Leaching (Kinetic) Tests

Leaching Column
PCO2

From W.B. White 1988,

Geomorphology and Hydrology
of Karst Terrains, Oxford
University Press, p 131
Rt. 66 Brush Creek Shale Site

B.C. Shale Unit

Tracy Lynn Mine
Figure 3a. Alkalinity Concentrations from Shale Sample in Leaching Columns

Alkalinity Concentration in Columns - Shale

400
Air Only
Air CO2 Mix
350
Alkalinity (mg/L as CaCO3)

300

250

200

150

100

50

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 7 9 11 13 15
Week
 Surface Area of 3 Rock
14 Types as Measured by BET

12

10

8
m2/g

6
Before Leaching
4 After Leaching

0
Shale Sandstone Refuse
Figure 1b. Leaching Column

Reagentinwater in
7water

Air/Gas Vent:
Water Level
- Optional Flow Meter
- Minimum vent diameter
=air inlet diameter

Add sample to fill column

Liner – glass wool/geotextile

1.5” plastic beads
- minimum diameter = 0.25 “

Humidified
Air/Gas
Leachate out Tubing with Glass Wool Plugs
Figure 4b. Sulfate in Leachate from Shale in Humidity Cells and Leaching Columns

Sulfate Concentration in Cells and Columns - Shale

1000
900 Column Air Only
Column Air CO2 Mix
800
Cell Air Only
700
Sulfate (mg/L)

Cell Air CO2 Mix

600
500
400
300
200
100
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Week
Figure 7a. Acidity Concentrations from Coal Refuse Samples in Humidity Cells.

Acidity in Cells from Coal Refuse

3000
Ernest - Air
Ernest - Air+CO2
2500 Leachburg - Air
Leachburg - Air + CO2

2000
Acidity (mg/L)

1500

1000

500

0
0 1 2 3 4
Week
 1600 Lab M
Column Const. Flow
Column Const. Flow
Column Sat. H2O
Column Sat. H2O
Sulfate
1200
Hum. Cell Sat. H2O
Hum. Cell Sat. H2O
Concentration
Sulfate (mg/L)

800 Lab M

400

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Week
 Alkalinity 600
Concentration
500

Alkalinity (mg/L CaCO 3)

400

300

Lab M
200 Column Const. Flow
Column Const. Flow
Column Sat. H2O
Column Sat. H2O
100 Hum. Cell Sat. H2O
Hum. Cell Sat. H2O

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Week
 600 600 Lab G
Column Const. Flow
Column Const. Flow
Column Sat. H2O
500 500
Column Sat. H2O
Hum. Cell Sat. H2O
Hum. Cell Sat. H2O
Alkalinity (mg/L CaCO3)

Alkalinity (mg/L CaCO3)

400 400

300 300

Lab M
200 Column Const. Flow
200
Column Const. Flow

Lab M Column Sat. H2O

Column Sat. H2O
100 Hum. Cell Sat. H2O
100 Lab G
Hum. Cell Sat. H2O

0 600 0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Week Week

Alkalinity (mg/L CaCO 3)

400

Comparison of
Alkalinity Among
200
the Three Labs P2 (6" Column)
P3 (4" Column)
P4 (2" Column)

Lab P
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Week
10%
CaCO3 + 2H +Æ
Ca++ + H2O + CO2

+ O C O
 5
4.5
4 y = 1.1157x + 0.449
Percentage S leached

2
R = 0.9967
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
y = 0.881x + 0.8051
1 2
R = 0.9977
0.5
0
0 1 2 3 4
leaching time [weeks^0.5]

NS = Kt 1/ 2
+F
Cumulative Load (Mass) of CaCO3 & Sulfur

1. Calculated Mass of Sulfur and CaCO3 in Column

using total percent sulfur (%S) and neutralization potential (NP)

2. Determined amount of sulfur weathered from:

sulfate x volume of leachate

3. Determined amount of CaCO3 weathered from:

(HCO3 + acidity consumed) x vol. of leachate
acidity consumed calculated from SO4
 Cumulative Weathering Rates
Cumulative % CaCO3 or S Weathered Per Week
5 4.0 to 4.5%

4
Sulfur Weathering

CaCO3 Weathering
~1.5%
2

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Week
Cumulative % CaCO3 or S Weathered Per Week
Weathering of Shale Projected to Six Years
20
16-20%
Sulfur
16

12

8
8-10%
CaCO3

0
0 52 104 156 208 260 312
Week
Lab vs. Field
Refuse

Shale
 Concluding Thoughts

1. Surface area of Shale 10X that of

Sandstone & Refuse
2. Leaching behavior of pyrite & calcite
are different. Diffusion Controlled vs.
Solubility Constrained
3. Pco2 controls alkalinity concentration
 Thoughts Continued

4. Calc. rock with pyrite can produce CO2

5. At 14 weeks 1.5% of CaCO3 & 4% of
Pyrite weathered
6. Shale projected to remain alkaline
7. Lab results compare favorably to field
ADA PERTANYAAN ?