The permeability evolution mechanism of ore-bearing strata during acid in-situ leaching of uranium: A case study of Bayanwula uranium mine in Inner Mongolia of China

IF 3.5 3区环境科学与生态学 Q2 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES Journal of contaminant hydrology Pub Date : 2024-07-01 DOI:10.1016/j.jconhyd.2024.104390

Ting He , Jinhui Liu , Bei Zhao , Huichun Gong , Zhangzhe Feng , Shiyu Liu

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Abstract

Uranium mainly comes from ISL of sandstone-type uranium deposits in China. The change of porosity and permeability caused by blockage of ore-bearing strata is one of the most serious problems in acid ISL of uranium. In this paper, the groundwater tracer test was carried out before and 1 year after ISL to explore the pore and permeability evolution characteristics of the ore-bearing layer during ISL. The test results showed that the leaching solution migrated along two seepage channels and the water-bearing medium was isotropic. After 1 year of ISL, the flow rate of the leaching solution decreased obviously. However, the flow rate of the leaching solution in slower channel decreased more than that in the faster channel in all directions, which was caused by the more adequate chemical reactions between the leaching solution and the minerals of the ore-bearing layer and the more corresponding precipitation in the slower channel. In addition, the flow rate along the direction of groundwater flow decreased less than that in the direction of vertical groundwater flow. This was closely related to the transformation of aquifer medium by hydrodynamic field. Initial stage of ISL, the occurrence of plugging is closely related to the precipitation-dissolution process of iron and aluminum minerals under the change of pH, which is accompanied by the continuous precipitation of gypsum.

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酸性原地浸出铀过程中含矿地层的渗透性演化机理：中国内蒙古巴彦乌拉铀矿案例研究。

中国的铀主要来自砂岩型铀矿床的 ISL。含矿地层堵塞引起的孔隙度和渗透率变化是酸性铀ISL最严重的问题之一。本文在 ISL 前和 ISL 后 1 年分别进行了地下水示踪试验，以探讨 ISL 过程中含矿地层的孔隙度和渗透率演变特征。试验结果表明，浸出液沿两条渗流通道迁移，含水介质呈各向同性。经过一年的 ISL 后，浸出液的流速明显下降。但是，在各个方向上，流速较慢的渗流通道中的浸出液流量比流速较快的渗流通道中的浸出液流量减少得更多，这是由于浸出液与含矿层矿物之间的化学反应更加充分，在流速较慢的渗流通道中相应的沉淀也更多。此外，沿地下水流向的流速下降幅度小于地下水垂直流向的流速下降幅度。这与水动力场对含水层介质的改造密切相关。在 ISL 初期，堵塞的发生与 pH 值变化下铁和铝矿物的沉淀-溶解过程密切相关，而这一过程伴随着石膏的不断沉淀。

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来源期刊

Journal of contaminant hydrology 环境科学-地球科学综合

CiteScore

6.80

自引率

2.80%

发文量

129

审稿时长

68 days

期刊介绍： The Journal of Contaminant Hydrology is an international journal publishing scientific articles pertaining to the contamination of subsurface water resources. Emphasis is placed on investigations of the physical, chemical, and biological processes influencing the behavior and fate of organic and inorganic contaminants in the unsaturated (vadose) and saturated (groundwater) zones, as well as at groundwater-surface water interfaces. The ecological impacts of contaminants transported both from and to aquifers are of interest. Articles on contamination of surface water only, without a link to groundwater, are out of the scope. Broad latitude is allowed in identifying contaminants of interest, and include legacy and emerging pollutants, nutrients, nanoparticles, pathogenic microorganisms (e.g., bacteria, viruses, protozoa), microplastics, and various constituents associated with energy production (e.g., methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide). The journal''s scope embraces a wide range of topics including: experimental investigations of contaminant sorption, diffusion, transformation, volatilization and transport in the surface and subsurface; characterization of soil and aquifer properties only as they influence contaminant behavior; development and testing of mathematical models of contaminant behaviour; innovative techniques for restoration of contaminated sites; development of new tools or techniques for monitoring the extent of soil and groundwater contamination; transformation of contaminants in the hyporheic zone; effects of contaminants traversing the hyporheic zone on surface water and groundwater ecosystems; subsurface carbon sequestration and/or turnover; and migration of fluids associated with energy production into groundwater.