Mining (Jesus Save us, and do a better job then you did for Pableto...)

An educational illustration showcasing mining activities, the effects of acid rock drainage on the environment, and various minerals being processed in an industrial setting.

Mining and Environmental Impact Quiz

Test your knowledge on mining processes, acid rock drainage, and environmental regulations with our informative quiz! Explore a variety of questions that challenge your understanding of mining practices and their ecological consequences.

Assess your grasp of mining terms and concepts
Learn about the environmental impacts of mining
Discover regulatory measures in place for mining operations

15 Questions4 MinutesCreated by MiningGuru32

Select the false sentence

Most ARD-generating bacteria cannot live in pH>4

The oxidation of pyrite by Fe3+ is 10 to 100 times faster than by oxygen alone

Under abiotic conditions, the oxidation of pyrite by air is very slow

Pyrite is less resistant to oxidation than pyrrhotite

At pH<3, Fe3+ precipitates as hydrous ferric oxide

Consider the following equations and select the true sentence below

Eq. 1 is a bacteria-mediated reaction.

Eq. 2 is showing that T. Ferrooxidans has limited ability to oxidize Cu2+

Bacteria rapidly regenerate ferric ion (eq. 3).

Eq 2 is showing that limonite is oxidized by ferric ion and oxygen

Ferrous ion can readily be regenerated by hydrolysis (eq. 4).

Chlorite has higher acid neutralization capacity than calcite, however…

�the rate of dissolution of chlorite by sulfuric acid is slow

�the acid potential of the sulfide minerals are much higher than the chlorite neutralization capacity

�chlorite has high content of chlorine which is harmful for the fish

�grain size and texture of the chlorite do not allow the use of this mineral for ARD control

�the liberation and exposure of chlorite in a rock is usually quite low

Select the false statement:

The stability of minerals is strongly affected by element substitution in the mineral lattice

Flotation of pyrite from tailings is one of the most effective procedures to control ARD

Acid Potential, AP, determined by calculating the theoretical amount of acid that can be produced if all sulfur is converted to sulfuric acid and neutralized by CaCO3

For the BC Ministry of Mines, when the NPR (Neutralization Potential Ratio) > 1, the rock is considered non-acid-generating

Primary control of ARD involves the elimination of one or more of the essential ingredients (exposed sulfides, oxygen, water and bacteria) or controlling pH

Which of the methods is a tertiary ARD control:

In a High Density Sludge Process plant the following mechanism is useful to remove As and Mo from solution.

Use a synthetic flocculant to decrease the pH and these metals will flocculate

Increase the pH above 10 with NaOH and these metals will precipitate

Add ferrous sulfate and these metals will be reduced and will precipitate as hydroxides.

Add excess of caustic soda to precipitate these metals

Add ferrous sulfate with peroxide and the hydrous ferric oxide formed will adsorb these metals

In this sentence: The TDI (Tolerable Daily Intake) is derived dividing the NOAEL (No- Observed-Adverse-Effect Level or sometimes the LOAEL (Lowest-Observed-Adverse -Effect Level) by a ???? factor. Fill the blank (????)

In the Metal Mining Effluent Regulations (MMER, 2002)…

) …the guideline dose of metals is based on lethality of trout in aquarium tests.

�a final discharge point is defined as a point 500 km downstream the mine

�55 deleterious substances in mining effluents are regulated

�the guidelines are much lower than the Canadian Water Quality Guidelines (CWQG) for Protection of Aquatic Life.

�are applied to any mine exceeding a total effluent flow of 500 m³/day at any time

In order to convince artisanal gold miners to adopt cleaner techniques the first procedure you should do is:

Demonstration of new pieces of equipment developed in Canada to recycle mercury.

Enforce the law as they are polluting rivers and intoxicating the communities.

Show them a way to extract more gold from their tailings.

Teach them that mercury can affect their kidneys, liver and cause visual constriction.

Show them that the mercury they release can be transformed into methylmercury.

Select the true sentence related to Artisanal Gold Mining (AGM)

The main mercury losses occur when the whole gold ore is amalgamated

Mercury can be activated with table salt and a battery; this forms Na-amalgam which is more effective to amalgamate gold than mercury alone.

Usually detritivorous (bottom -feeders) fish have higher methylmercury than carnivorous fish since they are in permanent contact with Hg-polluted aquatic sediments in AGM sites

Methylmercury pollution (accumulated in fish) is the main problem in AGM sites

One of the best ways to investigate mercury pollution in an AGM site is analyzing filtered water

Select the false sentence:

Coarse gold particles take long time to dissolve in cyanide

The toxicity of thiocyanate is significantly less than that of cyanide, but this can cause hypothyroidism

The peroxide process to destroy cyanide is not very suitable for slurries

The INCO SO2/air process is the only cyanide destruction process that destroys WAD cyanides

Photodegradation of free cyanide is affected by turbidity, color and depth of the pond

Select the false sentence:

Chronically elevated levels of thiocyanate in blood can inhibit the uptake of iodine by the thyroid gland

MMER (Metal Mining Effluent Regulation, 2002) regulates as 1.0 mg/L (ppm) the maximum level of total cyanide to be released in a mining effluent

The Combinox Process is a combination of SO2/Air and Peroxide Processes to destroy cyanide

The Cyanisorb is an AVR process recovers about 90% of the cyanide from tailings

Alkaline chlorination is the easiest way to destroy ferro and ferricyanides

Select the false sentence related to Mining Closure:

The BC Government usually requires a detailed socio-economic plan for the mine closure application

It is estimated that there are over 10,000 abandoned/orphaned mines in Canada

Closure plans should consider a minimum of 200 years.

Usually mining companies do not leave the buildings at the site when the mine is closed because there is liability related to any asset left by the company

In order to obtain a mining permit, a mining company must present a reclamation plan and pay a reclamation bond

Select the true sentence about Mine Closure

Revegetation with foreign plants can exacerbate the ARD process

Fly-in-fly-out is a very environmentally disruptive process to operate a mine since it pollutes the skies with CO2 and most Canadian Provinces are banning this process of operating a mine

Biosolids can accumulate up to 1000 g of gold per hectare in the plants

ARD management and resloping of waste dumps are the most expensive reclamation actions

In the Sullivan Mine in Kimberley, the mining company transformed the tailing dam into a water park for the local kids

You visited your mother-in-law and she is living near a gold shop in a developing country that it is daily melting gold doré with residual mercury sold by artisanal gold miners. Which of the symptoms cannot be related to mercury vapor intoxication?

Her short memory is getting worse

She is constantly coughing and showing other respiratory problems

She is complaining about kidney problems

She is treating you very well

She developed wart-like skin eruptions on the hands

Mining (Jesus Save us, and do a better job then you did for Pableto...)

Mining and Environmental Impact Quiz

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