INSTITUTO SUPERIOR POLITÉCNICO DE TETE

Erguendo Pilares para o desenvolvimento

ENGINEERING DIVISION

MINERAL PROCESSING ENGINEERING

3rdYear

CLASS A, DAY SHIFT

Inglês V

FINAL PROJECT PROPOSAL (Part II)

EFFECTS OF PIRYTE OXIDATION ON COAL

EXTRACTION AT VALE MINE, IN MOATIZE

STUDENT:

Cheila António João

PROJECT SUPERVISOR:

MA. David Colaço Constantino

Tete, January 2022

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 1. STUDY
According to handout given by the teacher, STUDY states about data collection, research
tools used, such as questionnaires, observations, interviews, the location, etc.

In this chapter will be presented data collection, which was collected from the workers, and
in the result of the observation and interview, without leaving behind equipment used such
as photographic machine, jaw crusher and splitter.

2. DATA COLLECTION
Some pyrite samples were collected in the mine tailings piles at the Vale Moçambique
mine, in the municipality of Moatize, in the extraction of mineral coal (as illustrated in
figure 1), through the manual collection procedure, previously selecting the samples to
reduce the rate of organic material.

In the first stage for data collection were used the following matters:

 Observation
 Interviews;
 Questionnaire

Figure 1: Illustrative image of pyrite tailings piles.

Source: Author, 2022.

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 3. QUESTIONNAIRE
With a view to reducing contamination of water and soil in the district of Moatize, Province
of Tete, the author carried out an in-depth analysis and study of this problem that has been
affecting the surrounding communities in the mining facilities belonging to Vale
Moçambique since the mining company, has been extracting the precious mineral (coal).
With this, the company has been polluting the soil and rivers that serve as a source of food
for the majority of the population of that district, however, since it has not had transparency
regarding the information given by the entities that watch over this dangerous evil, the
author, decided to make a questionnaire through the research work given by the professor,
where this was done by integrating the community and employees of the mine (machine
operators, ore processors, etc.).

In order to be successful with the questionnaire, the author contacted 15% of Vale
Moçambique employees and 45 people from different families living in the communities
surrounding the mining projects.

4. OBSERVATIONS
In order to better understand and analyze the effects of pyrite oxidation in vale moc, the
author did not limit herself to just making a questionnaire, she also resorted to field
observations that helped to consolidate what employees and the community would have
answered in the questionnaire made by the author.

The observations noted by the author in the field were:

 Management of acid mining drainage;

 Inadequate disposal of pyrite material by employees;
 Weak knowledge of the hazardous nature of the pyrite material on the part of the
employees;
 Poor qualification of employees.

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 5. DATA ANALYSIS, INTERPRETATION AND RESULTS

5.1.DATA ANALYSIS
In the environmental analysis work, elements such as topography, sources of contamination
and atmospheric precipitation must be considered, and sample collections must provide
representative data on the studied environment. For a better characterization of water and
soil quality, data must be collected under a variety of conditions over a long period of time.
Most of the time, the number of data that can be collected and analyzed is less than the
number of samples needed to characterize an environment. When the number of samples
needed is limited by time or cost, composite sampling is used, where equal amounts of
samples collected at different locations are combined and analyzed as a single sample.

The chemical and physical effects on rivers that supply water to communities in Moatize
can lead to irreparable damage to ecosystems, especially the subsurface environment.
Nevertheless, the impacts of DAM on groundwater have been less investigated. It is known,
however, that the infiltration of acidic effluents is possible and frequent, which drastically
changes the quality of groundwater in mining areas, often making them unfit for human
consumption (GALHARDI and BONOTTO, 2016).

Figure 2 - Main effects of DAM on the subsurface environment

Source: Gray (1997)

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Open pit mining can result in deep excavation of non-subsurface deposits and often the
creation of a pit that extends below the water table. Fiery waters are pumped out of the pit
to allow for an eventuality. Once activities and pumping are over, a pond can form, filling
the structure. What happens even at the water level and need at once, that the galleries do
not reach the frequent water level and, from time to time, the same number of occurrences
occurs for frequented water such as mineral extraction activities and pumping of the water.
Cargo containers and reservoirs can be transported to the graves, once and quality of the
subordinate elements. In the case of ponds they are imperfect; this problem is more
especially if the bases are not particularly waterproof.
The tailings figures in chemical bases in which they can be divided with degree of great
weathering (Figure 3) and made in the field. In the first few centimeters (<50 cm),
weathering is extremely active for most biogeochemical processes that take place on a large
scale at the water-rock-air interface. This horizon is followed by a chemical chemical zone.
In this layer, the tailings are not directly exposed to atmospheric water, but rather receive
the surface of the surface or floating floating level. The lower horizon remains saturated by
water for most of the year, maintaining a relative uniformity in physicochemical conditions.

