Characteristics and stabilities of residues from the Wheal Jane constructed wetlands

The characteristics and solubilities of residues formed during effluent treatment at the Wheal Jane constructed wetland facility in Cornwall, UK are described. The constructed wetland treats an acidic (pH 3 to 4) mine discharge enriched in iron (<100 mg/l), zinc (<80 mg/l), manganese (<20 mg/l) and arsenic (<2 mg/l). The processing strategy adopted at the site is to remove elements selectively from the mine water in distinct unit process operations and concentrate the iron and base metals into residues within the circuits. Solubility tests conducted on the materials from the aerobic and anaerobic cells attempt to simulate future possible leaching processes within landfill sites used for ultimate disposal. The tests used in the evaluation included TCLP, MARG, washing and column leaching. The aerobic solids overall have very low solubilities which are well below the TCLP thresholds for As, Cd and Pb. The TCLP results for these toxic elements are supported by the washing and column test work. The anaerobic substrates are carbonaceous in nature, composed of straw, wood pulp and manure. They contain minimal amounts of toxic compounds and are considered to be less of a disposal problem. Ochre precipitated at a pH of 3-4 in the aerobic cells contains significant concentrations of arsenic (>0.1%). This element is carcinogenic, and such residues are classified as hazardous waste under current UK landfill regulations. This classification does not take into consideration the solubility of the material but is based solely on the bulk chemical composition.