Acid mine drainage
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Abstract
Acid mine drainage (AMD) consists of metal-laden 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. The pH of AMD is usually in the range of 2–6, but mine-impacted waters at circumneutral pH (5–8) are also common. Mine drainage usually contains elevated concentrations of sulfate, iron, aluminum, and other potentially toxic metals leached from rock that hydrolyze and coprecipitate to form rust-colored encrustations or sediments. When AMD is discharged into surface waters or groundwaters, degradation of water quality, injury to aquatic life, and corrosion or encrustation of engineered structures can occur for substantial distances. Prevention and remediation strategies should consider the biogeochemical complexity of the system, the longevity of AMD pollution, the predictive power of geochemical modeling, and the full range of available field technologies for problem mitigation.
| Publication type | Book chapter |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Book Chapter |
| Title | Acid mine drainage |
| DOI | 10.1081/E-ESS3-120053867 |
| Year Published | 2016 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | CRC Press Taylor and Francis Group |
| Contributing office(s) | Pennsylvania Water Science Center |
| Description | 5 p. |
| Larger Work Type | Book |
| Larger Work Subtype | Monograph |
| Larger Work Title | Encyclopedia of Soil Science, Third Edition |
| First page | 6 |
| Last page | 10 |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |