Title

Use Of Na-Ferrate (Vi) To Prevent Acid Drainage From Uranium Mill Tailings

Abstract

Ferrate (VI) is a powerful oxidizing agent in aqueous media. Despite numerous beneficial properties in environmental applications, ferrate (VI) has remained commercially unavailable. Producing the dry, stabilized ferrate (VI) product required numerous process steps which led to excessive synthesis costs (over $20/lb) thereby preventing bulk industrial use. Recently a novel synthesis method for the production of a liquid ferrate (VI) based on hypochlorite oxidation of ferric ion in strongly alkaline solutions has been discovered (USPTO 6,790,428; September 14, 2004). This breakthrough means that for the first time ferrate (VI) can be an economical alternative to treating acid mining drainage generating materials. The objective of the present study was to investigate a methodology of preventing the generation of acid drainage by applying ferrate (VI) to acid generating materials prior to the disposal in impoundments or piles. Oxidizing the pyritic material in mining waste could diminish the potential for acid generation and its related environmental risks and long-term costs at disposal sites. Preliminary results presented in this paper show that the oxidation of pyrite by ferrate has half-life of about six horns. The stability of Fe(VI) in water solutions will not influence the reaction rate in a significant manner. New low-cost production methods for making liquid ferrate on-site makes this technology a very attractive option to mitigate one of the most pressing environmental problems in the mining industry.

Publication Date

1-1-2008

Publication Title

Uranium, Mining and Hydrogeology

Number of Pages

261-270

Document Type

Article; Proceedings Paper

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-87746-2_35

Socpus ID

84897015372 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/84897015372

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