Metesh hydrogeologist terrie jarrell project leader steve oravetz program leader usda forest service technology and development program missoula, montana 7e72g71 acid mine drainage study october 1998 united states department of agriculture forest service technology. In january 2017, osmre renamed the acid drainage technology initiative adti to the mine drainage technology initiative mdti to more accurately reflect the need to address issues associated with mine drainage, all of which may not be acidic. Acid mine drainage amd is one of the major water quality issues in colorado and at locations throughout the western u. Acid mine drainage pollution abatement cost estimating software. Acid mine drainage, acid and metalliferous drainage amd, or acid rock drainage ard is the outflow of acidic water from metal mines or coal mines acid rock drainage occurs naturally within some environments as part of the rock weathering process but is exacerbated by largescale earth disturbances characteristic of mining and other large construction activities, usually within rocks. Optimization of acid mine drainage remediation with central composite rotatable design. As amd is recognized as one of the more serious environmental problems in the mining industry, its causes, prediction and treatment have become the focus of a number of research initiatives commissioned by governments, the mining industry, universities and research establishments, with additional. Research efforts have proceeded recently through the acid drainage technology initiative. Consequences of failing to predict amd for individual operations and for the mining industry include unplanned spending on remedial measures and reputational damage. Conservation legacy hiring acid mine drainage software intern. Its generation, release, mobility, and attenuation involves complex processes governed by a combination of physical, chemical, and biological factors. A mine draining acid can devastate rivers, streams, and aquatic life for hundreds, and.
This paper describes acid mine drainage amd generation and its associated technical issues. Simulating water treatment for acid mine drainage using lookup tables constructed using phreeqc representing geochemistry by linking goldsim dynamically to phreeqc. This information is important to both the sampling program and. Fact sheet acid mine drainage the problem the formation of acid mine drainage and the contaminants associated with it have been described as the largest environmental problem facing the u. Typically, with acid mine water, there is a high amount of co 2 in the waste stream. Acid mine drainage can change the color of a stream into red or orange. Acid rock drainage and acid mine drainage acid rock drainage ard is a natural process in which sulfuric acid is produced when sulfides in rocksfor example, pyrite fes 2 are exposed to air and water. Damage resulting from acid mine drainage was first addressed by common law and riparian principles.
Amd comes mainly from abandoned coal mines and currently active mining. Despite these severe risks, predicting amd properties of mine wastes is typically not an. Acid mine drainage refers to water contamination when pyrite an iron sulfide is exposed and reacts with air and water to form sulfuric acid and dissolved iron. Usgs and instaar researchers are collaborating on a variety of amd projects as well as investigations of naturallyoccurring acid rock drainage ard. Guideline document for monitoring acid mine drainage, october. The following is an overview of information on some major. At present, acid mine drainage continues to pose a. As societal laws changed, common law principles alone could not. Prevention of acid mine drainage generation from open. The face of acid mine drainage treatment is changing.
Key engineering considerations would include seepage genera. Drainage results from various mining methods performed in the watershed. Guideline document for monitoring acid mine drainage. Mine drainage is metalrich water formed from a chemical reaction between water and rocks containing sulfurbearing minerals. The increased soil excavation of mining activity further accelerates amd formation. The acid mine drainage may also contain high amounts of co2 which forms carbonic acid and further depresses the ph. Acid mine drainage amd is typically characterized by low ph and high dissolved iron. The first step in the acid mine drainage flowsheet is decarbonation.
Acid mine drainage amd or acid rock drainage ard is considered as one of the main pollutants of water in many countries that have historic or current mining activities. The costs of abatement of acid mine drainage are high, but the benefits to society and the environment are far greater in the long run. Acid mine drainage overview acid rock drainage ard is produced by the oxidation of sulfide minerals, chiefly iron pyrite or iron disulfide fes2. As such, it is critical that chemical usage be optimized. Thanks to the international veolia group, veolia water technologies south africa is able to supply a costcompetitive acid mine drainage treatment system that can reduce the impact of mining on the environment. Problems that can be associated with mine drainage include contaminated drinking water, disrupted growth and reproduction of aquatic plants and animals, and the corroding effects of the acid on parts of infrastructures such as bridges. Interpreting spatial profiles of concentration in acid mine drainage streams. Acid mine drainage, acid and metalliferous drainage amd, or acid rock drainage ard is the outflow of acidic water from metal mines or coal mines.
