Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, March, 2004. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references (p. 89-93)

M. Tech. / Gold (Au) mining in South Africa resulted in vast volumes of hazardous waste being generated. Poor management of most of the tailings dams has resulted in the release of acid mine drainage, which caused stream water and soil contamination with their run-offs. The consequence of mine closure has not only been observed in large-scale land degradation, but also in widespread pollution of surface water and groundwater in the Wonderfonteinspruit Catchment Area (WCA). Thus, clean-up methods must be developed in order to remove heavy metals from contaminated water bodies in this area. The efficacy of algae, zeolite and zeolite functionalized with humic acid in reducing the concentration of the heavy metals iron (Fe3+), zinc (Zn2+), manganese (Mn2+) and nickel (Ni2+) to acceptable levels in WCA was investigated in this study. It is also envisaged that the heavy metals to be removed from contaminated water can be useful in various industries. A sampling exercise was undertaken with the aim of identifying the heavy metals that contaminate the water in the catchment, as well as identify the priority heavy metals for laboratory sorption tests. Batch experiments were conducted to study the adsorption behavior of natural zeolite clinoptilolite and algae Desmodesmus sp. with respect to Fe3+, Mn2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+. The data was analysed using the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. Two kinetic models namely, pseudo-first order and pseudo second order were also tested to fit the data. It was found that the concentration of Fe3+, Mn2+, Ni2+ and Zn2+ was 115 mg/L, 121 mg/L, 26.5 mg/L and 6.9 mg/L from the sampled water bodies in the WCA, respectively. The Langmuir isotherm was found to correlate the adsorption of Fe3+, Mn2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+ better, with the adsorption capacity of 11.9 mg/g, 1.2 mg/g, 1.3 mg/g, and 14.7 mg/g, for the functionalized zeolite (FZ), respectively. The algae system gave adsorption capacities of 1.523 mg/g, 144 mg/g and 71.94 mg/g for Fe3+, Mn2+ and Ni2+; respectively. Pseudo second-order equation was found to be the best fit for the adsorption of heavy metals by unfunctionalized zeolite (UFZ) and the algae system. Zeolite functionalization with humic acid increased its uptake ability. The best results for kinetic study was obtained in concentration 120 ppm for Fe3+ and Mn2+, whilst for Ni2+ was at 20 mg/L , which is about the same concentrations found in contaminated water in the WCA (Fe3+ 115 mg/L, Mn2+121 mg/L and Ni2+ 26.5 mg/L).

