Risk assessment and proposed remedial actions in coastal tailings disposal sites in Romania

Komnitsas, K; Kontopoulos, A; Lazar, I; Cambridge, M

dc.contributor.author	Komnitsas, K	en
dc.contributor.author	Kontopoulos, A	en
dc.contributor.author	Lazar, I	en
dc.contributor.author	Cambridge, M	en
dc.date.accessioned	2014-03-01T01:14:07Z
dc.date.available	2014-03-01T01:14:07Z
dc.date.issued	1998	en
dc.identifier.issn	0892-6875	en
dc.identifier.uri	https://dspace.lib.ntua.gr/xmlui/handle/123456789/12877
dc.subject	Environmental	en
dc.subject	Reclamation	en
dc.subject	Waste processing	en
dc.subject.classification	Engineering, Chemical	en
dc.subject.classification	Mineralogy	en
dc.subject.classification	Mining & Mineral Processing	en
dc.subject.other	Coastal engineering	en
dc.subject.other	Ecosystems	en
dc.subject.other	Flotation	en
dc.subject.other	Reclamation	en
dc.subject.other	Risk assessment	en
dc.subject.other	Tailings disposal	en
dc.subject.other	Coastal tailings	en
dc.subject.other	Ore tailings	en
dc.title	Risk assessment and proposed remedial actions in coastal tailings disposal sites in Romania	en
heal.type	journalArticle	en
heal.identifier.primary	10.1016/S0892-6875(98)00104-6	en
heal.identifier.secondary	http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0892-6875(98)00104-6	en
heal.language	English	en
heal.publicationDate	1998	en
heal.abstract	Intensive mining and ore processing activities over the last fifty years concerning phosphate and polymetallic sulphidic ores at Navodari and Baia, by the Romanian Black Sea coast, have resulted in the production of millions of tonnes of hazardous wastes which contain high residual concentrations of heavy elements and radionuclides in mobile forms. At Navodari, where a chemical plant for the production of sulphuric acid and superphosphates operates, over 3,000,000 m(3) of phosphogypsum and 1,000,000 m(3) of pyritic cinders have been disposed of in several stacks and dumps. At Baia, over 1,200,000 t of copper tailings from the nearby located flotation plant have been disposed of since 1965 in three decantation ponds. Under the action of several physicochemical mechanisms, toxic elements contained in the tailings are mobilised, migrate to the surroundings and cause severe and widespread contamination of soils, surface and ground waters and the Black Sea. In this paper, all the above mentioned sources of pollution that are currently directly or indirectly affecting humans, soils, freshwater ecosystems and the Black Sea, are identified and characterised. Furthermore, in order to assess the level of risk posed by each source of pollution at each affected area, a complete environmental characterisation study was undertaken followed by a risk analysis carried out on a source-pathway-target basis. Based on experimental and risk analysis data, a rehabilitation scheme is proposed for all affected areas, aiming at deactivating the pollution sources and rehabilitating the contaminated areas with remedial actions. This scheme involves mainly: removal of toxic and heavy elements from sulphidic tailings and leachates with biosorption and biosolubilisation techniques and development of a vegetative cover on phosphogypsum, cinders and sulphidic tailings. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.	en
heal.publisher	PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD	en
heal.journalName	Minerals Engineering	en
dc.identifier.doi	10.1016/S0892-6875(98)00104-6	en
dc.identifier.isi	ISI:000077905100005	en
dc.identifier.volume	11	en
dc.identifier.issue	12	en
dc.identifier.spage	1179	en
dc.identifier.epage	1190	en