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TAILINGS AND WASTE ROCK CHARACTERIZATION, ORURO, BOLIVIA

The mountains around Oruro, Bolivia has been mined for silver and tin resulting in many tailings and waste rock piles.  These piles contain sulfides generating Acid Rock Drainage.  SARB has been working on characterizing mineralogically and geochemically the piles in order to assist the Bolivian Government in developing reclamation plans.

TAILINGS Characterization, Tyrone Mine, New Mexico

The tailings piles at Phelps Dodge Tyrone mine has been mineralogically and geochemically characterized by SARB.  The work included hand auger drilling to three meters depth and hollow stem auguring to the bottom of the tailings piles.  Samples were collected for ABA, whole rock geochemical analysis, sequential extraction analysis, SARB used the data together with hydrology data to evaluate oxidation front movement and predicting metal mobility and mineralogical changes through reactive transport modeling.

Waste Rock Characterization, Tyrone Mine, New Mexico

SARB has been assisting Phelps Dodge Tyrone Mine in mineralogically and geochemically characterizing waste rock piles at the mine.  This characterization include: sampling from drill holes; mineralogical and chemical analysis; long term kinetic tests; geochemical modeling; and weathering evaluation; long term prediction evaluation; and groundwater impact evaluation.  The investigations were performed in order to develop closure plans as a response to New Mexico mining regulations.

SUNBANK MINE DUMPS, COLORADO

The project consisted of both a chemical and mineralogical characterization and a surface water pollution risk assessment of eight mine dumps at an elevation of approximately 12,000 feet. The mine dumps were produced at the beginning of this century from exploration shafts in quartz-sulfide vein deposits. The main emphasis of this investigation is to examine the mineralogical and chemical makeup of the dump material. The potential for leaching heavy metals from the dumps is considerable. A large part of the project is, therefore, focused on the reclamation and remediation design of the site.

HANOVER TAILINGS, NEW MEXICO

The site was chemically and mineralogically characterized with a survey of the distribution of the tailing materials transported by Aeolian and alluvial forces. Understanding the nature of oxidizing minerals, the potential effect of heavy metal contamination from the tailing materials on the soil and groundwater was predicted. In this study, the sorption of metals on secondary formed minerals, the neutralizing capacity and acid generation potential of the tailing materials, and the heavy metal mobility in the tailing impoundment, were determined. In addition, stream sediments and tailing materials were collected for chemical characterization emphasizing on surface water contamination.
 

BULLFROG TAILINGS, NEW MEXICO

The mine dumps were produced at the beginning of this century from exploration shafts in quartz-sulfide vein deposits. The emphasis of this investigation was to determine the metal mobility in and around the dumps by examining their mineralogical and chemical makeup. Potential for leaching of heavy metals from the dumps was evaluated. A large part of this project focused on site reclamation and remediation design.
 

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Last modified: 05/04/04