Tests currently used by the industry for acid rock drainage (ARD) prediction heavily utilize static geochemical tests. Instead, effective tools which allow for early domaining should be utilized as they can be perfonned on a greater number of samples, allowing for deposit-wide environmental characterization. These must be simple enough to perfonn in the core shed or field-laboratory to keep cost and tum-around time to a minimum. Simple field-based pH tests and chemical staining should be performed. In addition, mineralogical characterization methods for drill core materials i.e., an ARD focused logging code and the use of portable instruments (i.e., pXRF, Equotip) should be pursued. This chapter presents several field tools appropriate for ARD prediction. These tools were developed, tested and validated using drill core and waste rock materials obtained from several Australian mines with differing geology, mineralogy and mineralization style. This chapter demonstrates that by utilizing these field based tests, industry has the opportunity to achieve: (i) effective ARD prediction testwork; (ii) detailed deposit-wide characterization, (iii) development of best practice waste management plans; and (iv) identification of the most suitable rehabilitation options.

Item Type:	Research Book Chapter
Keywords:	acid mine drainage, waste management, sulfide oxidation, mining
Research Division:	Earth Sciences
Research Group:	Geology
Research Field:	Geology not elsewhere classified
Objective Division:	Environmental Management
Objective Group:	Terrestrial systems and management
Objective Field:	Evaluation, allocation, and impacts of land use
UTAS Author:	Parbhakar-Fox, A (Dr Anita Parbhakar-Fox)
UTAS Author:	Aalders, J (Mr John Aalders)
UTAS Author:	Jackson, L (Miss Laura Jackson)
UTAS Author:	Lottermoser, B (Professor Bernd Lottermoser)
ID Code:	112020
Year Published:	2017
Deposited By:	CODES ARC
Deposited On:	2016-10-21
Last Modified:	2018-04-23
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