TY - BOOK
T1 - Solutions for control of nitrogen discharges at mines and quarries
T2 - Miniman project final report
AU - Jermakka, Johannes
AU - Merta, Elina
AU - Mroueh, Ulla-Maija
AU - Arkkola, Helena
AU - Eskonniemi, Sini
AU - Wendling, Laura
AU - Laine-Ylijoki, Jutta
AU - Sohlberg, Elina
AU - Heinonen, Hanna
AU - Kaartinen, Tommi
AU - Puhakka, Jaakko
AU - Peltola, Minna
AU - Papirio, Stefano
AU - Lakaniemi, Aino-Maija
AU - Zou, Gang
AU - Ylinen, Anna
AU - di Capua, Francesco
AU - Neitola, Raisa
AU - Gustafsson, Henrik
AU - Korhonen, Tero
AU - Karlsson, Teemu
AU - Kauppila, Tommi
AU - Laakso, Janita
AU - Mörsky, Pekka
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - The growth of Finnish extractive industry increases the
need to study and monitor different environmental impacts
and to integrate the environmental issues more tightly
into the overall framework of the activities. Nitrogen
released from explosives or from mining processes and
ending up in the water system can have negative
environmental effects. The MINIMAN project, financed by
the Tekes Green Mining Programme and the industry aimed
at comprehensive understanding on the nitrogen issue in
the extractive industry. The project collected essential
data on nitrogen compounds present in the environments of
mines and quarries, and developed technologies for the
treatment of nitrogen containing mine water.
Based on a technology review, selective sorption,
electrochemically assisted membrane separation and
biological treatment were selected to be studied and
developed in the project. Denitrification and
nitrification studies on synthetic mine
wastewater in laboratory scale revealed that
denitrification was possible at low pH (2.5) and
temperatures as low as 7°C. Nitrification was more pH
sensitive. Both processes tolerated metals (Fe, Ni, Co
and As). In the adsorption tests with zeolite, complete
ammonium removal from real mine wastewater was achieved
with a hydraulic retention time of 2 minutes, with
complete regeneration. In addition, a novel
electropervaporative nitrogen capture technology was
developed. Further larger scale testing and development
of all technologies is required to ensure their
feasibility in a real mining site.
A follow-up period in lysimeters showed that the
explosives originated nitrogen content of left over
stones from natural stone quarrying is relatively low and
ca. half of the nitrogen is leached within the first
weeks after detonation. The main sources of nitrogen are
process and dewatering waters, irrespective of the scale
of extractive activity. The total potential nitrogen load
to the environment depends on the scale and type of the
activity as well as the type of explosives used. In
addition to factors related to the activity itself, the
overall nitrogen management should take into account the
background concentrations and sensitivity of the local
ecosystem.
AB - The growth of Finnish extractive industry increases the
need to study and monitor different environmental impacts
and to integrate the environmental issues more tightly
into the overall framework of the activities. Nitrogen
released from explosives or from mining processes and
ending up in the water system can have negative
environmental effects. The MINIMAN project, financed by
the Tekes Green Mining Programme and the industry aimed
at comprehensive understanding on the nitrogen issue in
the extractive industry. The project collected essential
data on nitrogen compounds present in the environments of
mines and quarries, and developed technologies for the
treatment of nitrogen containing mine water.
Based on a technology review, selective sorption,
electrochemically assisted membrane separation and
biological treatment were selected to be studied and
developed in the project. Denitrification and
nitrification studies on synthetic mine
wastewater in laboratory scale revealed that
denitrification was possible at low pH (2.5) and
temperatures as low as 7°C. Nitrification was more pH
sensitive. Both processes tolerated metals (Fe, Ni, Co
and As). In the adsorption tests with zeolite, complete
ammonium removal from real mine wastewater was achieved
with a hydraulic retention time of 2 minutes, with
complete regeneration. In addition, a novel
electropervaporative nitrogen capture technology was
developed. Further larger scale testing and development
of all technologies is required to ensure their
feasibility in a real mining site.
A follow-up period in lysimeters showed that the
explosives originated nitrogen content of left over
stones from natural stone quarrying is relatively low and
ca. half of the nitrogen is leached within the first
weeks after detonation. The main sources of nitrogen are
process and dewatering waters, irrespective of the scale
of extractive activity. The total potential nitrogen load
to the environment depends on the scale and type of the
activity as well as the type of explosives used. In
addition to factors related to the activity itself, the
overall nitrogen management should take into account the
background concentrations and sensitivity of the local
ecosystem.
KW - mines
KW - quarries
KW - explosives
KW - nitrate
KW - ammonium
KW - water treatment technologies
M3 - Report
T3 - VTT Technology
BT - Solutions for control of nitrogen discharges at mines and quarries
PB - VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
CY - Espoo
ER -
