Mineral phases and mobility of trace metals in white aluminum precipitates found in acid mine drainage

The white aluminum precipitates (S1,S2,S4-1,S4-2) collected at three different locations affected by acid mine and rock drainage were studied to characterize the mineral phases and mobility of trace metals. Chemical analysis, XRD, SEM, NMR, and sequential extraction method were mainly used. XRD data showed that most white aluminum precipitates are amorphous with small amount of gypsum, which was also confirmed by SEM. The ²⁷Al MAS NMR spectra provide more detailed information on the local environments of aluminum in those samples. The samples collected at two locations (S3, and S4-1 and S4-2) contain 4-coordinated aluminum, suggesting that the samples contain a significant amount of amorphous phase from Al₁₃-tridecamer. Chemical data of calcium and sulfur with ²⁷Al MAS NMR spectra suggest that the relative amounts of amorphous phase from Al₁₃-tridecamer, hydrobasaluminite, aluminum hydroxide, and gypsum are different for each sample. Different amount of amorphous phase from Al₁₃-tridecamer in those samples are probably caused by the different geochemical conditions and hydrolysis by aging in water. Sequential extraction results show that water soluble fraction and sorbed and exchangeable fraction of trace metals in sample collected as suspended particles (S1) are higher than other samples, and can affect the ecological system in waters by releasing aluminum and trace metals. These results suggest that careful characterization of white aluminum precipitates is needed to estimate the environmental effects of those precipitates in acid mine drainage.