M.Sc. / Water is essential to life on our planet (Miller, 1999) because no living organism can survive without it (Kupchella & Hyland, 1993). Thus there is a demand for clean, unpolluted water to be in substantial supply. There is growing awareness worldwide of the environmental legacy of coal mining activities that have been undertaken with little concern for the environment (EMCBC, 2001). Coal mining by its nature consumes, diverts and can seriously pollute water resources (Miller, 1999). Acid mine drainage is a major problem on coalmines throughout the world (Kupchella & Hyland, 1993), and South Witbank Colliery, the main focus of this study, is no exception. Various studies that have been undertaken at South Witbank Colliery have shown that the water decanting from the mine is highly acidic (pH 2 – pH 4), and as such cannot be released into the natural watercourse (streams). Some form of water treatment to nullify or neutralise the acid levels of the mine water is necessary. Currently a temporary liming plant is being utilised to treat the water and to reduce its acidity levels to between pH 5.0 – pH 9.5, however, this plant is seen as a limited treatment option as it does not guarantee that the acidic nature of the water will be sufficiently nullified. This study endeavours to identify and analyse a variety of permanent, long-term water treatment methods relevant to acid mine water mitigation at South Witbank Colliery. Four long-term water treatment methods, namely artificial wetlands, anoxic limestone drains, transfer of water to a water treatment plant, and construction of a permanent liming facility at South Witbank Colliery, were identified and discussed. Artificial wetland technology has not been proven for treatment on such variable pollutant loads as present in the South Witbank Colliery mine water decant. A constraint to this technology also lies in its necessity for large surface area requirements, which is restricted due to site subsidence and sinkhole formation (as a result of shallow mining). This technology is also known to increase water evaporation rates, which may result in additional water removal from an already stressed resource. The anoxic limestone drain water treatment technology is considered unsuitable for the study area, ultimately due to it having more a pre-treatment functionality than a total treatment one. It is also limited due to its ability to address only certain water quality variables. If considered for use in a partnership with other acid mine drainage water treatment technologies, its use might be more viable than when considered as a stand-alone treatment technology. Transferring of the acid mine drainage water decant from South Witbank Colliery to a water treatment plant is a feasible option. The Brugspruit Water Pollution Control Works, operated by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, is the most likely option. The water treatment would become the responsibility of DWAF, thereby ensuring that the treated water is compliant with specified water quality standards and requirements. The attractiveness of this option is that it minimizes the short and long term water management requirements for South Witbank Colliery, but is ultimately dependant on a formal contract being negotiated between the relevant parties. Construction of a permanent liming facility at South Witbank Colliery is possible and, in comparison to the current temporary liming plant, is likely to treat the water adequately so as to comply with specified water quality standards and requirements. A permanent facility would allow for more water to be treated than is currently possible at the temporary liming plant. Due to this option being based on proven technology increases its feasibility in terms of use at South Witbank Colliery. Given that water is a scarce resource in South Africa, the implementation of these water treatment options is dependent on the acceptability of each option by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. Of the four treatment options identified the latter two, namely transfer of water to a water treatment facility and construction of a permanent liming plant, are considered to be the most suitable solutions for the treatment of acid mine drainage at South Witbank Colliery.

Magister Scientiae - MSc / The waste products acid mine drainage formed during coal mining and fly ash from coal burning power generation, pose substantial environmental and economic problems for South Africa. Eskom has developed a remediation system employing alkaline fly ash to neutralize and precipitate heavy metals from toxic acidic acid mine drainage streams. The aim of this study was to assess the microbial diversity in and microbial impact on this remediation system. / South Africa

Acid mine drainage is a major environmental pollution concern associated with the mining of sulphide-containing ore bodies. Both physicochemical and biological options have been investigated for the treatment of acid mine drainage with recent interest in biological processes targeting low-cost and passive treatment applications. All acid mine drainage biological treatment processes are based to some extent on the activity of sulphate reducing bacteria, and their ability to reduce sulphate to sulphide in the presence of a range of carbon and electron donor sources. A portion of the sulphide produced may be consumed in the precipitation of heavy metals present in the mine drainage. Residual sulphide must be removed, not only due to its toxicity, but especially to prevent its reoxidation to sulphate where salinity reduction is a target of the treatment process. The partial oxidation of sulphide to elemental sulphur is an option that has received considerable attention and both physicochemical and biological options have been investigated. Biological processes have substantial potential cost advantages and run at ambient temperatures and pressures. However, the oxidation of sulphide to elemental sulphur is poised over a narrow redox range and process control to maintain optimum conditions remains a serious problem. In addition little has been reported in the literature on process control of sulphide oxidation to elemental sulphur, in the heterotrophic conditions prevailing in the reaction environment following sulphate reduction. This study undertook an investigation of biological sulphide oxidation under heterotrophic conditions in order to establish the effect of organic compounds on biological sulphide oxidation, and to determine whether the presence of organics, and associated heterotrophic oxygen consumption, may be manipulated to maintain the defined redox conditions required for the production of elemental sulphur. Biological sulphide oxidation under heterotrophic conditions was investigated in a series of flask experiments. Based on these results three different reactor configurations, a Fixed-Film Trickle Filter Reactor, Submerged Fixed-Film Reactor and a Silicone Tubular Reactor were used to investigate sulphur production. The flask studies indicated that organics, and associated heterotrophic metabolism in the presence of excess oxygen in the sulphide oxidation reaction environment, did contribute to the poising of redox conditions and thereby enabling the production of elemental sulphur. While the Fixed-Film Trickle Filter Reactor was found to be redox unstable, probably due to excess oxygen ingress to the system, a reduced oxygen challenge in the Submerged Fixed-Film Reactor configuration was found to be more successful for production of elemental sulphur. However, due to the production of a predominantly filamentous sulphur producing microbial population, recovery of sulphur from the column was intermittent and unpredictable. Extended residence times for produced sulphur on the column increased the likelihood for its eventual oxidation to sulphate. The Silicone Tubular Reactor was found to support a vigorous sulphide oxidising biofilm and produced elemental sulphur effectively. Electron microscopic studies showed that this occurred as both biologically produced sulphur and, probably mainly, as crystalline sulphur in the ortho-rhomic form. Given the linear extension of the sulphur production reaction environment it is was possible to investigate the sequence of the reaction mechanism in grater detail than is possible in mixed systems. Based on these findings a model explaining sulphur production under heterotrophic conditions has been proposed and is presented. The commercial implications of the development have also been noted.