The hydrogeochemistry of Acid Mining Drainage can be significantly influenced by

seasonal fluctuations. Redissolution and precipitation of evaporitic salts during periods of
drought and rain, dissolution of rocks and minerals, and long-term rainfall fluctuations can
control the variability of the DAM flow (KIM and KIM, 2004). Seasonal variations in
AMD pollution reveal a clear correlation between periods of drought and rain with
concentrations of metals in the effluents and waters with which they come into contact
(GALHARDI and BONOTTO, 2015). In this way, serious consequences of global climate
change can be expected on the effects of AMD on environments, which are difficult to
predict.

Figure 3 - Diagram illustrating the weathering of sulphide minerals, formation of AMD,

acidification of the medium, leaching of metals (M+) and their transport to groundwater.

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 Extremely oxidizing zone

Intermediate zone

Inactive zone

Leaching to ground water

Source : Paikaray (2015)

Only a few studies have analyzed the hydrochemical variations of groundwater in metal
sulphide mining areas (NORDSTROM et al., 2000). Most research on the effects of AMD
on groundwater has occurred in coal mining areas (JARVIS et al., 2006; YOUNGER, 2004;
GALHARDI and BONOTTO, 2015). In these areas, the longevity of the acidity in the
waters due to the dissolution of the sulfides present in the bodies of the underground
galleries can extend over hundreds or thousands of years.

5.2.INTERPRETATION AND RESULTS

The polluting aspect of water is due to the high acidity and high content of dissolved
metals, the result of oxidation reactions involving chemical and biological processes on
sulphide minerals. The effects of AMD on river and stream ecosystems are evidenced by
the increase in acidity, which reflects on the oxidation of ferric ions and the decrease in
dissolved oxygen, with the concomitant release of heavy metals to the environment.
According to Lagreca et al. (2002), the initial phase of this process is predominantly
chemical (pH > 4.5), and pyrite is chemically converted to ferrous sulfate and dissociated
into Fe+2 and SO_4^(-) ions. 2) as they form.

As cited in the literature by Kleinmann et al. (1981) apud Maia 2004, a pH value above
~4.5 favors a high content of sulfate and a low concentration of total iron, with little or no
acidity. The pH varying from 2.5 to 4.5 results in a high sulfate content, generation of
acidity, an increase in the concentration of total iron and a low ratio of Fe+3/Fe+2; when
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the pH is below ~2.5 there will be a high sulfate content, acidity generation, high total iron
content and a high Fe+3/Fe+2 ratio. Figure 4 shows the reactions of acidity production
processes that occur in the presence of pyrite in mine residues (Stumm and Morgan, 1981
apud Maia, 2004).

Figure 1 - Reactions of the acidity production process from Acid Drainage

Reaction in stagies I and II

pH in
microenvi
ronment
surroundi
ng the
minerals Reaction in stagy III
Delay time

Time

Source: (Stumm e Morgan, 1981 apud Maia ,2004)

We can exemplify the occurrence of acid drainage through water that penetrates the mining
waste piles or also through water flow through the walls of underground mines or surface
mines (Figure 5A). In some cases, as acidic waters are aerated, the places where they run
off become colored a reddish brown (Figure 5B). This is a result of the oxidation of Fe2+ to
Fe3+, which forms a precipitate of Fe(OH)3.

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Figure 5: A) Generation of acidic water due to water percolation in sulphide ore in an old
uranium mine in Caldas (MG); B) The walls of the rocks through which these acidic waters
flow become colored by a reddish brown characteristic of this phenomenon. (Photo:
Author,2022).

5.2.1. GEOCHEMICAL PRINCIPLES OF REACTIONS

The minerals pyrite and marcasite, both iron disulfides (FeS2), are the main generators of
acid drainage, are also the most abundant minerals and occur in a wide range of different
rock types. However, the oxidation of other iron sulfides such as pyrrhotite (FeS),
arsenopyrite (AsFeS) and chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) can also generate acidic solutions. It is
important to note that not all sulfide minerals undergo acid hydrolysis. Sulfides such as
galena (PbS), sphalerite (ZnS) and chalcocite (CuS) do not undergo acid oxidation, as the
equilibria illustrate (Mello; Dias; Correa, 2003):

The acidity generated in the sulfide oxidation reaction depends on the nature of the metal
and its ability to undergo hydrolysis, which is related to its ability to form weak bases.

