Equilbrium Modeling of Trace Metal Transport From Duluth Complex Rockpile

Abstract

Geochemical modeling was used to predict weathering processes and the formation of trace metal-adsorbing secondary phases in a waste rock stockpile containing Cu-Ni ore mined from the Duluth Complex, MN. Amorphous ferric hydroxide was identified as a secondary phase within the pile, from observation and geochemical modeling of the weathering process. Due to the high content of cobalt, copper, nickel, and zinc in the primary minerals of the waste rock and in the effluent, it was hypothesized that the predicted and observed precipitant ferric hydroxide would adsorb small quantities of these trace metals. This was verified using sequential extractions and simulated using adsorption geochemical modeling. It was concluded that the trace metals were adsorbed in small quantities, and adsorption onto the amorphous ferric hydroxide was in decreasing order of Cu > Ni > Zn > Co. The low degree of adsorption was due to low pH water and competition for adsorption sites with other ions in solution.