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Acid neutralization and metal mobilization in oil sands froth treatment tailings.

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Title: Acid neutralization and metal mobilization in oil sands froth treatment tailings.
Authors: Ferry, Stuart R.1 (AUTHOR) stu.ferry@usask.ca, Abdolahnezhad, Mojtaba1 (AUTHOR) moa245@mail.usask.ca, Lindsay, Matthew B. J.1 (AUTHOR) matt.lindsay@usask.ca
Source: Geochemical Transactions. 11/26/2025, Vol. 26 Issue 1, p1-18. 18p.
Subjects: Acid neutralizing capacity, Oil sands, Chemical weathering, Metals removal (Sewage purification), Mine closures, Tailings dams, Analytical geochemistry
Geographic Terms: Alberta, Canada
Abstract: Acid generation and metal(loid) release are growing considerations for oil sands mine closure in northern Alberta, Canada. Oxidative weathering of pyrite-bearing froth treatment tailings (FTT) has potential to promote acid generation and metal(loid) release. However, the acid-neutralization reactions and their influence on pore-water pH and metal(loid) mobility have not yet been reported. Laboratory column experiments examined acid-neutralization reactions and metal(loid) release for variably weathered (i.e., non-weathered, partially weathered, highly weathered) FTT samples collected from a commercial-scale beach deposit. Solvent-washed and non-solvent-washed splits of each sample were included to assess the influence of residual hydrocarbons. Acidic influent (i.e., 0.05 M H2SO4; pH ~ 1.5) was continuously pumped through each column, and effluent samples were collected for geochemical analysis over time. Effluent pH decreased from ~ 7.0 to 5.5 over the first 5 pore volumes for the non-weathered and partially weathered columns, while gradual pH decreases to ~ 4.5 were observed over the following 30 to 70 pore volumes. Subsequent decreases in effluent pH from ~ 4.5 to < 3.0 occurred over the next 2 to 5 pore volumes for these columns. In contrast, effluent pH consistently remained below 2.0 for the highly weathered columns. We attribute these effluent pH trends to the dissolution of Ca- and Mg-bearing carbonates (pH ~ 6.5 to 6), Fe-bearing carbonates (pH ~ 5.6 to 4.5), Al (oxy)hydroxides (pH ~ 4.5 to 4.0), and silicates (pH < ~ 2). Corresponding increases in effluent concentrations of Fe (< 1 to > 500 mg L− 1), Al (< 0.1 to > 10 mg L− 1), Si (< 0.1 to > 10 mg L− 1), and additional metal(loid)s (e.g., Ni, Zn, V, As) were observed with decreasing pH. Cumulative mass releases (e.g., Ca, Mg, Fe) were greatest for the non-weathered samples and solvent-washed splits. These results offer new insights into relationships between acid neutralization reactions and metal(loid) release that can inform FTT management and reclamation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Geochemical Transactions is the property of BioMed Central and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Acid neutralization and metal mobilization in oil sands froth treatment tailings.
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  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Ferry%2C+Stuart+R%2E%22&quot;&gt;Ferry, Stuart R.&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;relatesTo&gt;1&lt;/relatesTo&gt; (AUTHOR)&lt;i&gt; stu.ferry@usask.ca&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Abdolahnezhad%2C+Mojtaba%22&quot;&gt;Abdolahnezhad, Mojtaba&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;relatesTo&gt;1&lt;/relatesTo&gt; (AUTHOR)&lt;i&gt; moa245@mail.usask.ca&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Lindsay%2C+Matthew+B%2E+J%2E%22&quot;&gt;Lindsay, Matthew B. J.&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;relatesTo&gt;1&lt;/relatesTo&gt; (AUTHOR)&lt;i&gt; matt.lindsay@usask.ca&lt;/i&gt;
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  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;JN&quot; term=&quot;%22Geochemical+Transactions%22&quot;&gt;Geochemical Transactions&lt;/searchLink&gt;. 11/26/2025, Vol. 26 Issue 1, p1-18. 18p.
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– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Acid generation and metal(loid) release are growing considerations for oil sands mine closure in northern Alberta, Canada. Oxidative weathering of pyrite-bearing froth treatment tailings (FTT) has potential to promote acid generation and metal(loid) release. However, the acid-neutralization reactions and their influence on pore-water pH and metal(loid) mobility have not yet been reported. Laboratory column experiments examined acid-neutralization reactions and metal(loid) release for variably weathered (i.e., non-weathered, partially weathered, highly weathered) FTT samples collected from a commercial-scale beach deposit. Solvent-washed and non-solvent-washed splits of each sample were included to assess the influence of residual hydrocarbons. Acidic influent (i.e., 0.05 M H2SO4; pH ~ 1.5) was continuously pumped through each column, and effluent samples were collected for geochemical analysis over time. Effluent pH decreased from ~ 7.0 to 5.5 over the first 5 pore volumes for the non-weathered and partially weathered columns, while gradual pH decreases to ~ 4.5 were observed over the following 30 to 70 pore volumes. Subsequent decreases in effluent pH from ~ 4.5 to &lt; 3.0 occurred over the next 2 to 5 pore volumes for these columns. In contrast, effluent pH consistently remained below 2.0 for the highly weathered columns. We attribute these effluent pH trends to the dissolution of Ca- and Mg-bearing carbonates (pH ~ 6.5 to 6), Fe-bearing carbonates (pH ~ 5.6 to 4.5), Al (oxy)hydroxides (pH ~ 4.5 to 4.0), and silicates (pH &lt; ~ 2). Corresponding increases in effluent concentrations of Fe (&lt; 1 to &gt; 500 mg L− 1), Al (&lt; 0.1 to &gt; 10 mg L− 1), Si (&lt; 0.1 to &gt; 10 mg L− 1), and additional metal(loid)s (e.g., Ni, Zn, V, As) were observed with decreasing pH. Cumulative mass releases (e.g., Ca, Mg, Fe) were greatest for the non-weathered samples and solvent-washed splits. These results offer new insights into relationships between acid neutralization reactions and metal(loid) release that can inform FTT management and reclamation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: &lt;i&gt;Copyright of Geochemical Transactions is the property of BioMed Central and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder&#39;s express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.&lt;/i&gt; (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1186/s12932-025-00106-1
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 18
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      – SubjectFull: Acid neutralizing capacity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Oil sands
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Chemical weathering
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      – SubjectFull: Metals removal (Sewage purification)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mine closures
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      – SubjectFull: Tailings dams
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Analytical geochemistry
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Alberta
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Canada
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Acid neutralization and metal mobilization in oil sands froth treatment tailings.
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            NameFull: Ferry, Stuart R.
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            NameFull: Abdolahnezhad, Mojtaba
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            NameFull: Lindsay, Matthew B. J.
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              Text: 11/26/2025
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