title: In-situ study of beneficial utilization of coal fly ash in reactive mine tailings.
abstract: Oxidation of reactive mine tailings and subsequent generation of acid mine drainage (AMD) have been long recognized as the largest environmental concern for the mining industry. Laboratory studies on utilization of coal fly ash in management of reactive mine tailings have shown reducing water and oxygen infiltration into tailings matrix, thus preventing oxidation of sulphide minerals and acid generation. However, few data from field studies to evaluate the performance of co-placement of mine tailings and fly ash (CMF hereafter) are reported in the open literature. This paper documents the construction and instrumentation of three CMF systems on the Musselwhite mine located in Ontario, Canada and presents results of 3-year real time monitoring. The field data indicates that the CMFs reduced the ingress of water due to cementation generated by hydration of fly ash. It was also found that the electrical conductivity of leachate from CMFs decreased in the early stage of co-placement, compared to the control. With further study, the principle and approach demonstrated in this paper can be adopted as a sustainable technology in the mine tailings management.
authors: Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, South Korea. Electronic address: jkleegeo@gmail.com.
authors: Joon Kyu
authors: JK
authors: Lee
authors: Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Univ. of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada N6A 5B9. Electronic address: jqshang@uwo.ca.
authors: Julie Q
authors: JQ
authors: Shang
authors: Exp Service Inc., 1595 Clark Boulevard, Brampton, ON, Canada L6T 4V1. Electronic address: hongliu.wang@exp.com.
authors: Hongliu
authors: H
authors: Wang
authors: DST Consulting Engineers, 203-2150 Thurston Drive, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1G 5TG. Electronic address: czhao@dstgroup.com.
authors: Cheng
authors: C
authors: Zhao
mesh_terms: D060729:Coal Ash / Q000737:chemistry*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D008903:Minerals / Q000737:chemistry; D008906:Mining; D009864:Ontario; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013440:Sulfides / Q000737:chemistry; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D060729:Coal Ash; D008903:Minerals; D013440:Sulfides; D014867:Water; D010100:Oxygen
keywords: Acid mine drainage; Coal fly ash; In-situ monitoring; Mine waste management; Reactive mine tailings