATIVELY BAD WATERRELATIVELY GOOD WATER
IronTerrace
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Conceptual Gold King PTS #1
Iron & Aluminum Removal
ManganeseRemoval
Manganese, etc.Removal during Freshet only
Zinc, Cadmium Copper, & Cobalt Removal
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Passive Treatment Decision Tree 2016
Gold King Conceptual PTS Design #2
RELATIVELY BAD WATERRELATIVELY GOOD WATER
IronTerrace
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Conceptual Gold King PTS #2
Organic Complexation of Metals & MnO2 Deposition in Stream Bed
Iron & Aluminum Removal
Zinc, Cadmium Copper, & Cobalt Removal
Manganese, etc.Removal
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Gold King PTS Sites?
7 acres(2.8 ha)
Iron Terrace
0.7 acres(0.28 ha)
BCR
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Primary ARD Source Control
Tailings and Mine Waste Conference, Keystone Colorado Oct. 3-5, 2016
A Pathway to Walk-Away? – 30 Year Old Technology to Suppress Acid Rock Drainage Revisited
• Use of bactericides to suppress ARD• Seven case history successes• Merging old and new technologies
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REVIEW – Pathway to Walk-Away
1. Primary Source Control to minimize flow, metals concentrations, and loading
2. Reclamation/Remediation to sustain primary source control measures for the long term
3. Passively Treat residual conditions– pH 2.5 to 8.5– Metals (Fe, Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr, Mn, Hg, Mo, Al,
Se, As, U, Co, Tl)– Non-metals (CN, SO4, NO3, NH3, BOD5, P)– Temperatures (0 to 30 deg C)– Major processes are:
• Chemical precipitation (usually facilitated by bugs) in aerobic and anaerobic conditions
• Adsorption to MnO2, etc. (facilitated by algae)
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“In the fields of observation, chance favors only the prepared mind.”
L. Pasteur
Thank You