In this video my brother fished a creek that has been a solid producer of rainbow trout for a while. Another waterquality parameter that is useful for characterizing. The acid mine drainage setaside program implementation guidelines pdf establish uniform procedures to ensure the amd set aside program is implemented in a scientifically sound and cost effective manner in order to maximize the stream miles restored with the funds available. Acid mine drainage is a major issue facing any life which relies on a clean water supply, from plants, to fungi and bacteria and, humans. Acid mine drainage amd has been a detrimental byproduct of coal mining for many years. Acid mine drainage solutions for the mineral industry. Acid mine drainage in south africa has become a major concern for the countrys water infrastructure over recent years. Guideline document for monitoring acid mine drainage mend project 4. In many cases, chemical consumption is the number one operating cost of an acid mine drainage treatment system. Amd is caused when water flows over or through sulfurbearing materials forming solutions of net acidity.
Acid mine rock drainage is a rampant problem in the world today. See who conservation legacy has hired for this role. About the national network for environmental management studies nnems program. Conservation legacy hiring acid mine drainage software. What is acid mine drainage sources of nonpoint source pollution acid mine drainage amd is currently the main pollutant of surface water in the midatlantic region. See more simulating water treatment for acid mine drainage using lookup tables constructed using phreeqc. Acid minerock drainage is a rampant problem in the world today. The ph of amd is usually in the range of 26, but mine impacted waters at circumneutral ph 58 are also common. The ph scale actually measures hydrogen ion concentration in water solutions. Acid mine drainage prediction acid mine drainage prediction tests are increasingly relied upon to assess the longterm potential of acid generation. Pure neutral water has a ph of 7, acids have a ph less than 7 and. Acid mine drainage mines built as early as the 1800s were developed in a manner which utilized gravity drainage, to avoid excessive water accumulation in the mines as a result, water polluted by acid, iron, sulfur and aluminum drained away from the mines and into streams results of acid mine drainage. Acid mine drainage amd consists of metalladen solutions produced by the oxidative dissolution of iron sulfide minerals exposed to air, moisture, and acidophilic microbes during the mining of coal and metal deposits. Mineacid drainage mad is the runoff produced when water comes into contact with exposed rocks containing sulfurbearing minerals that react with water and air to form sulfuric acid, dissolved fe and al, and other chemical elements blowes et al.
Acid mine drainage amd is a natural phenomenon of a contaminated runoff formed by a chemical reaction between air, water and rocks containing sulfurbearing minerals pyrite. The problem and the cleanup acid mine drainage is a global problem. Acid minerock drainage center for water, earth science. Ard is often mislabelled amd or acid mine drainage too. Acid mine drainage from coal and mineral mining operations is a difficult and costly problem. The water then transports the contaminated mine materials to nearby rivers before eventually depositing the materials downstream. There are four chemical reactions that represent the chemistry of pyrite weathering to. Acid mine drainage amd from abandoned coal mines affects the quality of both groundwater and surface water. In some regions, it is the most common form of stream and river pollution. Although technology has now been trialled to deal with the effects of amd, large businesses and governments in most of the world are not stepping up to their responsibilities. Acid mine drainage setaside program implementation guidelines.
In most cases, this acid comes primarily from oxidation of iron sulfide fes2, also known as pyrite or fools gold, which is often found in conjunction with valuable metals. Optimization of acid mine drainage remediation with central. These methods include underground mining, strip mining, and auger mining. Treating acid mine drainage from abandoned mines in remote areas john j.
