Pollution potential of flotation wastewaters of Ergani Copper plants on Maden Brook

SUMMARY Master Thesis POLLUTION POTENTIAL OF FLOTATION WASTEWATERS OF ERGANİ COPPER PLANTS ON MADEN BROOK Faruk GÜR Fırat University Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences- Department of Chemical Engineering 1993, Page: 81 The flotation wastewaters of the Ergani Copper plant of EtiDank was examined for its pollution potential on the Maden Brook, the cradle of the Dicle River. Sampling sites in the length of 7 km were chosen on the Maden Brook as such to comprise the whole region of the copper plant. Starting as from October 1991 water samples were analysed monthly for solid substances, chemical oxygen demand, alkalinity and heavy metals (Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, Co, Ni, Cd and Pb ),and the temperature, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, of the samples were measured. In addition, the pollution potential of heavy metals were examined by EPA Extraction Test applied to the solid wastes of flotation.VI ' High amounts of solids consisted basically of sulphur minerals was found in the wastewater discharged into the Maden Brook from the flotation waste settling ponds of the Ergani Copper Plant. It was found that the both, the dissolution of these solid wastes and the leakages from the slag and ore heaps caused by rainfall result in heavy metal pollution in the Maden Brook. Concentrations of same heavy metals were found to exceed the tolerable limit values shown in various water criteria. EPA extraction test results indicate that these flotation solid wastes will be a permanent pollution potential due to decomposition of the waste by atmospheric and bacterial effects. KEY WORDS : Heavy Metal Pollution, Pollution Potential of Metal urgical Wastes, Pollution by Mine Drainage, EPA ( Heavy Metal } Extraction Test