Reclamation of Abandoned Mine Spoils in British Columbia, 1977-78

219 Pages·2013·15.41 MB·English

Reclamation of Abandoned Mine Spoils
in British Columbia, 1977-1978
BCEMPR PAPER 1978-7
Ministry of
Mines and INSPECTION AND ENGINEERING DIVISION
1978-7 EMPR Petroleum Resources
C 2 DEPARTMENT OF SOIL SCIENCE
UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
MAI
. -
Library
<V^ t Mines &
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0005037593 Petro\eum Resource*
Victoria, B. C»
RECLAMATION OF ABANDONED
MINE SPOILS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA
1977-78
Prepared for
MINISTRY OF MINES AND PETROLEUM RESOURCES
VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA
By: B .A. Como
L.M. Lavkulich
A.A. Bomke
J.M. Robbins
Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data
Main entry under title:
Reclamation of abandoned mine spoils in British
Columbia, 1977-78.
Cover title: Evaluation of abandoned mine
spoils in British Columbia, 1977-1976.
Bibliography: p.
ISBN 0-7719-8085-5
1. Reclamation of land - British Columbia. 2.
Revegetation - British Columbia. 5* Soil for
mation - British Columbia, h* Mineral industries
- Environmental aspects - British Columbia. I.
Como, B.A., 1950- • II. British Columbia.
Ministry of Mines and Petroleum Resources. III.
University of British Columbia. Dept. of Soil
Science. IV. Title: Evaluation of abandoned
mine spoils in British Columbia, 1977-1978.
S621o5.S8Rl* 651.6 »097H C78-016060-6
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors wish to acknowledge the financial assistance
received from the British Columbia Ministry of Mines and Petroleum
Resources. The discussions and advice of the Technical and Research
Committee are much appreciated. We wish to express our thanks to the
personnel at the various mines visited for their cooperation and
assistance during our field studies.
Without the aid and cooperation of B. Herman, J. Armanini,
I. Reichenback, T. Walters, and the graduate students in the pedology
laboratory at U.B.C., this study would not have been possible.
Their dedication, constructive comments and general assistance can
not be over evaluated. We thank S. Ames for her help in the field
studies.
We sincerely thank Mr. R.T. Gardiner, Cominco Ltd. (Trail)
and Mr. A. Milligan, Kaiser Resources (Sparwood) for their interest,
assistance in site locations and the pleasant discussions.
We value the help obtained from Mr. G.A. Singleton, who
designed the Soxhlet apparatus employed in the laboratory studies
and for his helpful suggestions in regards to weathering.
