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Site-specific P absorbency of ochre from acid mine-drainage near an abandoned Cu-S mine in the Avoca—Avonmore catchment, Ireland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2018

O. Fenton ,
M. G. Healy ,
M. Rodgers  and
D. O Huallacháin
O. Fenton*
Affiliation:
Teagasc, Johnstown Castle, Environmental Research Centre, Co Wexford, Ireland
M. G. Healy
Affiliation:
Department of Civil Engineering, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
M. Rodgers
Affiliation:
Department of Civil Engineering, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
D. O Huallacháin
Affiliation:
Teagasc, Johnstown Castle, Environmental Research Centre, Co Wexford, Ireland
*
*E-mail: owen.fenton@teagasc.ie
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Abstract

Acid mine-drainage from an abandoned Cu-S mine adit, located in the Avoca–Avonmore catchment in the southeast of Ireland, results in low-value ochre deposition. Ochre found on-site had similar physical (particle size 97.7% <2 mm and dry bulk density 0.8 g cm3), but dissimilar maximum P-retention characteristics (16–21 g P kg–1) to coal-mining ochre found in the UK. Stereomicroscopy identified oolites and diatoms in the ochre that were indicative of acidic environments. X-ray diffraction showed Fe mineralogy consisting of goethite, jarosite and minor amounts of ferrihydrite. Investigations by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry and bulk energy-dispersive spectroscopy showed potentially toxic concentrations of Fe, Zn, Pb, As and Cu. Rapid mobilization of metals occurred during P-adsorption tests, which makes Avoca ochre unsuitable for use in a surface-water environmental technology.

Keywords

acid mine-drainageochrephosphorusAvoca–Avonmore catchmentIreland
Type
Research Article
Information
Clay Minerals , Volume 44 , Issue 1 , March 2009 , pp. 113 - 123
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2009

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