Due to environmental pollution caused by acid mine drainage (AMD), the Department of Water Affairs has developed a National Water Bill for managing and controlling the water environment to prevent AMD pollution. The application of sulphate reducing bacteria have been demonstrated for the treatment of AMD. However, the scale-up application of this technology ultimately depends on the cost and availability of a carbon source. This study evaluated the use of sewage sludge to provide a carbon source for sulphate reduction in synthetic drainage wastewaters. The demonstration of this process in a laboratory-scale reactor proved that sewage sludge could provide a useful model and viable carbon source for evaluation of sulphate reduction as a process for treating AMD. Since sewage sludge is a complex carbon source, hydrolysis reactions controlling the anaerobic digestion of particulate substrate from this medium were optimized by evaluating the effect of pH on hydrolysis. Controlled and uncontrolled pH studies were conducted using a three stage mixed anaerobic reactor. Analysis of the degradation behaviour of the three important organic classes (carbohydrate, proteins and lipids) revealed that each class followed an indvidual trend with respect to pH changes. In addition, the solubilization of organic particulate carbon was also shown to be a function of pH. The hydrolysis pattern of organic substrate and COD solublization was induced at pH 6.5 rather than at high pH values (7.5 and 8.5). The biodegradation activity of sewage sludge was characterized by the API-ZYM1N test system to provide rapid semiquantitative information on the activity of hydrolytic enzymes associated with the degradation of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. A wide range of enzyme activities with phosphatases, aminopeptidases, and glucosyl hydralases dominating were displayed. The pattern of substrate hydrolysis correlated to the degradation efficiency of each organic class as a function of pH. The evaluation of scale-up application for sulphate reduction utilizing sewage sludge as a carbon source demonstrated that large water volume flows could possibly be treated with this cost-effective technology. Generation of alkalinity and sulphide in this medium was shown to be successful in the removal of heavy metals by precipitation. The use of this technology coupled to reduced cost involved showed that biological sulphate reduction utilizing hydrolysates of complex organic particulate from sewage sludge ss a carbon source has a potential scale-up application for the treatment of AMD.