B.A. Como
L.M. Lavkulich
- i -
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
APPENDICES - i ii -
LIST OF TABLES iv -
LIST OF FIGURES - ix -
SUMMARY -xiii-
1. INTRODUCTION 1
- SECTION I -
2. DESCRIPTION OF STUDY SITES 7
1. General Description of Mines and Spoil Areas 9
Coal Creek 9
Emerald 10
H.B 11
Hedley 12
Velvet 13
2. Biogeoclimatic Zone Settings 14
3. Climate 15
3. METHODS AND MATERIALS 19
1. Field Methods 21
2. Sample Preparation 23
3. Laboratory Methods 23
4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 25
1. Field Studies-Mine Spoils and Vegetation 27
Coal Creek 27
Emerald 30
H.B 31
Hedley 32
Velvet 34
Endako, Granby and Lornex 35
Conclusions 36
2. Laboratory Studies - Mine Spoils, Vegetation and
Mineralogy 38
- n -
PAGE
5. GENERAL CONCLUSIONS 73
- SECTION II -
6. WEATHERING OF MINE TAILINGS 77
1. Introduction 79
2. Methods of Weathering 80
3. Results and Discussion of Weathering 83
4. Conclusions 108
7. METHODS OF MICROBIOLOGICAL STUDY Ill
1. Introduction 113
2. Field Methods 114
3. Laboratory Methods 115
4. Results and Discussion 118
8. GREENHOUSE STUDIES 125
1 . Introduction 127
2. Soil Test Evaluation 127
3. Copper-Molybdenum Studies 133
4. Organic Matter Amendments 138
5. Conclusions 140
9. PHOSPHORUS-FIXATION CAPACITY STUDIES 143
1. Introduction 143
2. Methods and Materials 146
3. Results and Discussions 147
4. Conclusions 172
LITERATURE REVIEW 173
- in -
APPENDICES
I. PLANT SPECIES LIST
II. PROFILE DESCRIPTION OF MINE SPOILS "VEGETATED"
AND "UNVEGETATED" SITES
III. WATER RETENTION CURVES OF SELECTED MINE SPOILS
IV. PHOTOGRAPHS OF MINE SITES
V. MAPS OF MINE SPOILS AND INDICATING SAMPLE SITES.
- v -
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE PAGE
2:1 Selected Climatic Data - Precipitation -jg
2:2 Selected Climatic Data - Mean Daily Temperature. . . 17
2:3 Selected Climatic Data - Extreme Maximum and
Minimum Temperatures 17
4:1 Particle Size Analysis of Selected Mine Spoils . . .. 39
4:2 Bulk Densities of Selected Mine Spoils 41
4:3 Particle Densities of Selected Mine Spoils 42
4:4 Porosity and Aeration at Field Capacity of
Selected Mine Spoils 43
4:5 Water Retention Data of Selected Mine Spoils 45
4:6 Chemical Analyses of Mine Spoils 47
4:7 Available Nutrients of Mine Spoils 52
4:8 Differences Between Total % Carbon (Leco)
a(Wnda l%k lCeayr-bBolan cko)f Soof il CoOarl gaCnreice kM Matintee r Spoils . . .. 55
4:9 Total Elemental Analysis of Selected Mine Spoils . . . 53
4:10 Acid Ammonium Oxalate Extractable Fe, Al, Si and Mn
of Selected Mine Spoils 59
4:11 Chemical Analyses of Vegetation 52
4:12 X-Ray Diffraction Results (Mineralogy) of the
Less Than 200 Mesh Material of Selected Mine S p o i ls
6:1 Total Elemental Analysis of Soxhlet Weathered
Mine Tailings (0.3N Acetic Acid Weathered)). . .. 34
6:2 Total Elemental Analysis of Soxhlet Weathered
Mine Tailings (Distilled Water Weathered) 35
6:3 Total Elemental Analysis of Original Mine Tailings . . 35
6:4 Available Nutrients of Soxhlet Weathered Mine
Tailings (0.3N Acetic Acid Weathered) 33
- vi -
TABLE PAGE
6:5 Available Nutrients of Soxhlet Weathered
Mine Tailings (Distilled Water Weathered) . . .. 89
6:6 Available Nutrients of Original Mine Tailings . . .. 90
6:7 Extractable Fe, Al, Si and Mn of Soxhlet
Weathered Mine Tailings (0.3N Acetic Acid Weathered) 95
6:8 Extractable Fe, Al, Si and Mn of Soxhlet Weathered
Mine Tailings (Distilled Water Weathered) 96
6:9 Extractable Fe, Al, Si and Mn of Original Mine
Tailings 97
6:10 Chemical Analysis of Leachate of Soxhlet Weathered
Mine Tailings (0.3N Acetic Acid Weathered ) . . .. 106
6:11 Chemical Analysis of Leachate of Soxhlet Weathered
Mine Tailings (Distilled Water Weathered) 107
7:1 Correlation Between Degree of Weathering and
Microbial Composition in Iron Sulfide
Tailings Samples 119
7:2 Microbiological and Chemical Characteristics of the
Sites Sampled 122
8:1 Bray's P^ Extractable P and 0.1N Ammonium Acetate
Extractable K, Mg and Ca for the Tailings
Used in the Soil Test Evaluation 129
8:2 Dry Matter Yields of Orchardgrass from Soil Test
Evaluation Study 131
8:3 Concentration in Plant Tissue and Uptake of P, K
and Mg by Orchardgrass Crop in the Soil Test
Evaluation Study 132
8:4 Concentration of Cu and Mo and Cu:Mo Ratio in
Orchardgrass in Molybdenum Amelioration
Experiment 135
8:5 N and P Fertilization Effects in Dry Matter Yield,
Cu and Mo concentrations and the Cu:Mo Ratio . . . 137
8:6 Dry Matter Yields, N, K, Fe and Cu Concentrations
with Addition of Various Sources of Organic
Matter to Sullivan Tailings 139
- vii -
TABLE PAGE
9:1 Phosphorus Adsorption After 48 Hours 148
9:2 Phosphorus Adsorption After 2 Weeks of Incubation . . .151