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There are at least two proposals to explain the oxidation of pyrite, which is primarily
responsible for acid drainage in mining. The first considers that the process begins with the
oxidation of iron disulfide, described in Equation 4. Subsequently, Fe2+ is oxidized to Fe3+
(Equation 5) which, by hydrolysis, produces ferric hydroxide, with the protons released
make the medium acidic (Equation 6) (Singer; Stumm, 1970):

The iron oxidation step (Equation 5) is considered a limiting process, as it occurs slowly in
an abiotic medium. Under natural conditions, the half-life of Fe2+(aq) is on the order of
1000 days, that is, it takes this time for the amount of Fe2+ present in the medium to be
reduced by half by oxidation to Fe3+(aq). However, this step can be accelerated by the
action of bacteria, which are naturally present in aquatic environments and which develop
better in pH conditions between 2.8 and 3.2. Two species of bacteria involved in this
process were identified in DAM and named Acidithiobacilus thiooxidans, which oxidizes
sulfur, and Acidithiobacillus ferroxidans, capable of oxidizing iron.

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 6. RECOMMENDATIONS
Since acid drainage is an environmental problem related to the mineral extractive industry
in which sulphide minerals that are part of the composition of gold, zinc, copper, nickel and
uranium ores, among others, and mineral coal oxidize in contact with air and water and
produce acidity. The techniques for preventing and/or remediating the problem depend on
an adequate assessment of the potential and kinetics of acidity generation, however, the
author recommends to mining entities, in order to minimize the effects of oxidation of the
expert, the following:

 Geological, geochemical, mineralogical and microtextural characterization of

mineral deposits before mining activities commence;
 Know the kinetics of acid generation;
 Adoption of acid mine drainage control methods;

Consider the identification of users of water resources, the study of the characteristics of
natural waters and their effluents and tributaries, select quality parameters for the
characterization of the effects of DAM considering the geochemistry of each water system
and define quality criteria for water resources affected, considering the legal support of
each region, socio-economic, political and environmental impacts.

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 7. CONCLUSION

In coal mining, the huge amounts of tailings placed in the form of piles and dams near the
mined areas influence the quality of the soil. The pyrite oxidation process causes the
acceleration of the weathering of the clays that are present in overburden and mining
tailings, causing surface drainage to contain, in addition to contaminants characteristic of
mining tailings, a greater concentration in surface drainage metals.
The acidification generated interferes with the growth and development of vegetation due
to the disposal of heavy metals. Another parameter responsible for the reactions of pyrite
in soil is temperature, as it not only interferes with the activities of bacteria, such as
thiobacillus, but also influences the oxidation of pyrite through oxygen. A 10% increase in
temperature is sufficient to double the rate of this reaction.

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8. References
1. GALHARDI, J.A., BONOTTO, D.M. Geochemistry of Natural Radionuclides
Associated with Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) in a Coal Mining Area in Southern
Brazil. World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, v. 9, 2015. p.
504-511.
2. GALHARDI, J.A.; BONOTTO, D.M. Hydrogeochemical features of surface water
and groundwater contaminated with acid mine drainage (AMD) in coal mining
areas. Environmental Science and Pollution Research International, v. 23, 2016.
p.18911-18927.
3. GRAY, N.F. Environmental impact and remediation of acid mine drainage: a
management problem. Environmental Geology, v. 30, 1997.
4. JARVIS, A.P., MOUSTAFA, M., ORME, P.H.A., YOUNGER, P.L. Effective
remediation of grossly polluted acidic, and metal-rich, spoil heap drainage using a
novel, lowcost, permeable reactive barrier in Northumberland, UK. Environ.
Pollut., v. 143, 2006. p. 261–268.
5. KIM, J.J., KIM, S.J. Seasonal factors controlling mineral precipitation in the acid
mine drainage at Donghae coal mine, Korea. Sci. Total Environ., v. 325, 2004. p.
181–191.
6. KLEINMANN, R., CHERAR, P. e PACELLI, R., Biogeochemistry of Acid Mine
Drainage and a Method to Control Acid Formation, In:Mining Engineering, March,
1981.
7. LAGRECA, I.H.; CORTINA, J.L.; PABLO, J.; AYORA, C.; SAMPAIO, C.H.;
Experimental evaluation of magnesium oxide as a new barrier material for
prevention of acid mine drainage. In: Recycling and waste treatment in mineral and
metal processing: Technical and economic aspects, Lulea. V. 2, p. 53-62, 2002.
8. MAIA, A .D.; Avaliação da geração de drenagem ácida em um solo fabricado em
laboratório contendo sulfeto de ferro e matéria. p . Dissertação de Mestrado –
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro -UFRJ, 2004.
9. MELLO, J.W.V.; DIAS, L.E.; CORREA, M.L.T. Drenagem ácida: avaliação do
potencial de ocorrência, mitigação e revegetação de substratos sulfetados. In: CURI,
N.; MARQUES, J.J.; GUILHERME, L.R.G.; LIMA, J.M.; LOPES, A.S.;
ALVAREZ V.V.H. Tópicos em ciência do solo. Sociedade Brasileira de Ciência do
Solo. v. III, 2003. p. 401-430.

