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: Reactive treatment layers, containing labile organic carbon, were evaluated to determine their ability to promote sulfate reduction and metal sulfide precipitation within a tailings impoundment, thereby treating tailings effluent prior to discharge. Organic carbon materials, including woodchips and pulp waste, were mixed with the upper meter of tailings in two separate test cells, a third control cell contained only tailings. In the woodchip cell sulfate reduction rates were 500 mg L-1 a-1, (5.2 mmol L-1 a-1) this was coupled with the gradual removal of 350 mg L-1 Zn (5.4 mmol L-1). Decreased δ13CDIC values from -3‰ to as low as -12‰ indicated that sulfate reduction was coupled with organic carbon oxidation. In the pulp waste cell the most dramatic change was observed near the interface between the pulp waste amended tailings and the underlying undisturbed tailings. Sulfate reduction rates were 5000 mg L-1 a-1 (52 mmol L-1 a-1), Fe concentrations decreased by 80–99.5% (148 mmol L-1) and Zn was consistently <5 mg L-1. Rates of sulfate reduction and metal removal decreased as the pore water migrated upward into the shallower tailings. Increased rates of sulfate reduction in the pulp waste cell were consistent with decreased δ13CDIC values, to as low as -22‰, and increased populations of sulfate reducing bacteria. Lower concentrations of the nutrients, phosphorus, organic carbon and nitrogen in the woodchip material contribute to the lower sulfate reduction rates observed in the woodchip cell.

Abstract: A Mn-oxidizing fungus was isolated from a constructed wetland of Hokkaido (Japan), which is receiving the Mn-impacted drainage, and genetically and morphologically identified as Paraconiothyrium sp.-like strain. The optimum pHs were 6.45-6.64, where is more acidic than those of previously reported Mn-oxidizing fungi. Too much nutrient inhibited fungal Mn-oxidation, and too little nutrient also delayed Mn oxidation even at optimum pH. In order to achieve the oxidation of high concentrations of Mn like mine drainage containing several hundreds g-m(-3) of Mn, it is important to find the best mix ratio among the initial Mn concentrations, inocolumn size and nutrient concentration. The strain has still Mn-tolerance with more than 380 g-m(-3) of Mn, but high Mn(II) oxidation was limited by pH control and supplied nutrient amounts. The biogenic Mn deposit was poorly crystallized birnessite. The strain is an unique Mn-oxidizing fungus having a high Mn tolerance and weakly acidic tolerance, since there has been no record about the property of the strain. There is a potentiality to apply the strain to the environmental bioremediation.