| Title | Life cycle assessment of management/valorisation practices for metal-sludge from treatment of acid mine drainage |
|---|---|
| ID_Doc | 26492 |
| Authors | Moreno-González, R; Macías, F; Meyer, A; Schneider, P; Nieto, JM; Olfas, M; Cánovas, CR |
| Title | Life cycle assessment of management/valorisation practices for metal-sludge from treatment of acid mine drainage |
| Year | 2023 |
| Published | |
| Abstract | The treatment of acid mine drainage in sulphide mining generates large amounts of metal-rich sludge whose management suppose an environmental quandary worldwide. Although traditional practices have focused on safe disposal in landfills, more environmentally friendly solutions may be adopted. The environmental performance of these solutions can be evaluated using tools like Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) that allows the estimation of the cumulative environmental impacts resulting from all stages in the product life cycle. The main goal of this study is, for the first time, to perform a LCA on different management strategies (i.e., i), encapsulation and disposal in landfill; ii) metal recovery using a chemical scheme; iii) pellets manufacturing for phosphorus removal from wastewaters; and iv) brick fabrication) for the metal-rich sludge generated from an active treat-ment plant. The manufacturing of pelletized material exhibited the lowest impacts (35 REQs) due mainly to the environmental benefits of wastewater treatment. Despite the undoubtedly economic interest of recovering metals from the sludge, this route exhibited the highest environmental impacts (38 REQs), especially in the categories of fossil depletion (20,943 kg oil eq), marine (64 kg 1,4-dB eq) and freshwater ecotoxicity (50 kg 1,4-dB eq) due to the use of toluene and trybutylphosphate (TBP). The manufacture of bricks could be also an alternative route by obtaining economic value while exhibiting low environmental impacts (0.32 REQs), mainly on marine and freshwater ecotoxicity (0.7 kg 1,4-dB eq). These impacts can be notably reduced if waste materials are used replacing clays or using renewable energies. The encapsulation of these wastes is also a suitable option with a low environmental impact (0.46 REQs), but slightly greater than the brick manufacturing and with no economic return. |
| https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.2023.107038 |
Similar Articles
| ID | Score | Article |
|---|---|---|
25188
|
Deviatkin, I; Kapustina, V; Vasilieva, E; Isyanov, L; Horttanainen, M Comparative life cycle assessment of deinking sludge utilization alternatives(2016) | |
| 17952
|
Vouk, D; Nakic, D; Bubalo, A; Bolanca, T Environmental Aspects In Selecting Optimum Variant Of Sewage Sludge Management(2022)Environmental Engineering And Management Journal, 21, 3 | |
| 16060
|
Helser, J; Perumal, P; Cappuyns, V Valorizing (cleaned) sulfidic mine waste as a resource for construction materials(2022) | |
| 22372
|
Tsioka, M; Voudrias, EA Comparison of alternative management methods for phosphogypsum waste using life cycle analysis(2020) | |
| 24964
|
Simao, FV; Chambart, H; Vandemeulebroeke, L; Nielsen, P; Adrianto, LR; Pfister, S; Cappuyns, V Mine waste as a sustainable resource for facing bricks(2022) | |
| 27160
|
Cangussu, N; Vasconcelos, L; Maia, L Environmental benefits of using sewage sludge in the production of ceramic bricks(2023)Environmental Science And Pollution Research, 30.0, 10 | |
| 13272
|
Rodgers, K; McLellan, I; Cuthbert, S; Torres, VM; Hursthouse, A The Potential of Remedial Techniques for Hazard Reduction of Steel Process by Products: Impact on Steel Processing, Waste Management, the Environment and Risk to Human Health(2019)International Journal Of Environmental Research And Public Health, 16, 12 | |
| 28997
|
Masindi, V; Foteinis, S; Renforth, P; Ndiritu, J; Maree, JP; Tekere, M; Chatzisymeon, E Challenges and avenues for acid mine drainage treatment, beneficiation, and valorisation in circular economy: A review(2022) | |
| 9890
|
Ren, CZ; Wang, WL; Mao, YP; Yuan, XL; Song, ZL; Sun, J; Zhao, XQ Comparative life cycle assessment of sulfoaluminate clinker production derived from industrial solid wastes and conventional raw materials(2017) | |
| 15128
|
Sanchez-Ramos, D; Garrido, FJLB; Hernández, IA; Romero, LR; Camacho, JV; Fernández-Morales, FJ Sustainable use of wastes as reactive material in permeable reactive barrier for remediation of acid mine drainage: Batch and continuous studies(2023) |