Inventory and Hydrogeochemical Characterization of coal mining drainages in

the municipalities of the Central Province of Boyacá Colombia.

RICARDO MANRIQUE ABRIL

Orquídea, Colombia
Faculty of Chemical and Environmental Engineering
Master's Degree in Environmental Engineering.

Director
Dr. Rer. nat THOMAS HEINRICH CRAMER
Research Group in Economic Geology (GEGEMA)

National University of Colombia

2018
IDENTIFICATION OF THE PROBLEM.

• Do the geological formations and their relationship with

the coal mining activity generate hydrogeochemical
processes and discharges to receiving sources with the
presence of toxic chemical elements for human health
and environment?

• What is the number of mining titles and mining

production units (UPM) of coal from the Central Province
that generate acid mine drainages (DAM)?

• What is its flow and chemical composition?

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:

• Inventory of coal UPMs in the study area.

• Analysis of the hydrogeological and
environmental conditions of coal deposits.
• Characterize the physical-chemical conditions of
the coal mine drainage of the UPM selected from
the Central Province (Tunja, Motavita, Chiquiza,
Sora, Cucaita, Samacá, Ventaquemada, Soracá,
Chivatá, Oicatá, Tuta, Sotaquirá, Toca and
Siachoque, Paipa) and predict the concentration of
elements and compounds from the
hydrogeochemical variables.
CONTEXT
MINING TITLES IN COLOMBIA
Colombia has 9,602
mining titles in force,
distributed in 312 types 4% 4% 2%
5%
of minerals, classified
into 8 large groups.
11%
(ANM 2017)

57%
17%

Building coal
precious metals limestones
industrial minerals precious stones
CONTEXT

Information sources:
• Parques Nacionales, 2018
• Páramos Instituto Humboldt, 2017
• Títulos y solicitudes mineras, 2018
CONTEXT

PARAMOS AND PROTECTED

AREAS vs MINING TITLES

Information sources:
National Parks 2018
Páramos Instituto Humboldt year 2017
ANM. 2015
According to UPME (Energy Mining Planning
Unit) and CAR (Regional Autonomous
Corporation) obtained data, it was estimated
that near to 70.400 m3 of mine drainages,
majoritary from coal, were poured into the
water bodies. (Muñoz Robles 2007).
METHODOLOGY:

Exploratory study: Institutions (ANM-CAR)

Analytical descriptive study

• Thermogravimetric macro analysis.
• Microscopic determination of vitrinite’s reflectance in polished coal
specimens.
• x-ray fluorescence.
• X-ray diffraction (XRD or DRX) with the help of the search /
coincidence method (B / C).
By means of reflected light petrography, the interpretation of
sedimentary and diagenetic mineralogical components is carried out.
RESULTS
MINING PHASES
Boyacá has 1,574
mining titles.
598 belong to coal,
this is distributed
35% 36%
over an area of
318,637 hectares,
equivalent to 14% of
the department's
surface.
29%

EXPLORATION
CONSTRUCTION AND ASSEMBLY
EXPLOITATION
CENTRO PROVINCE
RESULTS
Distribution of titles by Municipality.

18% 8%
aa
11% 8%
7%
6%
2% 8%
13%
19%

Chivatá Cómbita Cucaita Motavita

Paipa Samacá Soracá Tunja
Tuta Ventaquemada
 6513
CONCENTRATION (ppm)

Mínimos Máximos

1228
736 309 823

5.00 100.00 128.00 64.00 34.30

SrO Mg V Zr Cl
Values ​of minor elements analyzed in coal ash
 CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF COAL

Mercury, Total humiditi,

Inflation index. No. Chlorine, mg/kg
µg/kg % dough
Id.
UPM-001 1 167 242 3,02
UPM-002 1 24 176 2,44
UPM-003 1 111 65 5,60
UPM-004 1 1/2 54 42 4,74
UPM-005 1 1/2 66 441 4,30
UPM-006 1 120 108 5,08
UPM-007 1 1/2 174 420 3,87
UPM-008 1 1/2 186 320 5,05
UPM-009 2 303 823 3,73
UPM-010 3 1/2 182 541 4,73
UPM-011 1 1/2 655 498 5,19
UPM-012 1/2 48 45 11,09
UPM-013 1/2 34 45 11,39
UPM-014 1/2 98 37 11,59
UPM-015 1 1/2 124 945 2,40
 CHEMICAL COMPOSITION IN COAL ASHES
Iron
Aluminum Calcium Magnesium Sodium Potassium Titanium Match Sulfur Estrontium
Silicon as as
as as as as as as as as as Zirconium
Id. UPM SiO2 Fe2O3
Al2O3 CaO MgO Na2O K2 O TiO2 P2O5 SO3 SrO

Porcentaje (%) en peso mg/Kg

UPM-001 64,95 15,85 14,96 0,3 0,24 < 0,11 0,38 1,4 0,08 0,27 <3 161

UPM-002 66,56 24,68 1,9 1,42 0,37 0,36 0,41 1,73 0,83 1,07 1525 617

UPM-003 66,51 24,87 3,35 0,88 0,38 < 0,11 0,88 1,49 0,74 0,42 1057 490

UPM-004 67,31 25,98 2,98 0,39 0,22 < 0,11 0,49 1,72 0,33 2,5 562 462

UPM-005 49,32 27,36 11,67 2,96 0,47 0,74 0,18 1,55 2,34 0,15 4078 743

UPM-006 69,64 24,07 1,63 0,26 0,58 < 0,11 1,98 1,23 0,12 0,3 308 310

UPM-007 56,63 30,35 7,29 1,4 0,55 < 0,11 0,98 0,95 1,03 0,37 656 278

UPM-008 65,77 24,79 4,12 0,86 0,37 < 0,11 0,9 1,52 0,75 0,57 820 454

UPM-009 61,16 23,94 9,18 1,25 0,4 0,34 0,54 1,4 0,71 0,07 633 368

UPM-010 64,84 28,01 2,12 0,29 0,71 < 0,11 2,08 1,41 0,15 0,82 328 384

UPM-011 62,43 23,08 7,7 1,22 0,61 < 0,11 1,53 1,31 0,86 4,69 476 302

UPM-012 41,42 32,36 2,53 8,9 1,19 0,8 0,34 1,1 5,73 1,4 6513 1228

UPM-013 65,66 24,06 1,23 2,71 0,79 0,13 1,17 1,3 1,05 3,1 1349 533

UPM-014 67,92 19,41 3,36 2,59 1,05 0,23 0,79 1,34 0,09 3,12 1008 452
UPM-015 56,59 25,78 3,74 3,07 0,92 1,35 0,48 1,7 2,25 0,2 4513 950
CONCLUSIONS

1. Six (6) of fiften (15) municipalities of the central province, do not

develop coal mining activity and represent 45.5% of the territory.

2. There are one hundred and twenty three UPMs, distributed in

forty (40) titles with an environmental license.

3. Of sixty-eight (68) titles for coal in the central province, forty (40)
titles have an environmental license.

4. The presence of rare earths in the calcined ash, such as vanadium

and zirconium, is evidenced.