In situ Gas Measurements in Five Experimental Waste Rock Piles, Antamina Mine, Peru
Abstract
At the Antamina mine (Peru), a skarn deposit consisting of a quartz-monzonite porphyry hosted in limestone is mined for copper, zinc, lead, and molybdenum. Five (5) experimental waste rock piles were constructed at Antamina and instrumented to evaluate processes controlling metal release under neutral-pH drainage conditions. The piles were built over a 3-year period and each contains approximately 25,000 tonnes of waste rock classified as ‘slightly reactive’ (Pile 1 -2007), ‘reactive’ (Pile 2 and 3 - 2008), or a combination of rock of variable reactivity (Pile 4 and 5 - 2009). All waste rock, reactive to non-reactive, contains variable amounts of sulphide and carbonate minerals. Oxidation of sulphide minerals consumes O2 and generates low-pH conditions, which promotes carbonate dissolution and elevates CO2 concentrations. Sampling of the piles’ 64 in situ gas lines, using a portable gas analyzing system, revealed numerous CO2-enriched and O2-depleted zones. Piles constructed of the most reactive and fine-grained rock (Pile 2 and 3) show the highest CO¬2 concentrations (≥ 20,000 ppm), with Piles 1, 4 and 5 showing lower maximum concentrations of 1,600 ppm, 1,100 ppm, 2,900 ppm, respectively. The highest CO2 concentrations are located in the interior and near the bottom of the piles. Of the gas lines sampled from Pile 2 and 3, 88% and 95%, respectively are CO2-enriched (defined as > 2 x ambient values). The younger and less reactive piles (Pile 4 and 5) show CO2-enriched values in 3% and 17% of gas lines measured. The exothermic reaction of sulphide oxidation is also monitored by 12 in situ thermistors. Pile 2 and 3 temperatures are the highest at 9 - 10 oC. These temperatures are significantly warmer than ambient conditions (i.e., ~ 6 oC, June average) and correlate well with pockets of high CO2 concentrations. The gradational decline of CO2 concentrations with depth supports the notion that gas transport is dominated by vertical movement, while horizontal gas migration appears limited within the piles. The results show that in-situ monitoring of O2 and CO2 can provide insights into material characteristics and weathering processes within waste rock piles.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2009
- Bibcode:
- 2009AGUFM.H31A0774S
- Keywords:
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- 1858 HYDROLOGY / Rocks: chemical properties;
- 1875 HYDROLOGY / Vadose zone;
- 1895 HYDROLOGY / Instruments and techniques: monitoring;
- 1899 HYDROLOGY / General or miscellaneous