Characteristics of the Dalseong Acid Mine Drainage and the Role of Schwertmannite

The Dalseong acid mine drainage were studied focused on the characters of schwertmannite that controls geochemistry of the stream. Besides chemical analysis of stream water, particle size analysis, XRD SEM and TEM were performed on precipitates of streams and on wasted metalliferous ores. The AMD discharged from the abandoned mine reveals a decrease of pH and EC downward stream. Euhedral sulfur occurs as equigranular aggregates on the altered pyrite while fine acicula goethite coalesces to form cross, star, or starfish-like shapes. Water chemistry plotted on the Eh-pH diagram shows that schwertmannite and ferrihydrite are stable phases. Reddish brown precipitates consist of mostly schwertmannite with less goethite, whereas yellowish brown precipitates are composed of geothite with less schwertmannite. The particle size of precipitates ranges . Schwertmannite is characterized by equigranular spheric form. Pincushion or spicule with 100nm width and length form on schwertmannite sphere with radial growth patterns. It is highly probable that reddish or yellowish brown precipitates formed in many AMDs may contain schwerhnannite. Because it can serve as sink for removing heavy elements by adsorption in AMD system, there is a need to correctly identify schwertmannite in precipitates and to characterize its phase stability.