Doctor Scientiae / Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) is identified as one of the contributors to environmental hazard in the gold mining region of South Africa, as caused by the mining operational activities performed by mining industries in South Africa. This effect motivates the development of AMD prediction techniques application and geochemistry modelling using gold tailing dams located in West Rand area, Witwatersrand Basin as a case study. Control strategies are devised to assess, understand and measure the acidic potential generation of waste materials in ensuring the right method required to analyse risks caused by AMD to environment. The method encompasses mineralogical and geochemical analysis of 93 samples collected, AMD prediction, test modification and geochemical modelling. This method was appropriately applied to understand the basic mechanisms involved in controlling acid generation, assessing prediction procedure and selecting the right prediction tools. Study objectives are attained by performing a series of experimental lab tests on the samples collected from the two major tailing dams (Mogale and Gold One_1 tailings). Results derived from the lab experiments (XRD and SEM-EDS) show presence of mineral phases characterised with the surface feature of samples, and unknown substances of samples were identified. Geochemical characterisation was performed by XRF and ICP-MS to determine the major oxides elements and trace elements, respectively. Leco test generate total sulphur and total carbon. Multistatistical analysis is used to interpret the data derived from geochemical characterisation process to explicate the metal and trace elements distribution and occurrence. Initial samples were screened and categorised based on paste pH and EC using kinetic tests to determine acid-forming and neutralising minerals in samples and static tests to determine acid generation potential in samples. Net Acid Producing (NAPP) was mathematically calculated from Acid Neutralising Capacity (ANC), Maximum Potential Acidity (MPA) and total Sulphur. Results obtained from the Paste pH demonstrate that samples collected from 1 meter downward the holes to 10 meters, with a few meters samples in hole T003 at Gold One_1 are non-acidic while the remaining tailing samples are acidic. ANC/MPA ratio was applied to assess the risk of acid generation from mine waste materials. Graphical illustrations of the Acid Base Account (ABA) are plotted to demonstrate the net acidic generation potential trends of samples, which were classified into non-acid forming, potential acid forming and uncertain categories. Results integration between ANC, Single Addition Net Acid Generation (NAG) test and NAPP were used to classify acid generation potential of the samples. Leachate collected from leaching column test were analysed for pH, EC and chemical element by ICP-MS. The leaching column test used to analyse samples (T004) and (T001) collected from the two major tailings was set up for a 4-month experiment. Study findings present environmental assessment report on the two investigated gold tailing dams in Witwatersrand Basin area. Other findings are improved understanding of the application and limitations of various existing AMD prediction methods for assessment of gold mine waste and conceptual geochemical modelling developed to test appropriate methodology for AMD potential at a given gold mine site.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Science, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, March 2016. / The study aims to assess the impacts of Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) polluted soils on Acacia karroo seed germination and viability, seed dry mass and predation, in comparison with trees from the same provenance growing on non-polluted soils. The study was undertaken within the Vaal River Operations mining rights area. This area is bisected by the Vaal River which separates the polluted area from the non-polluted area. Contamination of soils on the northern section of the Vaal River is a result of mining operations, historical tailings spillage as well as an existing pollution plume which has resulted in AMD polluted soils. The rehabilitation of disturbed land is often hindered due to low seedling establishment. The success of germination is one of the most important first steps for seedling establishment and growth and hence towards establishing a self-sustaining vegetation cover over disturbed areas. Dry seed mass was slightly higher from trees in non-polluted (0.051±0.009g) compared to the polluted areas (0.046±0.009g), however no significant difference was found. Seeds collected from the non-polluted area had highest proportion of seeds in the seed mass class 0.0455-0.0904g, compared to the seeds from the polluted areas which were highest in the smaller seed mass class 0.0155-0.454g. At the tree level, the Coefficient of Variation (CV) for dry seed mass was higher for seeds collected from the polluted area (20.5%) compared to the non-polluted area (17.9%), however, no significant difference was found. However, percentage seed predation was significantly lower in the polluted (35±15.76%) relative to the non-polluted areas (48±14.69%). Percentage seed germination was significantly higher in the non-polluted (92±9.35%) compared to the polluted areas (81±20.42%), with a significantly more rapid germination rate of 4.2±0.19 days compared to 4.7±0.45 days, respectively. In conclusion, despite their lower dry seed mass, seeds collected from AMD polluted soils still had high percentage germination, while exhibiting a lower percentage of seed predation compared to those growing on unpolluted soils. Due to A. karroo’s apparent tolerance to the poor conditions on the AMD polluted soils and its regeneration capabilities, it is likely to be a good species for rehabilitation of AMD polluted sites. Further studies should aim to determine seedling performance from those seeds collected from polluted areas in terms of seedling establishment, rates of growth and survival over time when established in AMD polluted soils as well as non-polluted soils, to determine their likely success.

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