Removal of Fluoride Ions from the Mine Water

Eugenia KRASAVTSEVA; Anton SVETLOV; Andrey GORYACHEV; Dmitry MAKAROV; Vladimir MASLOBOEV

doi:10.29227/IM-2020-01-42

Eugenia KRASAVTSEVA Institute of Industrial North Ecology Problems of the Kola Science Centre of RAS, Fersman St., 14a, Apatity, Murmansk Region, 184209, Russia
Anton SVETLOV Institute of Industrial North Ecology Problems of the Kola Science Centre of RAS, Fersman St., 14a, Apatity, Murmansk Region, 184209, Russia
Andrey GORYACHEV Institute of Industrial North Ecology Problems of the Kola Science Centre of RAS, Fersman St., 14a, Apatity, Murmansk Region, 184209, Russia
Dmitry MAKAROV Institute of Industrial North Ecology Problems of the Kola Science Centre of RAS, Fersman St., 14a, Apatity, Murmansk Region, 184209, Russia
Vladimir MASLOBOEV Institute of Industrial North Ecology Problems of the Kola Science Centre of RAS, Fersman St., 14a, Apatity, Murmansk Region, 184209, Russia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.29227/IM-2020-01-42

Keywords: fluoride removal, wastewater, magnesium sorbents

Abstract

Murmansk Region is home to some major mining and mineral sites. One of the most challenging environmental problems in the
mining industry is mine water treatment. For example, the rocks of the deposit operated by Lovozero Mining and Mineral Processing
Company contain villiomite (NaF). It is highly soluble in water, and the mine waters at the site have a high content of fluoride ions –
significantly above the maximum permissible values.
Lab-scale experiments were conducted to test various reagents and different initial concentrations of fluoride ions in the treatment of
model solutions and mine water. Depending on the initial concentrations, magnesium and calcium-containing sorbents are proposed
for the defluorization of water. Using scanning electron microscopy and microprobe analysis, it was found that fluorine can be bound
in poorly soluble compounds, such as, for example, fluorite.
Pilot trials are planned.