Geochemistry and mineralogy of vanadium in mine tailings at Berg Aukas, northeastern Namibia

Vanadium-rich mine tailings at Berg Aukas, site with a world-known vanadium mineralization in northeastern Namibia, were investigated using a combination of solid phase and mineralogical analyses, leaching tests and speciation modeling. Principal objective of the study was to determine, if vanadium can be released into the environment. In spite of >30 y of weathering and oxidation of tailings material to a maximum sampling depth of 2.4 m, a large portion of V still remains in the primary mineral descloizite, (Pb, Zn)2(OH)VO4.|A part of V was mobilized and adsorbed/co-precipitated with ferric oxyhydroxides. Based on sequential extraction and 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, a large amount of ferric iron is present in insoluble hematite and goethite, where V is effectively bound. Other potential contaminants are Zn, present mostly in the primary mineral willemite, Zn2SiO4, descloizite and also in secondary smithsonite, ZnCO3; and Pb, which was transferred from completely dissolved galena to cerussite, PbCO3 and is also partly present in primary descloizite. Conditions in the mine tailings are alkaline (pH generally >8.2) and oxidizing during dry period, but mobility of V is low due to low solubility of descloizite and secondary crystalline ferric phases such as hematite. In contrast, Zn and especially Pb in secondary carbonates, probably represent more serious environmental and health risks.