Acid Rock Drainage and Metal Leaching Testing

SRC provides comprehensive Acid Rock Drainage (ARD) and Metal Leaching (ML) testing to assess the environmental performance of sites and mine waste materials. 

Using industry-standard methods and advanced laboratory facilities, SRC conducts both static and kinetic tests—including Acid-Base Accounting (ABA), pH, sulfur and carbonate analyses, humidity cell tests and column leach studies—to evaluate a material’s potential for acid generation and metal release. 

SRC’s experts can perform analyses to classify materials, provide valuable geochemical information to predict long-term drainage quality and develop practical management strategies for mine closure and remediation.

These services support regulatory compliance and sustainable mine waste management across Canada and internationally.  

Static Testing (Screening & Classification)

Static testing measures immediate leachability under controlled, short-term conditions for rapid screening for leachability or contamination potential.

Acid-Base Accounting (ABA)

• Determines net-acid generation, neutralization potential and acid potential
• Additional tests available to assess the potential for acid rock drainage

Static Water Leaching Testing

Methods offered include:

• Shake Flask Extractions (SFE)
• Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure (SPLP)
• Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP)
• Leaching Environmental Assessment Framework (LEAF)
• Sequential extractions 

Analysis on the extract will be determined by the client and can include: 

• pH
• Electrical conductivity
• Dissolved metals (by ICP-AES or ICP-MS)
• Radionuclides (natural and human-made)
• Sulfur speciation (total sulfur, acid soluble sulfate, sulfide calculation)
• Total carbon, organic carbon and inorganic carbon
• Carbonates by back titration
• Particle size analysis (by either laser diffraction or sieves)

Kinetic Testing (Long-Term Simulation)

Kinetic testing simulates long-term weathering and drainage behaviour, predicting long-term acid generation and metal leaching to assess environmental performance.

Humidity Cell Tests (HCT)

Simulates natural weathering over 20–40 weeks by repeatedly wetting and drying samples with deionized water and measuring effluent for pH, sulfate, dissolved metals and acidity/alkalinity.

Column Leach Tests

Used for larger, less-processed samples that better represent waste rock piles. The leachate is monitored for water quality and contaminant release trends.

Custom Tests

We offer custom tests that are tailored to your specific situation for the purpose of predicting ARD or ML for specific environmental or field conditions.

Mineralogical Analysis - Sample Characterization and Results Interpretation & Validation

Mineralogical analysis supports sample characterization and interpretation of both static and kinetic test data by identifying mineral sources of acidity, alkalinity and metals. 

Analysis methods include:

• X-Ray Diffraction (XRD)
• QEMSCAN Minerology/Metallurgy Analysis (Quantitative Evaluation of Minerals by Scanning Electron Microscopy)
• Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
• Whole Rock Analysis