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B7i 27194 13:29 E 707 336 8917 HcCl el land Lab <br />ze <br />• t4cCLELLAND 1,AT3URA'P()R1TS, TNC. _ <br />- ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ IOIi~ (nr4 .w~ n, :ipark., tv'vvxAa N4111 102 / 1'~h-111A7 <br />FAX 702 / 15n~:91i <br />KINETIC AGP/ANP TEST METHODS <br />;XF.CU'PfV6 SUMMARY <br />A.s with static tests, several atppropriate kinetic tes[ methods are available for evaluation <br />of mice waste materials with respect to potential to produce acid in simulated natural <br />wc:tthcring xnd oxidation a,ntlititms. Each test protocol was designed with the intent of <br />aCCClCiahng lhC neutral uxiDatiou process. Six commonly used kinetic tests (see attached <br />summary Jilting) are appropriate. The modified humidity cell kinetic test procedure is by <br />far the must commonly used, and that procedure will be Discussed in detail. <br />"1'he K.C. Research Confirmation test is used infrequently, bllt 15 a rCldlWCly IOW cOSt <br />test. My main concern about the procedure is that the samples are inoculated with <br />thiubacillus ferru uxidan bacteria (9k media) to initiate, accelerate, and propagate the <br />oxidation of sulfide minerals. My feeling is that the samples should trot he inoculated <br />because bacteria, normally present in racks cuntainittg pyrite, should be allowed w <br />activate naturally when and if the system goes acid. if the simulated natural oxidizing <br />system (humidity cell) does not achieve x pH of less than 3, the batteria will remain <br />• dormant and not he involved in the sulfide mineral oxidation process. In other words, if <br />u waste rock contains a sufficient yuanlity of alkalute component, the system pH will <br />remain above pH 3.0 and hio•uxidation will nut occur. in this else if oxidation occurs, it <br />is by xn atmospheric oxidation mechanism not a hio-oxidation mechanism, <br />The Shake Fltuk procedure is more of a dialmustic test, and is quite costly because u <br />separate test must he conducted nn each sample at each parameter xnd each week of <br />test duration. <br />The Soxhlet Extraction apparatus ix nut available at many laboratories which makes the <br />procedure the least available to mining almpanics. Also, the procedure incorporates <br />acidificx[iun (acetic acid) and temperature to the test prctu,ml which is too distant from <br />simulated natural conditions. Diagnostically, the procedure is helpful, but not necessarily <br />Cor operating mines who have actual waste samples available for evaluation. <br />"1'he column/]ysimeter or cyuivalent system is being used inure freyucntly for mines <br />approaching the closure and reclamation phase. The main advantage fur the procedure <br />is that site specific conditions can be more readily simulated. The test duration is usually <br />long, and testing costs arc Itiglt. <br /> <br />