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LEACHING OF METALS FROM MINERAL PROCESSING WASTE
Citation:
AlAbed, S. R., P. L. Bishop, AND P. Gong. LEACHING OF METALS FROM MINERAL PROCESSING WASTE. Presented at American Chemical Society, Chicago, IL, August 26 - 30, 2001.
Impact/Purpose:
to inform the public
Description:
The purpose of this project is to test the leaching of Mineral Processing Waste (MPW) contaminated with heavy metals using scientifically defendable leaching tests other than TCLP. Past experience and literature have shown that TCLP underestimates the levels of metals such as oxoanion-forming elements [antimony (Sb), arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), molybdenum (Mo), selenium (Se), and vanadium (V)]. Several sites have been selected for sampling. The sites are high in arsenic (average = 183 mg/kg, max. - 440 mg/kg) and moderately high in chromium (ave. - 29 mg/kg, max. - 50 mg/kg) and vanadium (ave. - 38 mg/kg, max. - 76 mg/kg). TCLP samples and waste digested samples were analyzed for Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mo, Se, V, As, and Zn, using ICP-AES. The results indicate that the amount of metals leaching from the MPW during the TCLP test varies from none to as much as 13%. Results from other leaching tests on the MPW samples will be compared with the TCLP results. The results emphasize the need for better standardize techniques to identify MPW that have the potential to contaminate groundwater.