Article
Environmental Sciences
Jianxing Sun, Wenbo Zhou, Lijuan Zhang, Haina Cheng, Yuguang Wang, Ruichang Tang, Hongbo Zhou
Summary: The recovery of precious metals from solid waste through bioleaching has become a research hotspot, with bioleaching showing higher efficiency in copper extraction compared to chemical leaching. Utilizing mixed consortium bioleaching can reduce environmental pollution and use metal resources more efficiently.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Mamert Mbonimpa, Elysee Tshibangu Ngabu, Tikou Belem, Ousseynou Kanteye, Abdelkabir Maqsoud
Summary: Studies have shown the potential of using mixtures of silty soil and sludge for mine site reclamation covers. However, the high water content of sludge can affect the required properties of the soil-sludge mixtures. This paper presents a method to determine the optimum wet sludge content for obtaining the maximum dry density of compacted mixtures, and the results suggest the suitability of these mixtures for moisture retention and low hydraulic conductivity layers in mine site reclamation covers.
Article
Nuclear Science & Technology
Yulim Lee, Hyeongjin Byeon, Jaeyeong Park
Summary: The study aimed to explore the leaching behaviors of cementitious waste with Pb, Cd, and Sb in an environment simulating a silo-type radioactive waste repository. The results showed that lead and antimony exhibited high leaching levels in the modified leaching solutions, while cadmium had minimal leaching behavior.
NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yongtae Ahn, Dong-Wan Cho, Waleed Ahmad, Jungman Jo, Jongsoo Jurng, Mayur B. Kurade, Byong-Hun Jeon, Jaeyoung Choi
Summary: A novel metal-biochar composite (Biochar/AMDS) was fabricated using spent coffee waste (SCW)/acid mine drainage sludge (AMDS) through co-pyrolysis, with high porous structure, carbonaceous layers, and heterogeneous Fe phases. The adsorptive removal of formaldehyde by Biochar/AMDS was significantly higher than metal-free biochar, and changing the ratio of AMDS improved the adsorption capacity for formaldehyde. Furthermore, thermal treatment at 100 degrees C effectively restored the exhausted adsorptive function of the used adsorbent.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Ricardo Millan-Becerro, Carlos R. Canovas, Francisco Macias, Tobias S. Roetting, Louise Siddorn, Peter Stanley, Jose Miguel Nieto
Summary: This study evaluates the effectiveness of dispersed alkaline substrate (DAS) technology in treating highly acidic and contaminated leachates from sulfide-rich mining wastes under wet temperate oceanic climate conditions. The results show that the use of multistep columns filled with alkaline reagents can effectively remove various metals and metalloids from the leachates, although the removal of SO4 is not significant. Precipitation of certain phases may have played a key role in controlling the solubility of pollutants during the treatment process.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Hajer Makni, Mohamed Khlif, Frederic Becquart, Nor-Edine Abriak, Chedly Bradai
Summary: This study evaluated the environmental risks associated with incorporating deinking paper sludge into clay bricks, with heavy metals immobilized in ceramic structures showing a potential to reduce environmental impact of waste.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Amira Merchichi, Malek Ould Hamou, Mohamed Edahbi, Ema Bobocioiu, Carmen M. Neculita, Mostafa Benzaazoua
Summary: The study investigated the passive treatment of acid mine drainage (AMD) using phosphate mining residuals from the Djebel Onk mine in Algeria. Results showed that the phosphatic materials efficiently neutralized AMD and removed metals through sorption and precipitation mechanisms. Phosphatic limestone wastes exhibited the highest acid neutralization potential among the lithologies tested.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Lin Chang, Yongchun Zhao, Yi Zhang, Xuehai Yu, Zenghua Li, Bengen Gong, Huan Liu, Shuzhou Wei, Hao Wu, Junying Zhang
Summary: This study investigated the occurrence, partitioning, and leaching risks of mercury in WFGD sludge. The results showed that residual mercury in the sludge was mainly related to HgS, with a potentially high leaching risk.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Gayatri Panthi, Jaeyoung Choi, Seung-Woo Jeong
Summary: This study compared different stabilization techniques in the field for contaminated soil with arsenic. Adding stabilizers to the soil reduced As leaching by 54-81%, with the order of stabilization efficiency being steel slag < AMDS < cement < CMDS. Monitoring of stabilized soil groundwater is recommended for the initial five years due to potential leaching of soluble ionic species.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Sasan Shaygan, Amir Izadi, Mahdi Zalnezhad
Summary: The study found that replacing Natural Aggregate Filler (NAF) with Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag Powder (GBSP) in microsurfacing can improve the mixture's performance, especially those with 10% GBSP. The moisture damage resistance of all mixtures containing GBSP met the standard requirements. Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) and Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure (SPLP) tests showed that mixtures with GBSP were environmentally friendly.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yihan Chi, Qinru Lin, Rongchuan Zhuang, Mingyu Xiong, Zhihong Ye
Summary: In this study, the potential of acid mine drainage sludge (AMDS) as a topsoil substitute for mine waste reclamation was evaluated through a pot experiment. Results showed that AMDS can support plant growth and ensure environmental safety, with fertilizers significantly increasing plant biomass and Bermuda grass being a suitable pioneer species for reclamation.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Dylan Proudfoot, Loran Brooks, Christopher H. Gammons, Edwin Barth, Diana Bless, Raja M. Nagisetty, Ellen G. Lauchnor
Summary: This study explores the feasibility of promoting MICP in mine waste piles to reduce metal and acid leaching by using an environmental bacterial enrichment. Results suggest that MICP technology has the potential to coat mine waste and reduce the release of acid and some metals.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yunjian Chen, Senlin Tian, Jiangli Fu, Yichao Lin, Jianhong Huang, Shan Chen, Xuewei Hu
Summary: This study introduced the research results of using tin tailings to make the covering layer for tailings pond, demonstrating that when tailings waste proportions reached 70%, the immobilization efficiency of heavy metals exceeded 99.45% and the pH of leaching solution was around 10.8. Additionally, the positive impact of solid waste addition on the oxidation barrier was also confirmed. Overall, the hard layer as a post-mining restorative strategy shows strong positive influence on pollution control.
BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Mohamed-Ali El Kilani, Marouen Jouini, Tsiverihasina V. Rakotonimaro, Carmen Mihaela Neculita, John W. Molson, Benoit Courcelles, Guy Dufour
Summary: The study evaluated the efficiency of passive bioreactors in treating mine drainage in northern climates, concluding that the reactors failed to meet environmental criteria and did not provide favorable conditions for the growth of sulfate reducing bacteria.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
E. Alvarez-Ayuso, A. Murciego
Summary: The study characterized the leaching behavior of antimony (Sb) from mine waste rocks and mine tailings. Two industrial by-products, deferrisation sludge (DFS) and a by-product derived from aluminum salt slags (BP-Al), were evaluated as amendments to stabilize the mine wastes. The effectiveness of DFS in immobilizing Sb was found to be higher than that of BP-Al. The addition of DFS reduced the leachable Sb content of the mine waste rocks and mine tailings below the limit for non-hazardous waste landfill acceptance.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Asif Qureshi, Bruno Bussiere, Mostafa Benzaazoua, Fannie Lessard, Vincent Boulanger-Martel
Summary: The study focuses on the use of desulphurized tailings as a moisture-retaining layer in an insulation cover, resulting in reduced sulphide content and lower metal leaching. This approach shows promise in preventing acid mine drainage and mitigating the environmental impact of mining activities.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Louise Darricau, Abdellatif Elghali, Patrick Martel, Mostafa Benzaazoua
Summary: The study assessed the mineralogical and geochemical properties of sediments in Osisko urban lake, Quebec, Canada, and investigated the pollution in lake water due to sediment reactivity. sediment. The results showed that the sediments in Osisko lake pose a risk of water contamination if disturbed, and may require stabilization before disposal.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Review
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Abdelmoujib Bahhou, Yassine Taha, Yassine El Khessaimi, Rachid Hakkou, Arezki Tagnit-Hamou, Mostafa Benzaazoua
Summary: This review discusses the importance of using calcined marl as supplementary cementitious material in developing eco-friendly cement. It focuses on the properties of calcined marl, activation methods, influencing parameters, hydration, and microstructure to determine the optimal physical and chemical parameters for generating highly reactive marl.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Pascal Marcotte, Carmen M. Neculita, Vincent Cloutier, Genevieve Bordeleau, Eric Rosa
Summary: The contamination of mine water by nitrogen-based compounds is a challenge for the mining industry, with explosive residues and cyanide derivatives being the main sources of nitrogen in this study. The management of nitrogen, especially ammoniacal nitrogen, is crucial for mining operations. Using hydrogeochemical mass balances and isotopic approaches, the study found that dewatering of underground workings is a significant source of nitrogen in the final effluent, with nitrification and denitrification identified as key mechanisms for nitrogen transformation onsite. The proposed approach for optimizing water management at mine sites shows great potential for application in the industry.
APPLIED GEOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Bisse Poaty, Benoit Plante, Bruno Bussiere, Mostafa Benzaazoua
Summary: A new approach using inclined compacted benches for constructing waste rock piles was developed to control water infiltration and minimize contamination. The experimental waste rock pile and laboratory infiltration tests showed that rainfall rate and the design of the flow control layer significantly impact the diversion of water and water quality.
