What we leave behind; The alternative and stabilizing treatment for abandoned waste.

 By. Carolina Perez

The image shows both abandoned mine tailings sites, an analysis of anaerobic sludge acclimation for sulfate reduction, and the set up for biological treatment of these mine tailings. Figure taken from E. I. Valenzuela et al. 2020.

 

The mining industry can provide many metal compounds used for financing, technology, and many more consumer products. Although, mining underground can cause waste of rocks, residue from the overall mining production and tailings. This type of waste can lead to potential hazards based on the environmental atmosphere, the number of deadly particles exposed, and the timing for which the mine was created. Tailings are most concerning as they contain a high concentration of metals and soluble salts. The alternative processes of sulfate reducing factors were examined as a possible treatment for stabilizing hazardous metal elements. This study included two samples from two different abandoned mine tailings of known activity within Sonora, Mexico. With several treatments the mine tailings were utilized as a solid phase that supplies sulfate in support of sulfate reducing activities, which stabilizes harmful components by the precipitation of metallic sulfide. The end results initiated the toxic metals concerning the environment can relocate from an aqueous phase to a residual phase. Restricting the release of these metals in natural solution and depleting their impact on the environment. It was concluded that sulfate reducing processes can be an effective stabilizer toward collateral pollution caused by residue waste in abandoned mines. If these exposed metals were to be left abandoned and unchecked without treatment, the most at risk will be environmental ecosystems and human health.

 

Original article

Valenzuela, E. I., García-Figueroa, A. C., Amábilis-Sosa, L. E., Molina-Freaner, F. E., & Pat-Espadas, A. M. (2020). Stabilization of potentially toxic elements contained in mine waste: A microbiological approach for the environmental management of mine tailings. Journal of Environmental Management, 270, 110873. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110873

 

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