Removal of zinc and lead from a neutral mine water using iron tailings and iron oxyhydroxide coated iron tailings

Lovisagruvan is a lead and zinc mine with elevated metal concentrations (370 mu g/L Pb, 690 mu g/L Zn) in slightly alkaline (about pH 8) mine water. In this study iron tailings, untreated and coated with iron oxyhydroxide, respectively, were used as filter materials to lower the concentrations of Pb and Zn. One upflow and one downflow column of each filter material were used. Columns with uncoated tailings removed 97.5 % zinc and 99.7 % lead while columns with coated tailings removed 95.9 % zinc and 97.7-98.9 % lead.