Emergent thallium exposure from uranium mill tailings

Meiling Yin; Yuting Zhou; Daniel C W Tsang; Jingzi Beiyuan; Lan Song; Jingye She; Jin Wang; Li Zhu; Fa Fang; Lulu Wang; Juan Liu; Yanyi Liu; Gang Song; Diyun Chen; Tangfu Xiao

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124402

Emergent thallium exposure from uranium mill tailings

J Hazard Mater. 2021 Apr 5:407:124402. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124402. Epub 2020 Oct 28.

Authors

Meiling Yin¹, Yuting Zhou¹, Daniel C W Tsang², Jingzi Beiyuan³, Lan Song⁴, Jingye She¹, Jin Wang⁵, Li Zhu¹, Fa Fang¹, Lulu Wang¹, Juan Liu⁶, Yanyi Liu¹, Gang Song⁷, Diyun Chen⁷, Tangfu Xiao¹

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
² Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
³ School of Environment and Chemical Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong, China.
⁴ Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.
⁵ Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, Guangzhou 510006, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁶ Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁷ Key Laboratory of Water Quality and Conservation in the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, Guangzhou 510006, China.

PMID: 33189469
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124402

Abstract

Thallium (Tl) pollution caused by the exploitation of uranium (U) mines has long been neglected due to its low crustal abundance. However, Tl may be enriched in minerals of U ore because Tl has both sulfurophile and lithophile properties. Herein, a semi-dynamic leaching experiment combined with statistical analysis, geochemical speciation and multi-characterization provided novel insight into the distinct features and mechanisms of Tl release from uranium mill tailings (UMT). The results showed that particle size effects prevail over the pH on Tl release, and surface dissolution is the pivotal mechanism controlling Tl release based on Fick's diffusion model. The study revealed that long-term leaching and weathering can lead to the increased acid-extractable and oxidizable fractions of Tl in UMT, and that the exposure and dissolution of Tl-containing sulfides would largely enhance the flux of Tl release. The findings indicate that UMT containing (abundant) pyrite should be paid particular attention due to Tl exposure. Besides, critical concern over the potential Tl pollution in universal U mining and hydrometallurgical areas likewise may need to be seriously reconsidered.

Keywords: Hazardous waste treatment; Potentially toxic elements; Release mechanism; Thallium; Uranium mill tailings.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Mining
Soil Pollutants, Radioactive*
Thallium / analysis
Uranium* / analysis
Water Pollutants, Radioactive* / analysis

Substances

Soil Pollutants, Radioactive
Water Pollutants, Radioactive
Uranium
Thallium