2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Micro-seeds-enhanced and smart-carrier assisted pyrite encapsulation to prevent the generation of acid mine drainage
| Project/Area Number |
26820390
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Research Field |
Earth system and resources engineering
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| Research Institution | Hokkaido University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
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| Keywords | pyrite oxidation / pyrite encapsulation / acid mine/rock drainage / pyrite passivation |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
This research evaluated two new concepts to passivate pyrite and prevent acid mine drainage generation: (1) "micro-seeds" enhanced encapsulation, and (2) "smart-carrier" assisted encapsulation. Micro-seed enhanced encapsulation was more effective at pH 3-6 using hematite or other iron-oxide precursor minerals (e.g., schwertmannite) as micro-seeds. The coating formed under these conditions was uniform, thick and mechanically strong. As smart-carriers, organic molecules that form redox-sensitive metal-organic complexes could be used to specifically target sulfide minerals like pyrite and arsenopyrite because of the electrochemical nature of their dissolution. Our results showed that ferric-, ferrous-, aluminum- and titanium-catechol complexes could be used to suppress the oxidation of pyrite/arsenopyrite. We were also the first to report that metal oxides strongly influenced the fundamental half-cell reactions during pyrite oxidation.
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| Free Research Field |
electrochemistry, environmental geochemistry
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