Comparison of acid rock drainage factors in waste rock piles and tailings. Wildeman billings symposium asmr annual meeting assessing the toxicity potential of mine waste piles workshop june 1, 2003 u. This guidance document provides the framework for the acid mine drainage and. This is a natural chemical reaction which can proceed. Caryl fish, department of chemistry, saint vincent college, latrobe, pa objectives. Geochemistry of acid mine drainage from a coal mining. It can produce 16 units of acid for each unit of pyrite brick 1998. Have students use the red cabbage chemistry worksheet to record their data and answer questions. The acid runoff further dissolves heavy metals such as copper, lead, and. The cause and effects of acid mine drainage essay the cause and effects of acid mine drainage introduction imagine going fishing on a cool autumn day, the trees are all different shades of orange, brown and red and the birds are singing their beautiful songs, but their is a serious problem because when you arrive at the river all plant and animal life are gone. Its oxidation occurs spontaneously in nature, causing environmental problems like acid mine drainage amd and mine tailing leachate containing heavy metals. The chemistry of amd is perfectly suited to concentrate its damage on streams and waterways.
Mine drainage refers to any surface water or groundwater that drains from an active or abandoned mining operation. Innovative treatment technologies notice this document was prepared by a national network of environmental management studies grantee under a fellowship from the u. Fundamentals of minedrainage formation and chemistry. The chemicals allow copper minerals to rise to the top and stick to. Acid mine drainage amd has been a detrimental byproduct of coal mining for many years. 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. The problem and the cleanup acid mine drainage is a global problem. Research efforts have proceeded recently through the acid drainage technology initiative. In examining this table, it is important to note that diffusion of oxygen into water is slow and, therefore, oxidation of iron sulfide is inhibited until the water level drops, which can occur periodically or seasonally in some cases. 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. 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. Acid mine drainage article about acid mine drainage by the. Acid mine drainage will ultimately be neutralised by the sea, unless it is already neutralised.
Acid mine drainage amd, also is a natural occurrence resulting from the. 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. The microbiology of acid mine drainage by jim taylor, p. The remnants of this industry are still with us in the form of abandoned mines that underlay a great portion of the land on which we live, and in the drainage of acidic waters from the mines into our streams and rivers. Acid mine drainage prediction compares acid rock drainage factors of waste rock piles and tailings impoundments. First, the very low ph of coal mine runoff zero to 2. The primary cause of environmental damage from abandoned hardrock mine sites is acid mine drainage, which carries dissolved heavy metals and arsenic into surface water, soil and groundwater. Jun 17, 2016 what is acid mine drainage amd, why is it such a serious threat to south africa and more importantly why has been it been silenced and kept under wraps by the mining industry and south african government for so long.
Quizlet flashcards, activities and games help you improve your grades. Mine acid 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. 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. Acid mine drainage abatement and treatment plans odnr mineral. Some or all of this iron can precipitate to form the red, orange, or yellow sediments in the bottom of streams containing mine drainage.
Western pennsylvania was once a great coal mining region. Potential impacts associated with acid mine drainage are considered to be one of the greatest environmental problems faced by the mining industry today feasby et al. Students use cabbage, backing soda, cobblestones, and more to test the acid in the water. As a result, the water becomes very acidic and damages downstream aquatic ecosystems. However, as a result of mining activities, both sulfides are exposed to oxidizing ambient conditions. Some or all of this iron can precipitate to form the red, orange, or yellow sediments in the bottom of streams containing mine drainage the acid runoff further dissolves heavy metals such as copper, lead, mercury into ground or surface water the rate and degree by which acidmine drainage proceeds can be increased by the action of certain. Acid mine drainage research acid mine drainage amd has been the subject of intensive research since the 1960s. Characterization of mine waste and acid mine drainage. Thus, this study applied some simple testing methods to the. Acid mine drainage may form within mine wastes tailings and rock dumps that are impacted with surface water or in underground workings groundwater, and its production can continue long after. The use of measured and calculated acidity values to improve. Techniques to correct and prevent acid mine drainage. Acid mine drainage solutions for the mineral industry.