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10. NORDSTROM, D.K., ALPERS, C.H., PTACEK, C.J., BLOWES, D.W. Negative
pH and extremely acidic mine water from Iron Mountain, California. Environ. Sci.
Technol., v. 34, 2000. p. 254–258.
11. SINGER, P.E.; STUMM, W. Acid mine drainage: the rate determining step.
Science, v. 167, p. 1121-1123, 1970.
12. STUMM, W. e MORGAN, J.J., Aquatic Chemistry”, 2ª ed., Wiley – In:
Interscience, Nova York (EUA.),1981.
13. YOUNGER, P.L. Predicting temporal changes in total iron concentrations in
groundwater flowing from abandoned deep mines: a first approximation. J.
Contam. Hydrol. v. 44, n. 1, 2004. p. 47–69.

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 9. APPENDICES
9.1.Questionnaire for community nearby the mine.

Carefully read the statements and mark with (X) in the boxes bellow one or more points
for each number corresponding its contribution to assessment effects caused by oxidation
of pyrite in Vale Moçambique.

1. Who is more affected by oxidation of pyrite in Vale Moçambique?

a) The employees ( )

b) The community ( )

c) The environment ( )
2. What is the most affected layer/system by pyrite?
a) Rivers ( )

b) Soil ( )

c) Others ( )
3. Does the company aware of all this effects?
a) Yes ( )

b) Not ( )
4. The local government has made some interventions to minimize these emissions?
a) Yes ( )

b) Not ( )
5. Has the company been developing methods or techniques to reduce water and soil
pollution?

a) Yes ( )

b) Not ( )
6. What sorts of issues do the communities nearby facing due to pyrite?
a) Diseases ( )

b) Lack of drinking water ( )

c) Food ( )

d) Others ( )

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7. That type relationship exists between community and the company?

a) Good ( )

b) Reasonable ()

c) Bad ( )

9.2.Questionnaire to the employees

1. Does the company aware of all this effects?
a) Yes ( )
b) Not ( )
c) I do not know ( )
2. Has the company been developing methods or techniques to reduce water and soil
pollution?

a. Yes ( )

b. Not ( )
c. I am not aware ( )
3. Has the company been developing strategies for treatment of acid effluents?

a) Yes ( )

b) Not ( )

c) I am not aware ( )
4. Has the company been developing strategies for treatment of water?
a) Yes ()

b) No ( )

c) I am not aware ( )
5. Based on your point of view, who do you think must take all burden when water
and soil are polluted by pyrite?
a) The company ( )
b) The Government ( )
c) The empoyees ( )
6. What have you done as any employee of this company in order to minimize these

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 effects?
a) Nothing because it is company responsibility ( )
b) Nothing because it is Government responsibility ( )
c) I have been adopting some techniques ( )
d) Nothing at all ( )

Answers by the community

Questions Options Responders

1 The employees 5

The community 120

The environment 80

2 Rivers 100
Soil 105

Others 0

Yes
3 190

Not 15

4 Yes 70

No 135

5 Yes 190

No 15
Diseases
6 120

Lack of drinking water 75

Food 10

Others 0

7 Good 85

Reasonable 90

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 Bad 30

Answers by the workers.

Question Option Responders Percentage

(%)
1 Yes 250 8.33
Not 0 0
I do not know 50 1.66
2 250 8.33
Yes
0 0
Not
50 1.66
I am not aware

3 250 8.33
Yes
0 0
Not
50 1.66
I am not aware

4 250 8.33
Yes
0 0
Not
50 1.66
I am not aware
5 The company 152 5.06
The Government 98 3.26
The empoyees 50 1.66
6 Nothing because it is company responsibility 50 1.66
Nothing because it is Government 50 1.66
responsibility
I have been adopting some techniques 50 1.66

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Nothing at all 150 5

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INDEX
1. STUDY...................................................................................................................... 2

2. DATA COLLECTION .............................................................................................. 2

3. QUESTIONNAIRE ................................................................................................... 3

4. OBSERVATIONS .................................................................................................... 3

5. DATA ANALYSIS, INTERPRETATION AND RESULTS ................................... 4

5.1. DATA ANALYSIS ............................................................................................... 4

5.2. INTERPRETATION AND RESULTS ................................................................. 6

5.2.1. GEOCHEMICAL PRINCIPLES OF REACTIONS ......................................... 8

6. RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................................ 10

7. CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................... 11

9. APPENDICES ......................................................................................................... 14