Records |
Author |
Haque, N.; Norgate, T. |
Title |
The greenhouse gas footprint of in-situ leaching of uranium, gold and copper in Australia |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2014 |
Publication |
Journal of Cleaner Production |
Abbreviated Journal |
|
Volume |
84 |
Issue |
|
Pages |
382-390 |
Keywords |
Copper, GHG emission, Gold, In-situ leaching, LCA, Uranium |
Abstract |
In-situ leaching (ISL) is a chemical method for recovering useful minerals and metals directly from underground ore bodies which is also referred to as ‘solution mining’. ISL is commonly used for uranium mining, accounting for about 45% of global production. The main benefits are claimed to be a lower environmental impact in terms of visual disturbances, emissions, lower energy use, cost compared with conventional open-cut or underground mining methods, and potential utilisation of lower grade resources. However, there is a lack of reported studies on the assessment of the environmental impacts of ISL, particularly greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. The SimaPro LCA software was used to estimate the GHG footprint of the ISL of uranium, gold and copper. The total GHG emissions were estimated to be 38.0 kg CO2-e/kg U3O8 concentrate (yellowcake), 29 t CO2-e/kg gold, and 4.78 kg CO2-e/kg Cu. The GHG footprint of ISL uranium was significantly lower than that of conventional mining, however, the footprints of copper and gold were not much less compared with conventional mining methods. This is due to the lower ore grade of ISL deposits and recovery compared with high ore grades and recovery of conventional technology. Additionally, the use of large amount of electricity for pumping in case of ISL contributes to this result. The electricity consumed in pumping leaching solutions was by far the greatest contributor to the well-field related activities associated with ISL of uranium, gold and copper. The main strategy to reduce the GHG footprint of ISL mining should be to use electricity derived from low emission sources. In particular, renewable sources such as solar would be suitable for ISL as these operations are typically in remote locations with smaller deposits compared with conventional mining sites. |
Address |
|
Corporate Author |
|
Thesis |
|
Publisher |
|
Place of Publication |
|
Editor |
|
Language |
|
Summary Language |
|
Original Title |
|
Series Editor |
|
Series Title |
|
Abbreviated Series Title |
|
Series Volume |
|
Series Issue |
|
Edition |
|
ISSN |
0959-6526 |
ISBN |
|
Medium |
|
Area |
|
Expedition |
|
Conference |
|
Notes |
|
Approved |
no |
Call Number |
THL @ christoph.kuells @ haque_greenhouse_2014 |
Serial |
208 |
Permanent link to this record |
|
|
|
Author |
Martínez-Santos, P.; Martínez-Alfaro, P.E. |
Title |
A priori mapping of historical water-supply galleries based on archive records and sparse material remains. An application to the Amaniel qanat (Madrid, Spain) |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2014 |
Publication |
Journal of Cultural Heritage |
Abbreviated Journal |
|
Volume |
15 |
Issue |
6 |
Pages |
656-664 |
Keywords |
Hydraulic heritage, Qanat, Groundwater, Foggara, Water-supply, Amaniel, Madrid |
Abstract |
Engineering heritage refers to a broad variety of items of social, economic, aesthetic or historic relevance, including roads, dams, buildings and supply networks. Due to their utilitarian nature, their heritage value is often overlooked. This occurs even with those infrastructures that have played an essential role in underpinning the daily existence of entire civilizations. Underground water-supply networks provide an excellent example. Although there are exceptions, water networks tend to be functional in design, rather than monumental. Moreover, they present intricate linear layouts that often span several kilometres. This means they are costly to maintain once their operational life is over, and that they are prone to abandonment and destruction. Devising a priori protection strategies is important to preserve these valuable cultural assets. The following pages present a method to map linear structures based on archive records and sparse material remains. The method is illustrated through its application to the Amaniel qanat, a water-supply gallery built in Madrid, Spain, in the early 17th Century. An appraisal of the known remains was carried out first, leading to an inventory of galleries, shafts, shaft caps and deposits. This was followed by a thorough survey of over one thousand handwritten manuscripts, including physical descriptions of the aqueduct, budget accounts or water metering campaigns, among other documents. Known remains and written evidence were matched against original and auxiliary maps to reconstruct the itinerary of the aqueduct. This led to the identification of sectors where it is still possible to find remains in good condition. Thus, a priori mapping is advocated a valuable technique to locate and preserve these remains, as well as to devise non-invasive surveys and establish heritage protection zones. |
Address |
|
Corporate Author |
|
Thesis |
|
Publisher |
|
Place of Publication |
|
Editor |
|
Language |
|
Summary Language |
|
Original Title |
|
Series Editor |
|
Series Title |
|
Abbreviated Series Title |
|
Series Volume |
|
Series Issue |
|
Edition |
|
ISSN |
1296-2074 |
ISBN |
|
Medium |
|
Area |
|
Expedition |
|
Conference |
|
Notes |
|
Approved |
no |
Call Number |
THL @ christoph.kuells @ Martinezsantos2014656 |
Serial |
270 |
Permanent link to this record |
|
|
|
Author |
Alvarado, J.A.C.; Balsiger, B.; Röllin, S.; Jakob, A.; Burger, M. |
Title |
Radioactive and chemical contamination of the water resources in the former uranium mining and milling sites of Mailuu Suu (Kyrgyzstan) |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2014 |