Combined with sulfate andor sulfide, iron can cause real problems. The chemistry of the water emanating from the backfill will reflect only the rock. Most discussions on acid mine drainage refer to the physical process of oxidation while the role of microorganisms is left unnoticed. Handson experiments to test for acid mine drainage dr. Acid mine drainage would create an unbearable living conditions for aquatic plants and other organisms, in return the plants do not photosynthesize and grow meaning they are not producing any oxygen sulfate. Major environmental incidents caused by acid mine drainage. January 1996 acid mine drainage is a common problem in many parts of the country, originating from hardrock mines, strip mines or tailing piles. The ochre orange precipitate may be formed as the stream enters the sea, or that formed in the stream may be washed in to the sea e.
Acid mine drainage prevention and control options nural kuyucak golder associates ltd. Although hightech analytical methods have been highlighted for mineral characterization and quantification, simple testing methods are still practical ways to perform in a field laboratory in mines. In this acid mine damage lesson plan, students complete experiments to test and treat acid. The following is an overview of information on some major. Acidic water is not the only issue caused by acid mine drainage. Although acid mine drainage is the most common impact of mining on water quality, the variety of mineral geology is such that there is no singlecharacteristic mine water. The chemistry of oxidation of pyrites, the production of. Acid mine drainage amd refers to the outflow of acidic water from a mining site. This may be the biggest challenge of all the unknown. Treating acid mine drainage from abandoned mines in remote areas. Acid mine drainage amd from mining wastes is one of the current. Acid mine drainage is a major problem with many hardrock mines, including almost all. Acid mine drainage amd is the flow, or seepage, of polluted water from old mining areas. This acid mine drainage lesson plan is suitable for 4th 8th grade.
The life cycle of acid mine drainage copper ore from arizona concentrating ground up rock is mixed with water, air bubbles and small amounts of chemicals. At present, acid mine drainage continues to pose a potential problem in some areas, despite improved prediction and prevention techniques. Focus the conversation on topics such as acid rain and acid mine drainage. 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. The geochemistry of acid mine drainage request pdf. Guideline document for monitoring acid mine drainage, october. Pdf acid mine drainage researchgate acid mine drainage can change the color of a stream into red or orange. Characterization of mine waste rocks and prediction of acid mine drainage amd play an important role in preventing amd. In general, a larger influence of mining activities on the chemical composition of the surface waters and sediments was. Fundamentals of mine drainage formation and chemistry kathleen s. 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. Pdf acid mine drainage control and treatment researchgate. Acid mine drainage lesson plan for 4th 8th grade lesson.
Such activities may include the chemical improvement of stream water. Mine drainage is formed when pyrite an iron sulfide is exposed and reacts with air and water to form sulfuric acid and dissolved iron. Pyrite, an iron sulfide found in both coal and metal mines, has the potential to produce more acid than any other mineral. Acid mine drainage is a condition where, as the name suggests, the water is made acidic. Have students predict which test liquids they think are acidic and which are basic. The term mineimpacted water is used because it is more inclusive than terms such as acid mine drainage amd or acid rock drainage ard.
Mcsurdy department of energy pittsburgh research center p. The major areas of research on amd are prediction of amd and preventionmitigation. A complex series of chemical weathering reactions are spontaneously initiated when surface mining activities expose spoil. There are four chemical reactions that represent the chemistry of pyrite weathering to form acid mine drainage. Acid mine drainage the chemistry csir research space. You can see from equation 1 that in order for these reactions to happen, the pyrite must be exposed to both air and mining is one of south africas most important industries, but it comes with a cost. Quicklime, kiln dust and hydrated lime all have higher activities than.
Acid mine drainage an overview sciencedirect topics. Effective treatment options for acid mine drainage in the. 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. Acid mine water drainage debating a sustainable solution to a. The rates of chemical reactions equations 2, 3, and. Acid mine drainage effects, types, plants, marine, oxygen. Amd and complete worksheets about how mine drainage is formed. Acid mine drainage environmental notes on mining, updated september 2009 pyrite fes2 is commonly associated with coal and metal ore deposits.
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