1
24-030
Efficiency of Carbon Sorbents in Removing Zinc
from Mine Water: A Comparative Case Study of the
Rothschönberger Stolln Water
Frank Amo Boateng
Nils Hoth
Marlies Grimmer
Festus Animah
ABSTRACT
One of the challenges of mining is the concentration of
heavy metals it releases into the environment through a phe-
nomenon called Acid Mine Drainage. Freiberg is no excep-
tion due to its long mining activities. The European Union
proposes that all rivers and streams must be in a good eco-
logical status by the year 2027 but this would be difficult
for large water sources as it would be economically unvi-
able. Consequently, the approach of treating these waters
at point sources would be of immense help and hence this
column experiment on mine water treatment with carbon
sorbents to remove zinc form the Rothschönberger Stolln.
For this experiment three resins namely, APTsorb, activated
coke, charred fermentation residues (which was produced
by the Freiberg University of Mining and Technology)
were analyzed through a simple column experiment to
determine their sorption capacities. Through their sorp-
tion capacity as this experiment seeks to ascertain: we are
able to make suggestions scientifically on the best mate-
rial among the three for the future design of a treatment
plant for the RSS. After the experiment whereby a 10 ml
peri glass column was used, material A: APTsorb showed
the least adsorption capacity (0.01 meq/g) and this could
be attributed to the fact that the resin works well under
pre-determined parameters such as pH and surface area.
Material B: Activated coke showed a better sorption capac-
ity (0.53 meq/g) in comparison to the basis value used for
this experiment. Material C: charred fermentation residue
which was produced by the University showed the most
efficient capacity of (1.69 meq/g). This in comparison with
the value used as the basis for this experiment showed that
material C (charred fermentation residue) is very efficient
for zinc sorption. pH values measured at the effluent of all
the experiment were slightly higher than the pH measured
in the initiating water.
INTRODUCTION
The Freiberg ore deposit is a zinc–lead–silver vein deposit.
The geology of the Freiberg mining district is such that it
is located in the central part of the Freiberg ore deposit
and includes largely medieval mine works. These medieval
mining activities have led to the metal concentrations in
outflows of dewatering galleries and the Rothschönberger
Stolln is no exception. In some top soil areas of the Freiberg
area, even concentrations of some heavy metals can be
located (Bayer, 1998). The European Union’s 2002 Water
Framework Directive indicates unequivocally that all flow-
ing waters must be brought to an ecologically good to a very
good status by 2027. This goal has become a far-fetched
goal due to the economic difficulty in treating large rivers.
Nevertheless, “Grief 2013” indicates that another
approach to the treatment of large water bodies is to treat
it at point sources. Heavy metals generated through old
mining activities could have low concentrations but upon
accumulation could amount to tones of concentrations and
hence becoming harmful. The aim of this work is therefore
to test with different carbon-based materials for their abil-
ity to take up zinc from highly concentrated solutions by
means of sorption processes using the RSS waters. The
Rothschönberger Stolln is a drainage channel which
reaches a length of about 30 km from the Sächsische Brand
Erbisdorf via the Freiberg mining district to Halsbrücke
and from there to the mouth hole at the Triebisch near
Rothschönberg. Construction of the tunnel began in
24-030
Efficiency of Carbon Sorbents in Removing Zinc
from Mine Water: A Comparative Case Study of the
Rothschönberger Stolln Water
Frank Amo Boateng
Nils Hoth
Marlies Grimmer
Festus Animah
ABSTRACT
One of the challenges of mining is the concentration of
heavy metals it releases into the environment through a phe-
nomenon called Acid Mine Drainage. Freiberg is no excep-
tion due to its long mining activities. The European Union
proposes that all rivers and streams must be in a good eco-
logical status by the year 2027 but this would be difficult
for large water sources as it would be economically unvi-
able. Consequently, the approach of treating these waters
at point sources would be of immense help and hence this
column experiment on mine water treatment with carbon
sorbents to remove zinc form the Rothschönberger Stolln.
For this experiment three resins namely, APTsorb, activated
coke, charred fermentation residues (which was produced
by the Freiberg University of Mining and Technology)
were analyzed through a simple column experiment to
determine their sorption capacities. Through their sorp-
tion capacity as this experiment seeks to ascertain: we are
able to make suggestions scientifically on the best mate-
rial among the three for the future design of a treatment
plant for the RSS. After the experiment whereby a 10 ml
peri glass column was used, material A: APTsorb showed
the least adsorption capacity (0.01 meq/g) and this could
be attributed to the fact that the resin works well under
pre-determined parameters such as pH and surface area.
Material B: Activated coke showed a better sorption capac-
ity (0.53 meq/g) in comparison to the basis value used for
this experiment. Material C: charred fermentation residue
which was produced by the University showed the most
efficient capacity of (1.69 meq/g). This in comparison with
the value used as the basis for this experiment showed that
material C (charred fermentation residue) is very efficient
for zinc sorption. pH values measured at the effluent of all
the experiment were slightly higher than the pH measured
in the initiating water.
INTRODUCTION
The Freiberg ore deposit is a zinc–lead–silver vein deposit.
The geology of the Freiberg mining district is such that it
is located in the central part of the Freiberg ore deposit
and includes largely medieval mine works. These medieval
mining activities have led to the metal concentrations in
outflows of dewatering galleries and the Rothschönberger
Stolln is no exception. In some top soil areas of the Freiberg
area, even concentrations of some heavy metals can be
located (Bayer, 1998). The European Union’s 2002 Water
Framework Directive indicates unequivocally that all flow-
ing waters must be brought to an ecologically good to a very
good status by 2027. This goal has become a far-fetched
goal due to the economic difficulty in treating large rivers.
Nevertheless, “Grief 2013” indicates that another
approach to the treatment of large water bodies is to treat
it at point sources. Heavy metals generated through old
mining activities could have low concentrations but upon
accumulation could amount to tones of concentrations and
hence becoming harmful. The aim of this work is therefore
to test with different carbon-based materials for their abil-
ity to take up zinc from highly concentrated solutions by
means of sorption processes using the RSS waters. The
Rothschönberger Stolln is a drainage channel which
reaches a length of about 30 km from the Sächsische Brand
Erbisdorf via the Freiberg mining district to Halsbrücke
and from there to the mouth hole at the Triebisch near
Rothschönberg. Construction of the tunnel began in