Abstract: Contaminated water flowing from abandoned coal mines is one of the most significant contributors to water pollution in former and current coal-producing areas. Acid mine drainage (AMD) can have severe impacts to aquatic resources, can stunt terrestrial plant growth and harm wetlands, contaminate groundwater, raise water treatment costs, and damage concrete and metal structures. In the Appalachian Mountains of the eastern United States alone, more than 7,500 miles of streams are impacted. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission estimates that the economic losses on fisheries and recreational uses are approximately $67 million annually (ref). While most modern coal-mining operations (Figure 1) must meet strict environmental regulations concerning mining techniques and treatment practices, there are thousands of abandoned mine sites in the United States (Figure 2). Treatment of a single site can result in the restoration of several miles of impacted streams. The purpose of this document is to briefly summarize key issues related to AMD treatment. This document is intended as a brief overview; thus, it is neither inclusive nor exhaustive. The technical note presents the preliminary planning issues

Abstract: 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.