Evaluation of static tests used to predict the potential for acid drainage generation at sulphide mine sites

Abstract

Static tests are used to predict the acid generation potential of sulphide wastes and tailings. The performance of the acid base accounting, B.C. research initial and net acid production predictive methods was assessed and the results that they gave were compared. Tests were conducted on 30 samples with a wide compositional range, including host rocks, mining wastes and tailings from a lead-zinc sulphide mine in Macedonia, Greece. Mineralogical data on the tested materials and resulting residues were used to illustrate the differences between the methods and to establish their ranges of applicability. The prediction of the acid drainage potential derived from the static tests was validated against kinetic and field data.