Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure

Korean Society of Ecology and Infrastructure Engineering (응용생태공학회)
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Application of Galvanic Oxidation and Pyrite Dissolution for Sustainable In-Situ Mine Tailings Treatment

갈바닉 산화와 황철석 용해를 이용한 친환경 원위치 광미 무해화 기술

  • Ju, Won Jung (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Seoul National University) ;
  • Jho, Eun Hea (Department of Environmental Science, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies) ;
  • Nam, Kyoungphile (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Seoul National University)
  • 주원정 (서울대학교 건설환경공학부) ;
  • 조은혜 (한국외국어대학교 환경학과) ;
  • 남경필 (서울대학교 건설환경공학부)
  • Received : 2016.10.31
  • Accepted : 2016.12.20
  • Published : 2016.12.31
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Abstract

Mine tailings generated during mining activity often contain high concentrations of heavy metals, with pyrite-containing mine tailings in particular being a major cause of environmental problems in mining areas. Chemical cell technology, or fuel cell technology, can be applied to leach heavy metals in pyrite-containing mine tailings. As pyrite dissolves through spontaneous oxidation (i.e. galvanic oxidation) in the anode compartment of the cell, $Fe^{3+}$, sulfuric acid are generated. A decrease in pH due to the generation of sulfuric acid allows heavy metals to be leached from pyrite-containing mine tailings. In this study, pyrite was dissolved for 4 weeks at $23^{\circ}C$ in an acidic solution (pH 2) and in a galvanic reactor, which induces galvanic oxidation, and total Fe leached from pyrite and pH were compared in order to investigate if galvanic oxidation can facilitate pyrite oxidation. The change in the pyrite surface was analyzed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Comparing the total Fe leached from the pyrite, there were 2.9 times more dissolution of pyrite in the galvanic reactor than in the acidic solution, and thus pH was lower in the galvanic reactor than in the acidic solution. Through SEM analysis of the pyrite that reacted in the galvanic reactor, linear-shaped cracks were observed on the surface of the pyrite. The study results show that pyrite dissolution was facilitated through the galvanic oxidation in the galvanic reactor, and also implied that the galvanic oxidation can be one remediation option for pyrite-containing mine tailings.

선광 및 제련과 같은 광산활동 과정에 발생하는 광미는 고농도의 중금속을 함유하고 있고, 그 중 황철석을 함유한 광미는 광산주변 수계 및 토양 오염의 주요 원인이다. 이러한 황철석을 함유한 광미의 무해화를 위해 화학전지 (연료전지)의 개념을 활용할 수 있다. 화학전지에서 황철석의 자발적인 산화, 즉, 갈바닉 산화를 통해 황철석이 용해되면서 $Fe^{3+}$와 황산이 생성되어 pH가 감소하게 된다. 이는 황철석 함유 광미 내 중금속의 용출 촉진 효과를 가져올 수 있다. 본 연구에서는 $23^{\circ}C$ 조건에서 4주 간 산성용액과 갈바닉 반응기를 이용해 황철석을 처리하며 총 용존 철 농도와 용액의 pH를 확인하였다. 또한 주사전자현미경을 이용해 처리 후 황철석 표면을 관찰하였다. 갈바닉 반응기를 이용한 황철석의 용해가 산성용액을 이용한 황철석의 용해에 비해 약 2.9배 높은 총 철을 용출시킨 것을 확인하였고, pH 저감 효과도 더 큰 것을 확인하였다. 또한 표면 분석 결과 갈바닉 반응기 내에서 반응한 황철석의 표면에서 더 많은 홈을 발견되었다. 본 연구를 통해 갈바닉 산화에 의해 황철석의 용해가 촉진된 것을 확인하였으며, 갈바닉 산화가 황철석 함유 광미의 무해화 기술로 사용될 수 있는 가능성을 확인하였다.

Keywords

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