Geoenvironmental characterization of orebody variability for application of environmental desulfurization for acid mine drainage risk prevention

Environmental desulfurization was investigated as a potential tailings management method in the development of a new orebody. The operators expected variability in the geochemical and mineralogical properties of the minerals within the orebody, therefore a study based on geometallurgy principles was adapted for environmental risk prevention purposes. The objective was to evaluate the variability in the performance of environmental desulfurization by bulk sulphide flotation to produce non-acid generating tailings. The study was performed on 18 drill core samples collected from different zones of the orebody. Physical, chemical, environmental and mineralogical characterizations were done on these 18 ore samples, which were then fed to the desulfurization process. Desulfurization by froth flotation yielded a sulphide concentrate and desulfurized tailings. Similar characterization was performed on these products. The desulfurized tailings were then separated into three groups according to their acid generation potential computed from acid base accounting. Kinetic column tests were performed on six samples, two potentially acid generating, two non-acid generating, and two uncertain, and led to a better classification in acid generation potential, with only one sample confirmed acid generating. The study demonstrated that a detailed characterization of different zones of an orebody is important to identify variability in geochemical and mineralogical properties and their effect on the performance of environmental desulfurization for acid mine drainage prevention.