Abstract
In this paper, we present some results of research on environmental geochemistry and the possibility to use the tailing sludge from Bình Minh and Khe Chàm Coal Mines (denoted as BT5 and BT8) for treatment of wastewater containing heavy metals. The main chemical components of BT5 and BT8 are Al2O3, Fe2O3 and SiO2, accounting for up to 60-70%, of which Al2O3 is the main component of the minerals montmorillonite, and kaolinite, Fe2O3 is the main component of goethite, which are useful minerals for sorption of heavy metals. The Cu, Pb, Zn and Cd sorption capacity of BT5 and BT8 are high and reaches the values of (40.52%, 97.52%, 20.97%, 18.54%) and (98.18%. 98,36 %. 50.89%, 63.6%) respectively. The Cu, Pb, Zn and Cd sorption capacity of BT5 and BT8 reaches the values of (919.5 mg/kg, 31736 mg/kg. 211,4 mg/kg, 3929 mg/kg) and (6,593 mg/kg, 32,876 mg/kg, 665 mg/kg, 5,245 mg/kg). The results show that BT5 and BT8 display strong sorption behavior toward heavy metals in wastewater.