NIOSHTIC-2 Publications Search

Chemical and biological cyanide destruction and selenium removal from precious metals tailings pond water.

Lien RH; Dinsdale BE; Gardner KR; Altringer PB

EPD congress 90: proceedings of a symposium sponsored by the Extradition and Processing Division and held at the TMS Annual Meeting, February 19-22, 1990, Anaheim, California. Gaskell DR, ed. Warrendale, PA: Minerals Metals & Materials Society, 1990 Feb; :323-339

10011750

The U.S. Bureau of Mines is investigating chemical and biological decontamination of complex wastewaters such as tailings pond water containing 280 ppm CN and 5 ppm Se as well as significant concentrations of arsenic, copper, iron, silver, and zinc. The most effective chemical procedure involves cyanide oxidation using hydrogen peroxide or sodium hypochlorite followed by selenium reduction using ferrous hydroxide. The effluent contains less than or equal to 1 ppm CN and 20 ppb Se; concentrations of other major contaminants meet Environmental Protection Agency drinking water standards. Preliminary research indicates that biological cyanide oxidation is possible even in highly alkaline solutions (ph 10.5) containing high cyanide concentrations; indigenous bacteria destroyed 85 pct of the cyanide. Exploratory research shows that other bacteria removed up to 79 pct of the selenium from chemically oxidized, low-cyanide water. These promising results may lead to a final processing scheme that involves a combination of chemical and biological techniques.

Waste treatment; Metals; Heavy metals; Environmental contamination; Environmental pollution

19900201

OP; Conference/Symposia Proceedings

Gaskell DR

1990

9780873391221

OP 137-91; OP-47-90

SLRC

EPD congress 90: proceedings of a symposium sponsored by the Extradition and Processing Division and held at the TMS Annual Meeting, February 19-22, 1990, Anaheim, California

UT