Geochemical and S isotopic studies of pollutant evolution in groundwater after acid in situ leaching in a uranium mine area in Xinjiang

Liu, ZhenzhongUniv South China, Sch Resource Environm & Safety Engn, Hengyang 421001, Peoples R China. (author)

QC 20230515
Laboratory experiments and point monitoring of reservoir sediments have proven that stable sulfate reduction (SSR) can lower the concentrations of toxic metals and sulfate in acidic groundwater for a long time. Here, we hypothesize that SSR occurred during in situ leaching after uranium mining, which can impact the fate of acid groundwater in an entire region. To test this, we applied a sulfur isotope fractionation method to analyze the mechanism for natural attenuation of contaminated groundwater produced by acid in situ leaching of uranium (Xinjiang, China). The results showed that delta S-34 increased over time after the cessation of uranium mining, and natural attenuation caused considerable, area-scale immobilization of sulfur corresponding to retention levels of 5.3%-48.3% while simultaneously decreasing the concentration of uranium. Isotopic evidence for SSR in the area, together with evidence for changes of pollutant concentrations, suggest that area-scale SSR is most likely also important at other acid mining sites for uranium, where retention of acid groundwater may be strengthened through natural attenuation. To recapitulate, the sulfur isotope fractionation method constitutes a relatively accurate tool for quantification of spatiotemporal trends for groundwater during migration and transformation resulting from acid in situ leaching of uranium in northern China.

Tan, KaixuanUniv South China, Sch Resource Environm & Safety Engn, Hengyang 421001, Peoples R China. (author)
Li, ChunguangUniv South China, Sch Resource Environm & Safety Engn, Hengyang 421001, Peoples R China.;Univ South China, R&D Ctr Radioact Waste Treatment Disposal & Modeli, Hengyang 421001, Peoples R China.;China Inst Atom Energy, Beijing 102413, Peoples R China. (author)
Li, YongmeiUniv South China, Sch Resource Environm & Safety Engn, Hengyang 421001, Peoples R China.;Univ South China, R&D Ctr Radioact Waste Treatment Disposal & Modeli, Hengyang 421001, Peoples R China. (author)
Zhang, ChongUniv South China, Sch Resource Environm & Safety Engn, Hengyang 421001, Peoples R China.;Beijing Res Inst Chem Engn Met, Beijing 101149, Peoples R China. (author)
Song, JingUniv South China, Sch Resource Environm & Safety Engn, Hengyang 421001, Peoples R China. (author)
Liu, LongchengKTH,Kemiteknik,Univ South China, R&D Ctr Radioact Waste Treatment Disposal & Modeli, Hengyang 421001, Peoples R China.;China Inst Atom Energy, Beijing 102413, Peoples R China.(Swepub:kth)u1vjm6h6 (author)
Univ South China, Sch Resource Environm & Safety Engn, Hengyang 421001, Peoples R China.Univ South China, Sch Resource Environm & Safety Engn, Hengyang 421001, Peoples R China.;Univ South China, R&D Ctr Radioact Waste Treatment Disposal & Modeli, Hengyang 421001, Peoples R China.;China Inst Atom Energy, Beijing 102413, Peoples R China. (creator_code:org_t)

In:Nuclear engineering and technology: Elsevier BV55:4, s. 1476-14841738-57332234-358X

By the author/editor: Liu, Zhenzhong; Tan, Kaixuan; Li, Chunguang; Li, Yongmei; Zhang, Chong; Song, Jing; show more...; Liu, Longcheng; show less...

About the subject

NATURAL SCIENCES: NATURAL SCIENCES; and Earth and Relate ...; and Environmental Sc ...

Kungliga biblioteket hanterar dina personuppgifter i enlighet med EU:s dataskyddsförordning (2018), GDPR. Läs mer om hur det funkar här.
Så här hanterar KB dina uppgifter vid användning av denna tjänst.