APPLIED GEOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yaneth Vasquez, Carmen M. Neculita, Gerardo Caicedo, Jairo Cubillos, Jair Franco, Mario Vasquez, Angie Hernandez, Fabio Roldan
Summary: This study evaluated the performance of a passive multi-unit field-pilot for treating acid mine drainage (AMD) from a coal mine in Colombia. The results showed that the passive multi-unit field-pilot achieved significant removal of sulfates, iron, manganese, and zinc from the AMD. Additionally, it was found that the post-treatment solids could generate acidic leachates containing high concentrations of iron and manganese under certain conditions.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mouna Ettoumi, Marouen Jouini, Carmen Mihaela Neculita, Salah Bouhlel, Lucie Coudert, Mostafa Benzaazoua
Summary: Phosphate beneficiation in Tunisia generates large amounts of sludge, but efficient water recovery methods using flocculants have been explored in this study. The physical and chemical properties of the phosphate sludge were characterized, and the impact of different flocculants on water recovery was investigated. The results showed that using Flomin 905 as a flocculant could significantly improve water recovery while reducing flocculant consumption.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Tomasz Suponik, Dawid M. Franke, Carmen M. Neculita, Tadeusz Mzyk, Robert Fraczek
Summary: This study presents a potential treatment method for contaminated groundwater from a waste heap in southern Poland. The method involves continuous monitoring of pH and electrical conductivity, followed by modeling the flow and migration of pollutants in groundwater. The study then proposes groundwater treatment through injection of nano zerovalent iron (nZVI), targeting the high concentrations and toxicity of Zn(II). The use of online monitoring for mining waste heaps and the introduction of electrical conductivity in the contaminant migration model aids in determining the locations for nZVI injection.
Review
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Marouen Jouini, Alexandre Royer-Lavallee, Thomas Pabst, Eunhyea Chung, Rina Kim, Young-Wook Cheong, Carmen Mihaela Neculita
Summary: This study compares and evaluates the environmental and social impacts of primary and secondary sources of rare earth elements (REEs) production. The results show that production from secondary sources has lower environmental impact. Important impact categories related to particulate matter formation, abiotic resource depletion, and fossil fuel depletion could be mitigated by avoiding tailings disposal. Therefore, increasing the recycling of secondary REE sources is encouraged to balance demand and resource exploitation.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Mustapha Amrani, Yassine Taha, Azzouz Kchikach, Mostafa Benzaazoua, Rachid Hakkou
Summary: This paper explores the potential utilization of phosphate screening waste rock (SWR) as alternative aggregates for pavement applications. The findings show that SWR materials can be successfully used in low-volume traffic pavement projects and the residual phosphate can be recovered using the current mining company's processing method. Furthermore, the environmental investigations demonstrate that SWR does not pose any contamination risk to the surrounding environment. The economic feasibility analysis confirms the viability of SWR reuse.
Review
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Pauline Segui, Amine el Mahdi Safhi, Mustapha Amrani, Mostafa Benzaazoua
Summary: The mining industry faces significant environmental issues due to the management of large volumes of tailings, sludge, and residues. Research is being conducted to explore the utilization of these wastes as alternative aggregates for construction, which can conserve natural resources and reduce the environmental impacts of mining.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Abdessamad Khalil, Yassine Taha, Mostafa Benzaazoua, Rachid Hakkou
Summary: This study aims to develop an applied methodological approach to assess and quantify the impact of coal mining on surrounding soils, in order to protect the health of the population living near coal mines. Geochemical indexes and geostatistical interpolation techniques were used to evaluate soil contamination. A case study conducted on an abandoned coal mine in Morocco revealed the effectiveness of this approach in identifying anomalous areas and sources of contamination.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sebastien Ryskie, Etienne Belanger, Carmen M. Neculita, Patrice Couture, Eric Rosa
Summary: The efficiency of ozone microbubbles combined with lime precipitation on contaminant removal and its impact on toxicity for Daphnia magna were evaluated in this study. Results showed that ozone treatment had high removal efficiency for NH3-N, but abnormal toxicity issues were observed without metals pre-treatment.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Safa Chlahbi, Tikou Belem, Abdellatif Elghali, Samia Rochdane, Essaid Zerouali, Omar Inabi, Mostafa Benzaazoua
Summary: This paper presents a case study of the Benguerir mine site in Morocco, investigating the potential valorization of waste rock based on its geological and geomechanical properties. The results indicate that the waste rock can be considered as an excellent alternative secondary raw material for civil engineering, ceramics, and cement industries.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Hamza Zine, Rachid Hakkou, Abdelhak Elmansour, Sara Elgadi, Ahmed Ouhammou, Mostafa Benzaazoua
Summary: Mining activities have significant impacts on the environment, particularly in terms of the destruction of natural habitats and biodiversity loss. Studying the flora that thrives in mining sites can facilitate successful reclamation efforts. The study in four phosphate mine sites in Morocco found 215 vascular plant species, with the highest diversity observed in Ben Guerir mine. The findings highlight the importance of indigenous plant species and ecological restoration plans.
BIODIVERSITY DATA JOURNAL
(2023)