Abstract: Acid mine drainage, the drainage of metals, and the prediction of mine water rebound after mine closure are major problems for the mining industry. In the literature, the difficulties in evaluating the hydrodynamics of flooded mines are well described, although only a few tracer tests in flooded mines have been published. Increased knowledge about the hydraulic behaviour of the mine water within a flooded mine might significantly reduce the costs of mine closure and remediation. Relatively cheap and reliable results for decision making can be obtained when tracer tests are properly conducted in a flooded mine prior to planning of remediation strategies or numerical simulations. Applying the results of successful tracer tests allows one to optimise remediation designs and thereby diminish the costs of remediation. The paper summarises the results of several tracer tests and draws general conclusions from such tests.

Abstract: In-stream limestone sand addition (ILSA) has been employed as the final treatment for acid mine drainage discharges at Swamp Run in central West Virginia for six years. To determine the small-scale longitudinal variation in stream water and sediment chemistry and stream biota, we sampled one to three locations upstream of the ILSA site and six locations downstream. Addition of limestone sand significantly increased calcium and aluminum concentrations in sediment and increased the pH, calcium, and total suspended solids of the stream water. Increases in alkalinity were not significant. The number of benthic macroinvertebrate taxa was significantly reduced but there was no effect on periphyton biomass. Dissolved aluminum concentration in stream water was reduced, apparently by precipitation into the stream sediment.

Abstract: Im Beitrag wird über Erfahrungen und Ergebnisse berichtet, wie durch den Einsatz neuer Belüftungssysteme eine deutliche Stabilisierung des Prozesses der Eisenabtrennung in der GWRA Schwarze Pumpe erreicht wurde. Erstmals wurden im Lausitzer Revier Wendelbelüfter im Prozess der Grubenwasserreinigung eingesetzt. Unter Bedingungen, bei denen die Sauerstoffdiffusion der geschwindigkeitsbestimmende Schritt ist, bewirken diese Geräte eine deutliche Beschleunigung der Eisenoxidation. Als zusätzliche Effekte, die zur Effizienzsteigerung der Grubenwasserbehandlung beitragen, können eine wesentliche Durchsatzsteigerung, eine bessere Kalkausnutzung sowie eine deutlich verbes-serte Schlammeindickung genannt werden. The article presents experiences and results of the application of new aerator-systems in the mine water treatment. The processes of ferrous iron oxidation and sludge removal became more stable and efficiently by the application of the aerators. For the first time, spiral aerators were used in the Lower Lusatia lignite mining district to clean ferrous iron containing mine water. These devices lead to an enhanced iron oxidation rate under the existing conditions, where the oxygen diffusion is the rate determining step. Furthermore, the application caused increased throughput, optimal lime utilisation and better sludge thickening, which led to a higher efficiency of the mine water treatment.