| Records |
| Author |
Wiseman, I.M.; Edwards, P.J.; Rutt, G.P. |
| Title |
Recovery of an aquatic ecosystem following treatment of abandoned mine drainage with constructed wetlands |
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Journal Article |
| Year |
2003 |
Publication |
Land Contam. Reclam. |
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| Volume |
11 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
221-230 |
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Pollution and waste management non radioactive Groundwater problems and environmental effects Wetlands and estuaries geological abstracts: environmental geology (72 14 2) geomechanics abstracts: excavations (77 10 10) geographical abstracts: physical geography hydrology (71 6 8) coal mine recovery aquatic ecosystem constructed wetland water treatment mine drainage abandoned mine |
| Abstract |
Seven kilometres of the River Pelenna in South Wales were impacted for approximately 30 years by discharges from abandoned coal mines. Elevated iron and low pH caused significant ochreous staining and had detrimental effects on the river ecology. The River Pelenna Mine water project constructed a series of passive wetland treatment systems to treat these discharges. Monitoring of the performance and environmental benefits of these has been undertaken as part of an Environment Agency R&D project. This project has assessed the changes in water quality as well as monitoring populations of invertebrates, fish and birds between 1993 and 2001. Performance data from the wetlands show that on average the three systems are removing between 82 and 95% of the iron loading from the mine waters. In the rivers downstream, the dissolved iron concentration has dropped to below the Environmental Quality Standard (EQS) of 1 mg/L for the majority of the time. Increases in pH downstream of the discharges have also been demonstrated. Trout (Salmo trutta) recovered quickly following mine water treatment, returning the next year to areas that previously had no fish. Intermittent problems with overflows from the treatment systems temporarily depleted the numbers, but the latest data indicate a thriving population. The overflow problems and also background episodes of acidity have affected the recovery of the riverine invertebrates. However, there have been gradual improvements in the catchment, and in the summer of 2001 most sites held faunas which approached those found in unpolluted controls. Recovery of the invertebrate fauna is reflected in marked increases in the breeding success of riverine birds between 1996 and 2001. This study has shown that constructed wetlands can be an effective, low cost and sustainable solution to ecological damage caused by abandoned mine drainage. |
| Address |
I.M. Wiseman, Environment Agency Wales, 19 Penyfai Lane, Furnace, Llanelli SA15 4EL, United Kingdom |
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0967-0513 |
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Recovery of an aquatic ecosystem following treatment of abandoned mine drainage with constructed wetlands; 2530429; United-Kingdom 25; Geobase |
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CBU @ c.wolke @ 17516 |
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206 |
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LaPointe, F.; Fytas, K.; McConchie, D. |
| Title |
Using permeable reactive barriers for the treatment of acid rock drainage |
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Journal Article |
| Year |
2005 |
Publication |
International journal of surface mining, reclamation and environment |
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| Volume |
19 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
57-65 |
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Pollution and waste management non radioactive Groundwater problems and environmental effects geological abstracts: environmental geology (72 14 2) geomechanics abstracts: excavations (77 10 10) waste management remediation mining industry pollution control acid mine drainage reactive barrier aluminium industry effluents industrial waste mineral processing industry oxidation waste handling permeable reactive barriers acid rock drainage treatment acid mine drainage environmental problem Canadian mineral industry oxidation sulphide minerals mine waste mine tailings heavy metals acid remediation technology metallurgical residues aluminium extraction industry acid mine effluents Manufacturing and Production acid mine drainage Bauxsol Canada disposal barriers effluents experimental studies heavy metals instruments oxidation permeable reactive barriers pollutants pollution pyrite pyrrhotite remediation sulfides tailings waste disposal waste management |
| Abstract |
Acid mine drainage (AMD) is the most serious environmental problem facing the Canadian mineral industry today. It results from oxidation of sulphide minerals (e.g. pyrite or pyrrhotite) contained in mine waste or mine tailings and is characterized by acid effluents rich in heavy metals that are released into the environment. A new acid remediation technology is presented, by which metallurgical residues from the aluminium extraction industry are used to construct permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) to treat acid mine effluents. This technology is very promising for treating acid mine effluents in order to decrease their harmful environmental effects |
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1389-5265 |
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Using permeable reactive barriers for the treatment of acid rock drainage; 8467608; Journal Paper; SilverPlatter; Ovid Technologies |
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CBU @ c.wolke @ 16786 |
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12 |
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| Author |
Rukin, N. |
| Title |
Whittle mine water treatment system: In-river attenuation of manganese |
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Journal Article |
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2003 |
Publication |
Land Contam. Reclam. |
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11 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
137-144 |
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Pollution and waste management non radioactive Groundwater problems and environmental effects geological abstracts: environmental geology (72 14 2) geomechanics abstracts: excavations (77 10 10) river water natural attenuation manganese water treatment mine drainage coal mine |
| Abstract |
