Klimko T., Heviánková S., Šottník P., Jurkovič Ľ., Lacková E. & Vozár J., 2014: Experimental removal of antimony from mine waters (abandoned Sb deposit Poproč, eastern Slovakia). Acta Geologica Slovaca, 6, 2, 203–213. (in Slovak with English summary)

Experimentálne odstraňovanie antimónu z banských vôd (opustené Sb ložisko Poproč, východné Slovensko)

Experimental removal of antimony from mine waters (abandoned Sb deposit Poproč, eastern Slovakia)

Tomáš Klimko¹, Silvie Heviánková¹, Peter Šottník², Ľubomír Jurkovič², Eva Lacková¹ & Jaroslav Vozár³

¹VŠB - Technická Univerzita Ostrava, Hornicko-geologická fakulta, 17. listopadu 15, 708 33 Ostrava-Poruba, Česká republika; tomas.klimko@vsb.cz
²Univerzita Komenského v Bratislave, Prírodovedecká fakulta, Mlynská dolina, 842 15, Bratislava, Slovensko; sottnik@fns.uniba.sk
³EL spol. s r.o., Radlinského 17/A, 052 01 Spišská Nová Ves, Slovensko

Abstract

In the process of experimental testing of antimony elimination from mine water that was sampled at the abandoned Sb deposit at the Eastern Slovakia, three remediation techniques in the form of column experiments were used: removal of Sb by activated carbon; GEH sorbent (granulated Fe(OH)₃ with content of _βFeOOH and H₂O) and the ion exchange resin process with the use of single strongly acidic catex Amberlite IR-120 (Na⁺ cycle) and a combination of catex and weakly basic annex Purolite A-100 (OH^- cycle). Poproč village, which is located near the abandoned Sb deposit, is currently suffering from a lack of a permanent source of drinking water. However, if the decontaminated mine water was adequately treated it could serve as an alternative source of drinking water at the Poproč locality. Sample of tested mine water contained 120 μg.l^-1 of Sb that represents 24 times more than is the limit for Sb concentration (5 μg.l^-1) in drinking water as determined by SR Government Regulation No. 496/2010 Coll. Activated carbon in the process of Sb elimination from the tested mine water showed the lowest effectiveness (20%). Using of the single catex resulted in the 41 % efficiency and using of combination of the catex and annex resulted in 98 % efficiency in the process of Sb removal from the tested mine water. The GEH sorbent showed also high ability (efficiency 98 %) of Sb elimination. Treated mine water (after use of GEH sorbent) was hygienically stabilised with the use of disinfection reagent in the form of 0.3 % ClO₂ solution and the water analysis were performed in the range corresponding to the drinking water analysis. From the obtained experimental results it can be concluded that the present mine water after adequate treatment can be potentially suitable and serve as a source of drinking water at studied locality.

Key words: experimental testing, mine water, Sb, removal, drinking water, Poproč

Manuscript received: 2014-04-07

Revised version accepted: 2014-10-08