A L WILLIAMSON 1,2 S HALL 3 G A SPIERS 1,2 Biogeochemical Extraction for Rare Earth Elements and Uranium with Minimal Mine Legacy 1. MIRARCO – Sudbury, Canada 2. Laurentian University – Sudbury, Canada 3. Western Australia School of Mines – Perth, Western Australia June 9, 2011 The AusIMM International Uranium Conference 2011
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A L W I L L I A M S O N 1 , 2
S H A L L 3
G A S P I E R S 1 , 2
Biogeochemical Extraction for
Rare Earth Elements and Uranium
with Minimal Mine Legacy
1. MIRARCO – Sudbury, Canada
2. Laurentian University – Sudbury, Canada
3. Western Australia School of Mines – Perth, Western Australia
June 9, 2011The AusIMM International
Uranium Conference 2011
Overview
June 9, 2011
Elliot Lake, Ontario Uranium Mining History
Mineralogy and redevelopment opportunities
Biogeochemical Extraction Study Biogeochemical dissolution of minerals
Microcosm and column studies
Results and implementations
The AusIMM International
Uranium Conference 2011
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Perth, Australia Elliot Lake, Canada
June 9, 2011The AusIMM International
Uranium Conference 2011
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Elliot Lake & The Quirke Syncline
June 9, 2011The AusIMM International
Uranium Conference 2011
Uranium-bearing conglomerate associated with thicker sections of the MatinendaFormation “The Big Z”
Pre-1950 Uranium containing ore bodies discovered
Mid-1950s to Mid-1990s 12 active uranium mines
Mid-2000s Renewed interest in Uranium
Present Redevelopment plans
Geology of the Elliot Lake area, northern OntarioJ.P. Burton & P. Fralick, Economic Geology. Vol. 98, 2003, pp. 985-1001.
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Mineralogy of Conglomerate Beds
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Uranium Conference 2011
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Detrital Quartz
Pyrite
Orthoclase Muscovite
Other minerals
U and REE containing minerals
2H2SOFe
OHOFeS
2
4
2
2227
2
Sulphur oxidation
formation of ARD/AMD
Row 4 Sc21
Row 5 Y39
Lanthanoids La Ce Pr Nd Pm Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71
Actinides Ac Th Pa U Np Pu Am Cm By Cf Es Fm Nd No Lr89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103
Row 4 Sc21
Row 5 Y39
Lanthanoids La Ce Pr Nd Pm Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71
Actinides Ac Th Pa U Np Pu Am Cm By Cf Es Fm Nd No Lr89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103
Sulphur content of residue material has impact on plans for
decommissioning and closure
Release of Iron
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Uranium Conference 2011
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Not inoculated
A. ferrooxidans
Environmental consortium
Mic
roco
smC
olum
n
0%
50%
100%
150%
200%
0
20
40
60
80
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
cu
mu
lati
ve m
ass
(mg
per
kg
)
Thousands
time (days)
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
0
10
20
30
40
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
cu
mu
lati
ve m
ass
(mg
per
kg
)
Thousands
time (months)
Removal of Sulfur
June 9, 2011The AusIMM International
Uranium Conference 2011
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Not inoculated
A. ferrooxidans
Environmental consortium
Mic
roco
smC
olum
n
0%
1%
2%
3%
4%
not leached not inoculated A. ferrooxidans Environmental consortium
Su
lfu
r co
nte
nt
(weig
ht
%)
0%
1%
2%
3%
4%
not leached not inoculated A. ferrooxidans Environmental consortium
Su
lfu
r co
nte
nt
(weig
ht
%)
Dominant Mineral Phases
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Uranium Conference 2011
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Quartz
Muscoyite
Orthoclase
Pyrite
Microcosm treatment 4 residue
Fresh material
SEM Images – Pyrite Grains
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Uranium Conference 2011
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2 µm 2 µm
Microcosm treatment 4 residueFresh material
Summary and Implications
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Uranium Conference 2011
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Objective 1: Determine biogeochemical mineral dissolution capabilities of indigenous bacterium.
Similar recovery of elements of economic interest from both pure and environmental inoculums.
Close to complete recovery of uranium
Considerable release for Sc, Y, heavy REEs and Th
Indigenous bacterium consortium has ability to conditions to promote biogeochemical mineral dissolution
Summary and Implications
June 9, 2011The AusIMM International
Uranium Conference 2011
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Objective 2: Assess waste materials from ore in closure condition to provide insight to closure options.
Analytical analysis provide evidence for the complete dissolution of iron and almost complete remove of sulphur in the microcosms
Pyrite is not evident as a dominate mineral phase of residue material from the microcosms treated with A. ferrooxidans after 80 days
Results indicate complete geochemical mineral dissolution of pyrite, indicating the potential absence of minerals responsible for promoting AMD production
Moving Forward
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Uranium Conference 2011
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„Waste‟ material
Total chemistry
Intense mineralogical
investigation
Simulated Leach Closure
Strategies
Investigate at microcosm scale
Apply to large column scale
Acknowledgments
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Uranium Conference 2011
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Assistance throughout the
project provided by:
Financial support provided by:
A L W I L L I A M S O N a w i l l i a m s o n @ m i r a r c o . o r g
S H A L L s . h a l l @ c u r t i n . e d u . a u
G A S P I E R S g s p i e r s @ m i r a r c o . o r g