Study of Precipitating Methods for Elimination of Heavy Metals from Acid Mine Drainage

Abstract

The submitted paper deals with the study of combination of chemical and biological-chemical methods for the heavy metals elimination from the acid mine drainage. The experiments were carried out at the laboratory scale using a synthetic solution with similar properties to the real sample of acid mine drainage, originating from the zinc mine located in Tùnel Kingsmill outflow of the Rio Yaulì (district of Yauli - Perù). The successive repetition of the metal precipitations as hydroxides (chemical method) and sulphides (biological-chemical method) at the various acid mine drainage pH was the basis of the examined processes. For the hydrogen sulphide production the sulphate-reducing bacteria of genus Desulfovibrio were used. Results confirmed the precipitation of Fe, As, Al and Mn in the hydroxide form; Cu and Zn in the form of sulphides. For the selective removal of Cu, Zn, Al and Mn the excellent results were received. Selective precipitation of Fe and As was not so successful since the co-precipitation of Fe and As was later determined as a main mechanism of the precipitate forming.