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Nairn, R. W., & Hedin, R. S. (1992). Designing wetlands for the treatment of polluted coal mine drainage. In M. C. Landin (Ed.), Wetlands; proceedings of the 13th annual conference; Society of Wetland Scientists (pp. 224–229).
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Nairn, R. W., Griffin, B. C., Strong, J. D., & Hatley, E. L. (2001). Remediation challenges and opportunities at the Tar Creek Superfund Site, Oklahoma. In R. Vincent, J. A. Burger, G. G. Marino, G. A. Olyphant, S. C. Wessman, R. G. Darmody, et al. (Eds.), Proceedings of the Annual National Meeting – American Society for Surface Mining and Reclamation, vol.18 (pp. 579–584).
Abstract: The Tar Creek Superfund Site is a portion of the abandoned lead and zinc mining area known as the Tri-State Mining District (OK, KS and MO) and includes over 100 square kilometers of disturbed land surface and contaminated water resources in extreme northeastern Oklahoma. Underground mining from the 1890s through the 1960s degraded over 1000 surface hectares, and left nearly 50 km of tunnels, 165 million tons of processed mine waste materials (chat), 300 hectares of tailings impoundments and over 2600 open shafts and boreholes. Approximately 94 million cubic meters of contaminated water currently exist in underground voids. In 1979, metal-rich waters began to discharge into surface waters from natural springs, bore holes and mine shafts. Six communities are located within the boundaries of the Superfund site. Approximately 70% of the site is Native American owned. Subsidence and surface collapse hazards are of significant concern. The Tar Creek site was listed on the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983 and currently receives a Hazard Ranking System score of 58.15, making Tar Creek the nation's number one NPL site. A 1993 Indian Health Service study demonstrated that 35% of children had blood lead levels above thresholds dangerous to human health. Recent remediation efforts have focused on excavation and replacement of contaminated residential areas. In January 2000, Governor Frank Keating's Tar Creek Task Force was created to take a “vital leadership role in identifying solutions and resources available to address” the myriad environmental problems. The principle final recommendation was the creation of a massive wetland and wildlife refuge to ecologically address health, safety, environmental, and aesthetic concerns. Additional interim measures included continuing the Task Force and subcommittees; study of mine drainage discharge and chat quality; construction of pilot treatment wetlands; mine shaft plugging; investigations of bioaccumulation issues; establishment of an authority to market and export chat, a local steering committee, and a GIS committee; and development of effective federal, state, tribal, and local partnerships.
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Mustikkamaki, U. - P. (2000). Metallipitoisten vesien biologisesta kasittelysta Outokummun kaivoksilla. Metal content treated with biological methods at the Outokummun operation. Vuoriteollisuus = Bergshanteringen, 58(1), 44–47.
Abstract: Acid mine drainage (AMD) is one of the most serious environmental problems in the metal-mining industry. AMD is formed by the chemical and bacterial oxidation of sulphide minerals, and it is characterized by low pH values and high sulphate and metals content. The most common method to treat AMD is chemical neutralization. The chemical treatment requires high capital and operating costs and its use is problematic at the closed mines sites. Outokumpu has studied and used sulphate reducing bacteria (SRB) as an alternative method for the treatment of AMD. SRB existing in many natural anaerobic aqueous environments can reduce sulphate to sulphide which precipitates metals as extremely insoluble metal sulphides. Full scale experiments were begun in summer 1995 in the Ruostesuo open pit (depth 46 m) by adding liquid manure as a source of bacteria and press-juice as a growth substrate. The average Zn content of the whole column has decreased from 3,5 mg/l to 0,8 mg/l and below 25 m zinc is 0 mg/l. Similar results have been reached with nickel in the Kotalahti old nickel mine, where bacteria were brought in 1996. We have found that the same bacterial mechanism acts in peat-limestone filters, which Outokumpu has built at several mine sites since 1993.
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Murdock, D. J., Fox, J. R. W., & Bensley, J. G. (1994). Treatment of acid mine drainage by the high density sludge process. In Special Publication – United States. Bureau of Mines, Report: BUMINES-SP-06A-94 (pp. 241–249). Proceedings of the International land reclamation and mine drainage conference and Third international conference on The abatement of acidic drainage; Volume 1 of 4; Mine drainage.
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Mosher, J. (1994). Heavy-metal sludges as smelter feedstock. Engineering and Mining Journal, 195(9), 25–30.
Abstract: Many industries produce a waste-water stream high in heavy metals. Disposal of sludge from these wastewater treatment plants has become increasingly difficult and expensive in the US due to passage of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act's 'land disposal ban' for hazardous wastes. Innovative methods can be found for dealing with such wastes. For example, in performing a mandated clean-up under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), Asarco's California Gulch water-treatment plant in Colorado meets CERCLA clean-up goals while using a waste water treatment sludge as a smelter feedstock, recovering incidental saleable metals, and producing non-hazardous products. In this plant, Asarco treats acidic mine-drainage water having high metal concentrations and uses the waste sludge generated as a lime replacement in lead smelting operations. -Author
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