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EFFECT OF PH AND REDOX CONDITIONS ON DESTABILIZATION OF MINING WASTES CONTAINING MERCURY
Citation:
Randall*, P M. AND S. Chattopadhyay. EFFECT OF PH AND REDOX CONDITIONS ON DESTABILIZATION OF MINING WASTES CONTAINING MERCURY. Presented at EPA's Hard Rock Mining 2002, Westminister, CO, 5/7-9/2002.
Description:
Clear Lake in Northern California has received inputs of mercury mining wastes from the Sulfur Bank Mercury Mine. About 1.2M tons of Hg-contaminated overburden and mine tailings were distributed over a 50-ha surface area due to mining operations from 1865-1957. The SBMM ws placed on the Final Natonal Priorities List (NPL) in 1990. The site has been under investigation as a Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) site and has experienced some minor corrective actions. Clear Lake remains under a fish advisory due to the mercury contamination. Mercury in contaminated soils is a unique pollutant that requires innovative remediation solutions. To support this work, leaching profiles of waste ore, primarily waste rock and roaster tailings, over a range of different pH and oxidation-reduction (Eh) conditions were performed. Each experiment was designed to evaluate leachability of Hg from the waste materials under controlled conditions that may contribute to the destabilization of the waste rock.