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Development of a textural acid rock drainage index for classifying acid formation
conference contribution
posted on 2023-05-23, 08:19 authored by Anita Parbhakar-Fox, Edraki, M, Bradshaw, D, Steve WaltersTextural analyses are largely absent from predictive ARD (acid rock drainage) assessments despite the direct control of texture on acid formation. Therefore, the ARD Index (ARDI) was developed as a simple textural evaluation to be used as a stage-one test as part of an integrated geochemistry-mineralogy-texture (GMT) approach to predicting ARD. Parameters A, B and C (ranked from 0-10) examined contents, degree of alteration and morphology of sulphides, whilst parameters D and E (ranked from -5-10) evaluated the neutralising mineral content and the spatial relationship between acid forming and neutralising minerals. Scores from each category were totaled with values 50-41 considered as extremely acid forming (EAF); 40-31 as acid forming (AF); 30-21 as potentially acid forming (PAF); 20-10 as not acid forming (NAF); 10-0 as NAF/ANC and -1 to -10 as having acid neutralising capacity (ANC). The ARDI was tested using samples from an abandoned lode-gold mine and an operational iron-oxide copper gold mine, both located in Queensland, Australia. Samples were mesotexturally grouped (A-Q) and analysed as per the GMT approach. The ARDI identified group J (quartz-pyrite), H (quartz-arsenopyrite-pyrite) and G (quartz-galena-sphalerite) from the lode-Au operations as the most acid forming.
Funding
CRC for Optimising Resource Extraction
History
Publication title
Proceedings of the 10th International Congress for Applied MineralogyEditors
M BroekmansPagination
513-521ISBN
978-3-642-27681-1Department/School
School of Natural SciencesPublisher
Springer Berlin HeidelbergPlace of publication
Berlin, GermanyEvent title
10th International Congress for Applied MineralogyEvent Venue
Trondheim, NorwayDate of Event (Start Date)
2011-08-01Date of Event (End Date)
2011-08-05Rights statement
Copyright 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin HeidelbergRepository Status
- Restricted