The Impact of Physical Properties on the Leaching of Potentially Toxic Elements from Antimony Ore Processing Wastes

This study reports on the assessment of the impact of antimony mine wastes from Xikuangshan (XKS) Antimony Mine in Lengshuijiang City, Hunan Province. We focus on the leaching of a number of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) from residues from the processing of antimony ore. The PTE content of ore processing waste and solutions generated by leaching experiments were determined for a suite of PTEs associated with the ore mineralization. These were Sb, As, Hg, Pb, Cd and Zn. As anticipated, high concentrations of the PTEs were identified in the waste materials, far exceeding the standard background values for soil in Hunan Province. For Sb and As, values reached >1800 mg·kg−1 and >1200 mg·kg−1, respectively (>600 and >90 times higher than the soil background). The leaching of Sb, As, Hg, Pb, Cd and Zn decreased with an increase in grain size and leachable portions of metal ranged between 0.01% to 1.56% of total PTE content. Leaching tests identified the release of PTEs through three stages: a. alkaline mineral dissolution and H+ exchanging with base cation; b. oxidation and acid production from pyrite and other reducing minerals; and c. the adsorption and precipitation of PTEs.

[1]  C. Mulligan,et al.  An eco-friendly method for heavy metal removal from mine tailings , 2018, Environmental Science and Pollution Research.

[2]  Yalin Zhou,et al.  Sb release characteristics of the solid waste produced in antimony mining smelting process , 2018 .

[3]  A. Hursthouse,et al.  The potential for the treatment of Antimony-containing Wastewater by Iron-based Adsorbents , 2017 .

[4]  M. He,et al.  The leaching characteristics and changes in the leached layer of antimony-bearing ores from China , 2017 .

[5]  Peng Zhang,et al.  Release law of Sb, As, and Hg in antimony smelting slag under simulated acid rain , 2017 .

[6]  G. Zeng,et al.  Spatial distribution and transport characteristics of heavy metals around an antimony mine area in central China. , 2017, Chemosphere.

[7]  Jianwei Zhou,et al.  Mine waste acidic potential and distribution of antimony and arsenic in waters of the Xikuangshan mine, China , 2017 .

[8]  G. Demopoulos,et al.  Antimony in the metallurgical industry: A review of its chemistry and environmental stabilization options , 2016 .

[9]  Song Tang,et al.  Correlating microbial community profiles with geochemical conditions in a watershed heavily contaminated by an antimony tailing pond. , 2016, Environmental pollution.

[10]  W. Meng,et al.  Comparison of arsenic and antimony biogeochemical behavior in water, soil and tailings from Xikuangshan, China. , 2016, The Science of the total environment.

[11]  M. He,et al.  Photopromoted oxidative dissolution of stibnite , 2015 .

[12]  Bozhi Ren,et al.  Bioaccumulation of Antimony and Arsenic in Vegetables and Health Risk Assessment in the Superlarge Antimony-Mining Area, China , 2015, Journal of analytical methods in chemistry.

[13]  J. Hower,et al.  Geochemistry and nano-mineralogy of feed coals, mine overburden, and coal-derived fly ashes from Assam (North-east India): a multi-faceted analytical approach , 2015 .

[14]  W. Chu,et al.  Speciation of antimony and arsenic in the soils and plants in an old antimony mine , 2015 .

[15]  M. He,et al.  Kinetics and mechanism of photopromoted oxidative dissolution of antimony trioxide. , 2014, Environmental science & technology.

[16]  Hailin Yang,et al.  Antimony smelting process generating solid wastes and dust: characterization and leaching behaviors. , 2014, Journal of Environmental Science.

[17]  Lin Ha.  The heavy mental leaching rules and influence mechanism of different particle size of tin mining waste rock , 2014 .

[18]  G. McTainsh,et al.  Trace elements and metal pollution in aerosols at an alpine site, New Zealand: Sources, concentrations and implications , 2014 .

[19]  N. Wilson,et al.  Sulfur redox chemistry governs diurnal antimony and arsenic cycles at Champagne Pool, Waiotapu, New Zealand , 2013 .

[20]  M. Biver,et al.  Stibiconite (Sb3O6OH), senarmontite (Sb2O3) and valentinite (Sb2O3): Dissolution rates at pH 2–11 and isoelectric points , 2013 .

[21]  L. Chai,et al.  Static and Dynamic Leaching of Chromium(VI) from Chromium-Containing Slag , 2012 .

[22]  Fengchang Wu,et al.  Antimony pollution in China. , 2012, The Science of the total environment.

[23]  Z. Ženišová,et al.  Arsenic and antimony contamination of waters, stream sediments and soils in the vicinity of abandoned antimony mines in the Western Carpathians, Slovakia , 2012 .

[24]  M. Biver,et al.  Stibnite (Sb2S3) oxidative dissolution kinetics from pH 1 to 11 , 2012 .

[25]  Ming Lei,et al.  Distribution, speciation and availability of antimony (Sb) in soils and terrestrial plants from an active Sb mining area. , 2011, Environmental pollution.

[26]  Sudipta Rakshit,et al.  Antimony sorption at gibbsite-water interface. , 2011, Chemosphere.

[27]  M. He,et al.  Heavy metal pollution of the world largest antimony mine-affected agricultural soils in Hunan province (China) , 2010 .

[28]  P. Williams,et al.  Antimony in the environment: knowns and unknowns , 2009 .

[29]  Montserrat Filella,et al.  Antimony in the environment: A review focused on natural waters. III. Microbiota relevant interactions , 2007 .

[30]  Montserrat Filella,et al.  Antimony in the environment: a review focused on natural waters: I. Occurrence , 2002 .

[31]  R. Debus,et al.  Mobility of antimony in soil and its availability to plants. , 2000, Chemosphere.

[32]  Peter G. C. Campbell,et al.  Particulate trace metal speciation in stream sediments and relationships with grain size: Implications for geochemical exploration , 1982 .

[33]  J. Morris,et al.  Kinetics of oxidation of aqueous sulfide by oxygen , 1972 .