[Formation and environmental implications of iron-enriched precipitates derived from natural neutralization of acid...

Acid mine drainage (AMD) and its natural neutralizing products in Wangjiatan iron mine were collected and analyzed by using spectroscopic and electron microanalytic methods. The results show that after natural neutralization of AMD by surface water of the stream, acidity and electric conductivity of AMD are both decreased. While for dissolved elements, no other element is obviously decreased except for Fe3+, SO4(2-), and Ca2+. For precipitates formed by natural neutralization, Fe is enriched and ferrihydrite is the main iron mineral, with little amount of goethite and fibroferrite contained in downstream precipitates. To ferrihydrite, 2-line and 6-line ferrihydrite are the main mineral type in upstream and downstream precipitates, respectively. Furthermore, for all precipitates, two layers are observed. In outer layer 2-line ferrihydrite is the main mineral, while in inner layer 6-line ferrihydrite and goethite are the main minerals. Ferrihydrite dominated precipitates are favorable in immobilizing toxic and hazardous elements. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that pH and the concentration of SO4(2-) are decisive factors for ferrihydrite formation. The ferrihydrite translocation and its attenuation for toxic elements are, to a great extent, affected by hydrodynamics in neutralization zone.