The discipline of process mineralogy developed through the recognition that metallurgical flowsheets could be optimised by thorough characterisation of the precursor ore mineralogy, mineral associations, grain size and textures. In a procedure analogous to process mineralogy it is shown here that effective characterisation of mine wastes for Acid Rock Drainage and Metal(loid) Leaching (ARDML) potential must follow a similar set of robust practices which include: (i) representative sampling; (ii) static/screening level geochemical tests and qualitative mineralogical assessment; (iii) longer-term kinetic geochemical tests and quantitative mineralogical assessment; and (iv) quantitative numerical modelling to assess source term chemistry associated with the mine facilities and thereby determine potential impacts to receptors. This process is dependent on a sufficiently robust drill core database and a detailed mine plan through which an assessment of mine wastes is possible. Such detailed characterisation may be limited by insufficient budgets, however omission of a thorough mineralogical investigation may lead to a lack of understanding of the primary geochemical controls on mine waste behaviour. In turn, this can lead to over- or under-engineering of mine facilities, which can have financial and/or environmental implications. Several case studies are presented to illustrate how mineralogy can be applied to solve problems in ARDML prediction and mitigation, specifically within waste rock assessment. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	Process mineralogy, ARDML, Mineralogy, Mine waste
Research Division:	Earth Sciences
Research Group:	Other earth sciences
Research Field:	Other earth sciences not elsewhere classified
Objective Division:	Mineral Resources (Excl. Energy Resources)
Objective Group:	Environmentally sustainable mineral resource activities
Objective Field:	Management of solid waste from mineral resource activities
UTAS Author:	Parbhakar-Fox, A (Dr Anita Parbhakar-Fox)
ID Code:	87902
Year Published:	2013
Web of Science® Times Cited:	41
Deposited By:	Earth Sciences
Deposited On:	2013-12-14
Last Modified:	2017-11-06
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