This is a natural chemical reaction which can proceed when minerals are exposed to air and water. Problems that can be associated with mine drainage include contaminated drinking water, disrupted growth and reproduction of aquatic plants and animals, and the corroding effects of the acid on parts of infrastructures. Simulating water treatment for acid mine drainage using. Acid mine drainage is one of minings most serious threats to water. Acid drainage polluted stream merges with unpolluted stream downstream from californias jamestown mine.
Acid mine drainage research acid mine drainage amd has been the subject of intensive research since the 1960s. This is a natural chemical reaction which can proceed. With a combined pumping and treatment capacity of 229 m. Ohio department of natural resources, division of mineral resources management. Acid mine drainage, which can have ph values as low as. As a result, the water becomes very acidic and damages downstream aquatic ecosystems. An introduction to acid mine drainage wv department of. Acid mine drainage prevention and control options 601 prediction of performance the performance of the designed or selected options compared to the adopted standards is predicted by applying appropriate engineering techniques e. This refers to water pollution that results when sulfurbearing minerals associated with coal are exposed to air and water and form sulfuric acid and ferrous sulfate. Acid mine drainage is a major problem related to coal mining which, if unabated, can severely damage the aquatic environment. In the eastern united states alone, amd from coal mines has adversely impacted fisheries associated with over,000 kilometers 8,000 miles of streams in pennsylvania, west virginia, ohio, and maryland. Mine drainage refers to any surface water or groundwater that drains from an active or abandoned mining operation. Mine drainage can be highquality similar to natural waters or contaminated by leftover materials. Some case studies included in this paper are the wheal jane mine, which in 1992 had 50,000m3 of acid mine drainage amd released into the environment hallberg and johnson 2005a, as well as mines in korea and india.
The analysis is based on a fiveyear operation period and includes chemical reagent costs, installation and. Nov 15, 2019 in this video my brother fished a creek that has been a solid producer of rainbow trout for a while. Acid mine drainage effects, types, plants, marine, oxygen. In a nutshell, acid mine drainage is a form of water pollution that happens when rain, runoff, or streams come in contact with rock that is rich in sulfur.
Acid mine drainage is a major problem with many hardrock mines, including almost all. So, to better understand amd and ard, lets begin by defining some terms like ph the standard measure of acidity. Acid mine drainage software intern conservation legacy pittsburgh, pa 3 days ago be among the first 25 applicants. This occurs along outcrops or scree slopes where sulfidebearing rock is naturally weathered.
Information on ohios acid mine drainage abatement program to restore. This iron can precipitate to form red, orange, or yellow colored sediment. Treating acid mine drainage from abandoned mines in. There are four chemical reactions that represent the chemistry of pyrite weathering to form acid mine drainage. Acid mine drainage an overview sciencedirect topics. The major areas of research on amd are prediction of amd and preventionmitigation.
Costs in 2000 of five chemicals to treat acid mine drainage in west virginia. Acid rock drainage as a concern and part of all metals and mining operations. This concern has developed because of the lag time at existing mines between waste emplacement and observation of an acid drainage problem univ. The acidic runoff further dissolves heavy metals such as copper, lead, mercury into groundwater or surface water. The ferrous sulfate can further react to form ferric hydroxide, or yellowboy, a yelloworange iron precipitate found in streams and rivers polluted by acid mine drainage. Acid mine drainage treatment westech engineering, inc. Acid mine drainage sometimes forms when certain minerals in the soil and rocks around mines are exposed to weathering processes during mining. The above photo depicts acid drainage at an abandoned mine in the yukon territory of northwest canada.
Nov, 2019 in a nutshell, acid mine drainage is a form of water pollution that happens when rain, runoff, or streams come in contact with rock that is rich in sulfur. Some mine drainage has been seen to have ph in the 2. Simulating water treatment for acid mine drainage using lookup tables constructed using phreeqc. Acid mine drainage amd forms when sulfide m inerals are exposed to oxidizing conditions in coal and metal mining, highway construction, and other largescale excavations.