Study on the oxidation and acidification characteristics of the sulfur-containing tailings material

• Published in: Arabian journal of geosciences Vol. 14; no. 9
• Main Authors: Chen, Wenzhao, Wang, Gang, Liu, Xiqi, Fan, Jiaqing, Xu, Mingnan, Fei, Botao, Long, Hui
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.05.2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Accumulation; Acidification; Coefficient of friction; Coefficients; Comminution; Contact angle; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth science; Earth Sciences; Friction; Hydrogen peroxide; Internal friction; Mechanical properties; Mine tailings; Original Paper; Oxidation; Particle size; Physical properties; Porosity; Shear modulus; Simulation; Sulfur; Sulfuric acid; Sulphur; Sulphuric acid; Tailings; Oxidation and acidification; Numerical simulation; Immersion test; Sulfur-containing tailings sand; Physical and mechanical properties
• ISSN: 1866-7511; 1866-7538
• DOI: 10.1007/s12517-021-07085-4

For studying the mechanical properties of sulfur-containing tailings material in the acidification environment, the tailings material was soaked in H 2 O 2 solution with different concentrations to simulate the oxidation and acidification of the tailings with different accumulation history. The change laws and mechanisms of its mechanical properties after oxidation and acidification were discussed, and through the PFC (particle flow code) mesoscopic discrete element analysis method, the connection between mesoscopic particles and its macroscopic properties was established. The experimental results show that the chemical immersion tests on tailings materials with a certain ratio of hydrogen peroxide to concentrated sulfuric acid can well simulate the joint action of oxidation and acidification, so as to simulate the tailings with different accumulation history. Under the action of oxidation and acidification, the physical and mechanical properties of tailings material are mainly affected by the particle size and contact characteristics. The angle of internal friction decreases, influenced by the reduction of particle size, while the change of cohesive force is greatly correlated with both of the two factors. The shear modulus under different porosity and friction coefficients is basically the same, but the increase of porosity or the decrease of mesoscopic particle friction coefficient will greatly weaken its shear capacity, that is, its mesoscopic particle compactness and contact characteristics have an important impact on the macroscopic mechanical properties of tailings.