Abstract: Acid mine drainage (AMD) causes environmental pollution that affects many countries having historic or current mining industries. Preventing the formation or the migration of AMD from its source is generally considered to be the preferable option, although this is not feasible in many locations, and in such cases, it is necessary to collect, treat, and discharge mine water. There are various options available for remediating AMD, which may be divided into those that use either chemical or biological mechanisms to neutralise AMD and remove metals from solution. Both abiotic and biological systems include those that are classed as “active” (i.e., require continuous inputs of resources to sustain the process) or “passive” (i.e., require relatively little resource input once in operation). This review describes the current abiotic and bioremediative strategies that are currently used to mitigate AMD and compares the strengths and weaknesses of each. New and emerging technologies are also described. In addition, the factors that currently influence the selection of a remediation system, and how these criteria may change in the future, are discussed.

Abstract: Constructed wetland treatment system effectiveness has been limited by the alkalinity-producing, or acidity-neutralizing, capabilities of systems. Anoxic limestone drains (ALD's) have allowed for the treatment of approximately 300 mg/L net acidic mine drainage, but current design guidance precludes using successive ALD's to generate alkalinity in excess of 300 mg/L because of concerns with dissolved oxygen. “Compost” wetlands designed to promote bacterially mediated sulfate reduction are suggested as a means of generating alkalinity required in excess of that produced by ALD's. Compost wetlands create two basic needs of sulfate reducing bacteria; anoxic conditions resulting from the inherent oxygen demand of the organic substrate, and quasi-circumneutral pH values resulting from the dissolution of the carbonate fraction of the compost. However, sulfate reduction treatment area needs are generally in excess of area availability and/or cost effectiveness. Second generation alkalinity-producing systems demonstrate that a combination of existing treatment mechanisms has the potential to overcome current design concerns and effectively treat acidic waters ad infinitum. Successive alkalinity-producing systems (SAPS) combine ALD technology with sulfate reduction mechanisms. SAPS promote vertical flow through rich organic wetland substrates into limestone beds beneath the organic compost, discharging the pore waters. SAPS allow for conservative wetland treatment sizing calculations to be made as a rate function based on pH and alkalinity values and associated contaminant loadings. SAPS potentially decrease treatment area requirements and have the further potential to generate alkalinity in excess of acidity regardless od acidity concentrations.

Abstract: 400 systems installed within 4 years During the last two decades, the United States mining industry has greatly increased the amount it spends on pollution control. The application of biotechnology to mine water can reduce the industry's water treatment costs (estimated at over a million dollars a day) and improve water quality in streams and rivers adversely affected by acidic mine water draining from abandoned mines. Biological treatment of mine waste water is typically conducted in a series of small excavated ponds that resemble, in a superficial way, a small marsh area. The ponds are engineered to first facilitate bacterial oxidation of iron; ideally, the water then flows through a composted organic substrate that supports a population of sulfate-reducing bacteria. The latter process raises the pH. During the past four years, over 400 wetland water treatment systems have been built on mined lands as a result of research by the U.S. Bureau of Mines. In general, mine operators find that the wetlands reduce chemical treatment costs enough to repay the cost of wetland construction in less than a year. Actual rates of iron removal at field sites have been used to develop empirical sizing criteria based on iron loading and pH. If the pH is 6 or above, the wetland area (in2) required is equivalent to the iron. load (grams/day) divided by 10. Theis requirement doubles at a pH of 4 to 5. At a pH below 4, the iron load (grams/day) should be divided by 2 to estimate the area required (in2).