An investigation towards passive treatment solutions for the oxidation of sulphide and subsequent removal of sulphur from acid mine water
Doctoral Thesis
2013
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University of Cape Town
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Mine wastewaters are presently generated at working and abandoned mining operations, both within South Africa and internationally. Currently, active treatment systems are being utilised to treat the voluminous quantities of acid rock drainage that are being generated within South Africa, largely as a result of groundwater rebound through abandoned workings. However these technologies are not economically viable for the treatment of smaller discharges from diffuse sources, such as coal spoil heaps, overburden and waste rock dumps, over a long period of time. In addition, they are questionable from a sustainability perspective. The Integrated managed passive (IMPI) treatment system is a semi-passive biological process, which was developed for the treatment of sulphate-laden mine water discharges. The system consists of modular sulphate reduction and sulphide oxidation units. A demonstration-scale plant was constructed at BHP Billiton’s Middelburg Colliery, however the sulphide oxidation unit, the linear flow channel reactor (LFCR) did not perform efficiently. This study was conducted to develop a greater understanding of the physical, chemical and biological processes occurring within the reactor. Data generated during previous studies were critically evaluated and a number of unsubstantiated assumptions and experimental deficiencies were identified.
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Mooruth, N. 2013. An investigation towards passive treatment solutions for the oxidation of sulphide and subsequent removal of sulphur from acid mine water. University of Cape Town.