AcidBLOCK

A mine waste rock cover demonstration program with the purpose of reducing acid and metalliferous drainage from an old sulphide mine is being conducted by the South Australian Government (PIRSA). This program has been designed and implemented by Earth Systems Consulting. As part of these trials Earth Systems consulting is demonstrating the use of reagents and techniques that have been conceived and developed by the company. The intellectual property rights to this technology has been transferred to Earth Systems technologies.

It is believed by Earth Systems Technologies that specialised types of caustic magnesia, in particular, have the potential to dramatically and rapidly lower the cost and liability associated with Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) from mine wastes worldwide. AMD is the single biggest environmental issue facing the mining industry worldwide. It affects essentially all sites containing sulphide minerals, which include both metal and coal mines. Currently the most common method used to control AMD from mine waste materials is to lower water infiltration or oxygen penetration into the wastes by installing low permeability dry or water saturated covers. Cover systems that provide long term effectiveness remain difficult to achieve, despite a great deal of research and many installations.

Raw magnesium carbonate (magnesite) has been calcined to different temperatures and crushed to various specifications to modify the solubility and dissolution rate kinetics of caustic magnesia products, in order to identify the optimum products for minimising acid production in mining wastes. We have called this approach AcidBLOCK.

olubility and dissolution rate laboratory tests designed by Earth Systems have been conducted for different caustic magnesia products. This data strongly supports the predicted role of AcidBLOCK in lowering acid and metal discharge from waste rock piles for mining companies worldwide.

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