Characterisation of the Sarcheshmeh copper mine tailings, Kerman province, southeast of Iran

Mineral processing operation at the Sarcheshmeh porphyry copper mine has produced huge quantities of tailings materials containing sulphide minerals in particular pyrite. These tailings materials were geochemically and mineralogically characterised to assess pyrite and chalcopyrite oxidation, acid mine drainage generation, and trace element mobility to lead development of a proper remediation plan. Five vertical trenches up to 4.2 m deep were excavated from the tailings surface, and 70 solid samples were taken in 0.3 m intervals. The samples were first mineralogically analysed. Pyrite was the main sulphide mineral found in the tailings. The gangue minerals include quartz ± muscovite–illite ± chlorite ± albite ± orthoclase ± halite. The samples were geochemically analysed for total concentrations of 62 elements, paste pH, SO₄ ²⁻, CO₃ ²⁻, and HCO₃ ⁻. The maximum concentrations of SO₄ ²⁻ (1,300, 1,170, 1,852, 1,960 and 837 mg/L) were observed at a depth of 0.9 m in profiles A, B, C, D and E, respectively. The tailings have a high acid-producing potential and low acid-neutralising potential (pyrite 4–6 wt %, calcite 1 wt %). Fe₂(SO₄)₃, CuSO₄, MgSO₄ and MnSO₄ were the dominant secondary sulphate minerals in the tailings. The lowest pH values (2.9, 3 and 3) were measured at a depth of 0.3 m in the profiles A, B and C, 3.9 at a depth of 0.6 m in the profile D and 3 at a depth of 0.9 m in the profile E. The upper portions of the profiles C (1.8 m) and D (2.1 m) were moderately oxidised, while oxidation in the profiles A, B and E did not extend more than 1.2, 1.2 and 1.5 m beneath the tailings surface. Zn, Pb, Rb, U, Hf, Nd, Zr and Ga show almost a constant trend with depth. Cd, Sr, Th, La and Ce increased with increasing depth of the tailings materials while, Co, V, Ti, Cr, Cu, As, Mn, Ag, Mo and Ni exhibit initially a decreasing trend from tailings surface to the depths that vary between 0.9 and 1.2. They then remained constant with the depth. The results show pyrite and chalcopyrite oxidation at surface layers of the tailings and subsequent leaching of the oxidation products and trace elements by infiltrated atmospheric precipitation.