Publication |
Journal of Environmental Radioactivity |
Abbreviated Journal |
|
Volume |
138 |
Issue |
|
Pages |
1-10 |
Keywords |
Former uranium mines, Kyrgyzstan, Mailuu Suu, Uranium contamination, Water resources |
Abstract |
An assessment of the radioactive and chemical contamination of the water resources at the former uranium mines and processing sites of Mailuu-Suu, in Kyrgyzstan, was carried out. A large number of water samples were collected from the drinking water distribution system (DWDS), rivers, shallow aquifers and drainage water from the mine tailings. Radionuclides and trace metal contents in water from the DWDS were low in general, but were extremely high for Fe, Al and Mn. These elements were associated with the particle fractions in the water and strongly correlated with high turbidity levels. Overall, these results suggest that water from the DWDS does not represent a serious radiological hazard to the Mailuu Suu population. However, due to the high turbidities and contents of some elements, this water is not good quality drinking water. Water from artesian and dug wells were characterized by elevated levels of U (up to 10 μg/L) and some trace elements (e.g. As, Se, Cr, V and F) and anions (e.g. Cl−, NO3−, SO42−). In two artesian wells, the WHO guideline value of 10 μg/L for As in water was exceeded. As the artesian wells are used as a source of drinking water by a large number of households, special care should be taken in order to stay within the WHO recommended guidelines. Drainage water from the mine tailings was as expected highly contaminated with many chemicals (e.g. As) and radioactive contaminants (e.g. U). The concentrations of U were more than 200 times the WHO guideline value of 30 μg/L for U in drinking water. A large variation in 234U/238U isotopic ratios in water was observed, with values near equilibrium at the mine tailings and far from equilibrium outside this area (reaching ratios of 2.3 in the artesian well). This result highlights the potential use of this ratio as an indicator of the origin of U contamination in Mailuu Suu. |
Address |
|
Corporate Author |
|
Thesis |
|
Publisher |
|
Place of Publication |
|
Editor |
|
Language |
|
Summary Language |
|
Original Title |
|
Series Editor |
|
Series Title |
|
Abbreviated Series Title |
|
Series Volume |
|
Series Issue |
|
Edition |
|
ISSN |
0265-931x |
ISBN |
|
Medium |
|
Area |
|
Expedition |
|
Conference |
|
Notes |
|
Approved |
no |
Call Number |
THL @ christoph.kuells @ alvarado_radioactive_2014 |
Serial |
123 |
Permanent link to this record |
|
|
|
Author |
Müller, M.; Alaoui, A.; Külls, C.; Leistert, H.; Meusburger, K.; Stumpp, C.; Weiler, M.; Alewell, C. |
Title |
Tracking water pathways in steep hillslopes by δ18O depth profiles of soil water |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2014 |
Publication |
Journal of hydrology |
Abbreviated Journal |
|
Volume |
519 |
Issue |
|
Pages |
340-352 |
Keywords |
|
Abstract |
|
Address |
|
Corporate Author |
|
Thesis |
|
Publisher |
Elsevier |
Place of Publication |
|
Editor |
|
Language |
|
Summary Language |
|
Original Title |
|
Series Editor |
|
Series Title |
|
Abbreviated Series Title |
|
Series Volume |
|
Series Issue |
|
Edition |
|
ISSN |
|
ISBN |
|
Medium |
|
Area |
|
Expedition |
|
Conference |
|
Notes |
|
Approved |
no |
Call Number |
THL @ christoph.kuells @ Mueller2014tracking |
Serial |
20 |
Permanent link to this record |
|
|
|
Author |
Pastukhov, A.M.; Rychkov, V.N.; Smirnov, A.L.; Skripchenko, S.Y.; Poponin, N.A. |
Title |
Purification of in situ leaching solution for uranium mining by removing solids from suspension |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2014 |
Publication |
Minerals Engineering |
Abbreviated Journal |
|
Volume |
55 |
Issue |
|
Pages |
1-4 |
Keywords |
Bag filter, Firm particles, In situ leaching mining, Injection wells, Intake capacity, Purification |
Abstract |
This study investigated the process of in situ leaching (ISL) method of uranium mining, and the removal of solid particles from the leaching solution. Investigations were carried out for 4months. The content of firm suspensions in the productive solutions arriving from the well field was up to standard of 3–5mg/l. After keeping in a settler of productive solutions within one hour concentration of suspensions decreases to 2–2.5mg/l. To increase the life of the wells requires more fine purification of the ISL solutions. The best results can be obtained but using filtration. Bag filters were used in experiments carried out at the extraction site. All samples of polypropylene bag filter was produced by the Tamfelt Corporation. The best results were obtained for fabrics S-51M03-L2K4 (pore size 3μm). After three month of trials following indicators of wells work were fixed: on the trial cell decrease in intake capacity did not occur; on the other cells of well field injectability of holes for the same period of time decreased for 15–40%. The results illustrated the high efficiency of this method, which allows injection wells to reach a constant intake capacity, making it possible for technological cells to achieve a constant productivity and balance. Purification of solutions allows to reduce acidulation term of new technological cells from 3–4 to 1.5–2months. |
Address |
|
Corporate Author |
|
Thesis |
|
Publisher |
|
Place of Publication |
|
Editor |
|
Language |
|
Summary Language |
|
Original Title |
|
Series Editor |
|
Series Title |
|
Abbreviated Series Title |
|
Series Volume |
|
Series Issue |
|
Edition |
|
ISSN |
0892-6875 |
ISBN |
|
Medium |
|
Area |
|
Expedition |
|
Conference |
|
Notes |
|
Approved |
no |
Call Number |
THL @ christoph.kuells @ pastukhov_purification_2014 |
Serial |
204 |
Permanent link to this record |