Blending bauxite residues with multiple byproducts improves capping materials for tailings storage facilities.

Amelioration and management of large volumes of tailings resulting from alumina refining is a major challenge owing to the high alkalinity and salinity of residues. Blended byproduct caps are a potential new and more cost-effective approach to tailings management, where tailings are blended with other local byproducts in order to reduce pH, salinity and toxic elements. Here, alkaline bauxite residue was blended with four byproducts (waste acid, sewage water, fly ash and eucalypt mulch) to create a range of potential capping materials.

Heavy metal stabilization in contaminated soil by treatment with calcined cockle shell.

In several previous studies, the efficacy of various liming waste materials on the immobilization of heavy metals has been tested and it was found that soils contaminated with heavy metals can be stabilized using this technique. Since lime (CaO) has been identified as the main phase of calcined cockle shell (CCS), it was hypothesized that CCS could be used as a soil amendment to immobilize heavy metals in soil. However, to date, no studies have been conducted using CCS.