Much work has been undertaken on the design of treatment systems to remove iron from ochreous mine water discharges. Unlike iron, manganese removal is far more difficult and generally requires active chemical dosing rather than passive treatment. The need for manganese removal can therefore significantly change the economics, management attention and sustainability of a site. Understanding natural attenuation of manganese in river systems is therefore key to deciding whether (active) manganese treatment is needed to protect downstream receptors. Nuttall (2002, this volume) describes the effectiveness of the passive treatment system at Whittle in reducing both iron and manganese concentrations in ochreous mine waters. This paper discusses the results of in-river monitoring and provides evidence for manganese removal downstream of the discharge point. In addition to dilution, attenuation appears to be in the order of 20 to 50%, depending on relative rates of mine water discharge and river flows. Such attenuation means that active treatment may not be needed for the long-term operation of the Whittle scheme. Operation of the scheme commenced in July 2002, with monitoring to further examine evidence for manganese attenuation and any impact on the ecology of the recipient watercourses. |
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N. Rukin, Entec UK Ltd., 160-162 Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury SY2 6BZ, United Kingdom |
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0967-0513 |
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Whittle mine water treatment system: In-river attenuation of manganese; 2530418; United-Kingdom 2; Geobase |
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CBU @ c.wolke @ 17521 |
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257 |
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| Author |
Fisher, T.S.R.; Lawrence, G.A. |
| Title |
Treatment of acid rock drainage in a meromictic mine pit lake |
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Journal Article |
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2006 |
Publication |
Journal of environmental engineering |
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| Volume |
132 |
Issue |
4 |
Pages |
515-526 |
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Pollution and waste management non radioactive Groundwater problems and environmental effects geological abstracts: environmental geology (72 14 2) geomechanics abstracts: excavations (77 10 10) meromictic lake acid mine drainage mine waste copper water pollution Bacteria microorganisms Canada Vancouver Island British Columbia North America |
| Abstract |
The Island Copper Mine pit near Port Hardy, Vancouver Island, B.C., Canada, was flooded in 1996 with seawater and capped with fresh water to form a meromictic (permanently stratified) pit lake of maximum depth 350 m and surface area 1.72 km2. The pit lake is being developed as a treatment system for acid rock drainage. The physical structure and water quality has developed into three distinct layers: a brackish and well-mixed upper layer; a plume stirred intermediate layer; and a thermally convecting lower layer. Concentrations of dissolved metals have been maintained well below permit limits by fertilization of the surface waters. The initial mine closure plan proposed removal of heavy metals by metal-sulfide precipitation via anaerobic sulfate-reducing bacteria, once anoxic conditions were established in the intermediate and lower layers. Anoxia has been achieved in the lower layer, but oxygen consumption rates have been less than initially predicted, and anoxia has yet to be achieved in the intermediate layer. If anoxia can be permanently established in the intermediate layer then biogeochemical removal rates may be high enough that fertilization may no longer be necessary. < copyright > 2006 ASCE. |
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Prof. G.A. Lawrence, Univ. of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada lawrence@civil.ubc.ca |
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0733-9372 |
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Apr.; Treatment of acid rock drainage in a meromictic mine pit lake; 2873922; United-States 38; Geobase |
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CBU @ c.wolke @ 17494 |
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72 |
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| Author |
Eger, P.; Melchert, G.; Wagner, J. |
| Title |
Using passive treatment systems for mine closure – A good approach or a risky alternative? |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2000 |
Publication |
Min. Eng. |
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| Volume |
52 |
Issue |
9 |
Pages |
78-83 |
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Pollution and waste management non radioactive Groundwater problems and environmental effects geological abstracts: environmental geology (72 14 2) geomechanics abstracts: excavations (77 10 10) acid mine drainage decommissioning mine waste open pit mine pH remediation |
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In 1991, LTV Steel Mining decided to close an open-pit taconite mine in northeastern Minnesota using a passive-treatment approach consisting of limiting infiltration into the stockpiles and wetland treatment to remove metals. More than 50 Mt (55 million st) of sulfide-containing waste had been stockpiled adjacent to the mine during its 30 years of operation. Drainage from the stockpiles contained elevated levels of copper, nickel, cobalt and zinc. Nickel is the major trace metal in the drainages. Before the closure, the annual median concentrations ranged from 1.5 to 50 mg/L. Copper, cobalt and zinc are also present but they are generally less than 5% of the nickel values. Median pH levels range from 5 to 7.5, but most of the stockpile drainages have pH levels greater than 6.5. Based on the chemical composition of each stockpile, a cover material was selected. The higher the potential that a stockpile had to produce acid drainage, the lower the permeability of the capping material required. Covers ranged from overburden soil removed at the mine to a flexible plastic liner. Predictions of the reduction in infiltration ranged from 40% for the native soil to more than 90% for the plastic liner. Five constructed wetlands have been installed since 1992. They have removed 60% to 90% of the nickel in the drainages. Total capital costs for all the infiltration reduction and wetlands exceeded $6.5 million, but maintenance costs are less than 1% of those for an active treatment plant. Because mine-drainage problems can continue for more than 100 years, the lower annual operating costs should pay for the construction of the wetland-treatment systems within seven years. |
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P. Eger, Minnesota Dept. of Natural Rsrces., St. Paul, MN, United States |
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0026-5187 |
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Using passive treatment systems for mine closure – A good approach or a risky alternative?; 2285715; United-States 19; Geobase |
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CBU @ c.wolke @ 17539 |
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392 |
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