Treatment of Mining and Chemical Enterprise Technogenic Waters Using Artificial Geochemical Barriers (on the Example of Dalnegorsk Mining and Processing Plant

Based on long-term monitoring of technogenic and natural waters, this study identifies the main pollutants discharged by the Dalnegorsky Mining and Chemical Plant into the Rudnaya River: B, Mn, and SO42 –. Experiments were conducted on a laboratory-scale model of artificial geochemical barriers to treat technogenic waters from the plant. The results demonstrate high removal efficiency not only for the main pollutants (B, Mn, SO42 –), but also for accompanying elements (Cu, Zn, Pb) and carcinogenic elements (As, Ni, Cr, Cd). The maximum reduction was achieved using a Taurit sorbent as the barrier material at a filtrate flow rate of 0.78 × 10–6 m3/s (0.047 L/min). This study represents the first application of artificial geochemical barrier technology for the purification of technogenic waters originating from borosilicate ore tailings.