Visualisation and quantification of heavy metal accessibility in smelter slags: The influence of morphology on availability

Environmental Pollution
Anthony L MorrisonBrian L Gulson

Abstract

The Imperial Smelting Furnace (ISF) for producing lead and zinc simultaneously has operated on four continents and in eleven countries from the 1950's. One of the process changes that the ISF introduced was the production of a finely granulated slag waste. Although this slag contained significant amounts of residual lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn), because of its glassy nature it was considered environmentally benign. From the Cockle Creek smelter near Boolaroo at the northern end of Lake Macquarie, NSW, Australia, it is estimated that around 2.1 million tonnes of the fine slag was distributed into the community and most remains where it was originally utilised. Residual tonnages of slag of this magnitude are common worldwide wherever the ISF operated. Studies of base metal smelting slags have concluded that mineralogical and morphological characteristics of the slag play a critical role in moderating environmental release of toxic elements. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and microanalysis of the ISF slags has shown that the Pb and associated elements are present as discrete nodules (∼6-22 μm) in the slag and that they are not associated with Zn which is contained in the glass slag phase. Using an automated SEM and analysis techniq...Continue Reading

References

Jul 1, 1985·The Science of the Total Environment·M J DugganJ S Moorcroft
Jul 12, 2002·The Science of the Total Environment·Yi Jian Huang, Brian L Gulson
May 26, 2005·The Science of the Total Environment·Patrick GanneRudy Swennen
Aug 3, 2006·Environmental Health Perspectives·Stan W CasteelWilliam J Brattin
May 15, 2007·The Science of the Total Environment·Anthony L Morrison, Brian L Gulson
Sep 5, 2007·Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology·A C RoachF Krikowa
Feb 24, 2009·The Science of the Total Environment·Christopher M McLeanGeoff R MacFarlane
Dec 1, 2009·Journal of Hazardous Materials·Trajce StafilovLyudmila P Strelkova
Nov 15, 2012·Environmental Science & Technology·Michael V Ruby, Yvette W Lowney

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Citations

Sep 16, 2016·Environmental Geochemistry and Health·Vojtěch EttlerCécile Quantin
Jan 29, 2017·The Science of the Total Environment·P J HarveyR Trinh
May 19, 2021·Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology·Wei MengPan Wu

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