Environmental Impact Variability of Copper Tailing Dumps in Fushe Arrez (Northern Albania): The Role of Pyrite Separation during Flotation

Acid mine drainage and potentially toxic elements release are a major source of pollution in sulfide-rich mining sites. Pyrite is the most impacting mineral due to its high acidification potential when it reacts with water under oxidizing conditions. At Fushe Arrez dressing plant Northern Albania, volcanic massive sulfide copper district, pyrite was past separated, double flotation process, produce concentrate relatively-pyrite-poor tailings. In last twenty years single has replaced process been deposited pyrite-rich tailings stacked separately from old ones. The study solid tailing materials natural waters flowing through dumping area, together leaching tests show that interacting slightly more acidic much higher total metal contents than those Also, distribution different, former being sulfide-hosted metals latter gangue-hosted metals. It thus suggested separation can play an important role sustainable ores, either for hazardous or marketing as by-product. An implementation studies industrial uses pivotal this case.