Mechanical Properties and Toxicity Risks of Lead-Zinc Sulfide Tailing-Based Construction Materials

The leaching residue of the lead–zinc sulfide tailing (LRT) is the only residue generated from the tailing leaching recovery process; it is a typical hazardous material for its high heavy-metal contents and high acidity. Due to the large output of LRT, and because its main components are Ca, Si, and Al, the preparation of building construction materials with LRT was studied. The results showed that when the LRT addition is less than 47%, with the ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and fly ash (FA) added and the curing conditions appropriate, the strength values of the tested specimens meet the M15 Class of the autoclaved lime sand brick standard (GB/T 16753-1997). The carbonization coefficient and drying shrinkage of the specimen were 0.79 and smaller than 0.42, respectively. As the SEM, TG, and XRD analysis have shown, the LRT can chemically react with additives to form stable minerals. The heavy metal contents that were leached out well met the limits in GB5085.3-2007. Based on the high addition of the LRT, the good strength and lower heavy metals were leached out of the prepared test specimen, and the tailing could be reused completely with the leaching recovery and the LRT reuse process. LRT can be used to replace OPC, allowing more sustainable concrete production and improved ecological properties of LRT.

Estimation of the Tin-Sulfide Tailing Effect on Hydrosphere with Physicochemical Modeling (Komsomolsk Area)

Modeling carried out by the authors made it possible to show the system parameters, to study the process of the hypergene mineral crystallization from solutions, to take a look at their qualitative and quantitative ion composition, to show the hypergenesis role in the pollution of the surface and ground waters of the district, and to estimate it.

Weathering studies of Bougainville mine tailings in lysimeters

Lysimeter studies indicated that under wet tropical conditions, there was significant sulfur depletion in the upper strata of low sulfide tailing deposits within three years of exposure. The rate of acidification was influenced by drainage and aeration, and pH fell logarithmically with time. Copper mobilized by acidification was redeposited within the profile where the pH remained in excess of 7.