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THE CHARACTERIZATION OF ARSENIC MINERAL PHASES FROM LEGACY MINE WASTE AND SOIL NEAR COBALT, ONTARIO by Jeff Clarke A research project submitted to the Department of Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering In conformity with the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Applied Geology Queen’s University Kingston, Ontario, Canada (July, 2017) Copyright © Jeff Clarke, 2017 i ABSTRACT The Cobalt-Coleman silver (Ag) mining camp has a long history of mining dating back to 1903. Silver mineralization is hosted within carbonate veins and occurs in association with Fe-Co-Ni arsenide and sulpharsenide mineral species. The complex mineralogy presented challenges to early mineral processing methods with varying success of Ag recovery and a significant amount of arsenic (As) in waste material which was disposed in the numerous tailings deposits scattered throughout the mining camp, and in many instances disposed of uncontained. The oxidation and dissolution of As-bearing mineral phases in these tailings and legacy waste sites releases As into the local aquatic environment. Determining the distribution of primary and secondary As mineral species in different legacy mine waste materials provides an understanding of the stability of As. Few studies have included detailed advanced mineralogical characterization of As mineral species from legacy mine waste in the Cobalt area. As part of this study, a total of 28 samples were collected from tailings, processed material near mill sites and soils from the legacy Nipissing and Cart Lake mining sites. The samples were analyzed for bulk chemistry to delineate material with strongly elevated As returned from all sample sites. This sampling returned highly elevated As with up to 6.01% As from samples near mill sites, 1.71% As from tailings and 0.10% As from soils. From the samples with elevated As, eight samples representative of the different sampling sites and material were selected for detailed mineralogical characterization using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in conjunction with automated mineralogy using mineral liberation analysis (MLA). Common primary As-bearing minerals identified include sulpharsenides and arsenides such as cobaltite, arsenopyrite, gersdorffite, safflorite and skutterudite; with common secondary As-bearing minerals forming post-processing including erythrite-annabergite, Fe-Ca arsenates and Fe-oxides with As. This characterization study highlighted the localized variability of mineralogical speciation and variations in the abundance of these species from the different sampling sites. The majority of the samples were dominated by secondary As minerals forming from the dissolution and oxidation of primary As-bearing mineral species and occurring as rims on grain particles, grain cementation and replacement of primary minerals. A single sample from fine-grained water saturated tailings is distinctly dominated by primary As- bearing minerals which highlights the localized redox conditions controlling oxidation. The results of this work, as well as previous characterization studies improves the understanding of the mineralogical ii characteristics and distribution of As-bearing legacy mine waste material with As which is critical to understand the stability of As and improve remediation planning and design. iii ACKNOWLDEGEMENTS Firstly, I am grateful to my supervisor, Dr. Heather Jamieson, for her guidance and encouragement. Her enthusiasm for this project and eagerness to pass on her geochemical knowledge were very much appreciated and motivating throughout my time at Queen’s. I would also like to thank my colleagues in Dr. Jamieson’s research group and within the department for their technical guidance, discussions and friendship. I thank Anthony Story of Story Environmental Inc. for sharing his local expertise of the Cobalt area, his help with field logistics and helpful review and edits. I would also like to thank Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. for their support of this project, and Chris Kennedy of Agnico Eagle for his review and edits. I also thank Agatha Dobosz for her help and guidance from sample prep to the use of SEM-MLA. To my parents, sister and family, I am grateful for the constant and unwavering support and encouragement. Lastly, thank you to my wife Laurel – the best field and life partner. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. CHAPTER 1: STUDY INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................ 1 1.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Study Area Location ....................................................................................................... 2 1.3 Scope and Objectives ..................................................................................................... 3 1.4 Background – Geology, Mineralization, Processing History and Previous Environmental Studies ............................................................................................................................ 5 Geology ........................................................................................................... 5 1.4.1.1 Regional Geology and Structure ...................................................... 5 1.4.1.2 Deposit Classification and Genesis ................................................. 7 1.4.1.3 Mineralized Vein Distribution ........................................................... 8 1.4.1.4 Mineralogy and Alteration ................................................................ 9 1.4.1.5 Weathering of Ore Veins and Formation of Secondary Minerals .. 11 Mineral Processing History............................................................................ 12 1.4.2.1 Early Processing History – 1904-1930s ......................................... 13 1.4.2.2 Processing Methods at the Nipissing Low Grade Mill ................... 14 1.4.2.3 Processing Methods at the Nipissing High Grade Mill and Refinery .......................................................................................... 15 1.4.2.4 2nd Era of Processing History – 1950s-1980s ................................ 16 1.4.2.5 Silver Summit Mill .......................................................................... 16 Tailings Deposits and Mill Sites of the Study Area ....................................... 17 1.4.3.1 Nipissing Hill Tailings ..................................................................... 17 1.4.3.2 Cart Lake Tailings .......................................................................... 18 1.4.3.3 Legacy Mill Sites ............................................................................ 19 Previous Environmental Studies ................................................................... 19 2. CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW - ARSENIC IN MINE WASTE ........................................ 23 Arsenic Associated with Mining Waste ......................................................... 23 Arsenic Transformation, Cycling and Mobilization in Mine Waste ................ 23 Arsenic Transformation and Mobilization Associated with Mineral Processing ..................................................................................................... 25 Secondary As Minerals and Stability in Mine Waste ..................................... 26 2.1.4.1 Secondary As Mineral Phase ........................................................ 26 2.1.4.2 Arsenic Surface Sorption ............................................................... 30 3. CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................. 31 3.1 Field Methods ............................................................................................................... 31 Sampling Design ........................................................................................... 31 Sample Locations .......................................................................................... 31 Sampling Methods ......................................................................................... 35 3.2 Analytical Methods ........................................................................................................ 37 3.3 Mineral Characterization ............................................................................................... 37 v SEM-MLA – Theory, Procedure and Applications ........................................ 37 Methods ......................................................................................................... 38 3.3.2.1 Sample Selection ........................................................................... 38 3.3.2.2 Sample Preparation ....................................................................... 40 3.3.2.3 SEM Operating Conditions ............................................................ 40 3.3.2.4 Mineral Reference Library ............................................................. 40 4. CHAPTER 4: RESULTS .............................................................................................................. 42 4.1 Tailings and Soil Geochemistry .................................................................................... 42 Geochemical Comparison of Sample Sites................................................... 42 Nipissing High Grade Mill and Tailings ......................................................... 45 Nipissing Low Grade Mill and Tailings .........................................................