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Plumlee, G. S. (1995). Mine-drainage waters as potential economic resources. SEG Newsletter, 22, 6–7.
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Plant, J. (2006). Removal of base metals from mine waters using passive treatment processes involving autocatalytic oxidation and adsorption.
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Pettit, C. M., Scharer, J. M., Chambers, D. B., Halbert, B. E., Kirkaldy, J. L., & Bolduc, L. (1999). Neutral mine drainage. In D. Goldsack, N. Belzile, P. Yearwood, & G. J. Hall (Eds.), Sudbury '99; mining and the environment II; Conference proceedings. Sudbury: Sudbury Environmental.
Abstract: Acid mine drainage is recognized as a serious environmental issue at mine sites world wide. While sulphate and metal concentrations in acidic drainage can reach exceptionally high levels, these can also be elevated and of concern in neutral drainage from waste rock and tailings. “Neutral mine drainage” (NMD) has not yet received as widespread attention as acid mine drainage (AMD). The oxidation of sulphide minerals and the production of either acidic or neutral contaminated drainage is affected by many factors. This paper examines the specific factors that result in the production of “neutral mine drainage” from mine wastes. Several case studies are presented which involve predictive geochemical modelling to illustrate the possible time frame and magnitude of contaminated neutral drainage.
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Perry, A., & Kleinmann, R. L. P. (1991). The use of constructed wetlands in the treatment of acid mine drainage. Natural Resources Forum, 15(3), 178–184.
Abstract: US government regulations require that all effluents from industrial operations, including mining, meet certain water quality standards. Constructed wetlands have proven to be useful in helping to attain those standards. Application of this biotechnology to mine water drainage can reduce water treatment costs and improve water quality in streams and rivers adversely affected by acidic mine water drainage from abandoned mines. Over 400 constructed wetland water treatment systems have been built on mined lands largely as a result of research by the US Bureau of Mines. Wetlands are passive biological treatment systems that are relatively inexpensive to construct and require minimal maintenance. Chemical treatment costs are reduced sufficiently to repay the cost of construction in less than a year. The mine waste water is typically treated in a series of excavated ponds that resemble small marsh areas. The ponds are engineered to facilitate bacterial oxidation of iron. Ideally, the water then flows through a composted organic substrate supporting a population of sulphate-reducing bacteria which raises the pH. Constructed wetlands in the US are described – their history, functions, construction methodologies, applicabilities, limitations and costs. -Authors
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Parker, G., Noller, B., & Waite, T. D. (1999). Assessment of the use of fast-weathering silicate minerals to buffer AMD in surface waters in tropical Australia. In D. E. Goldsack, N. Belzile, P. Yearwood, & G. J. Hall (Eds.), Sudbury '99; Mining and the environment II; Conference proceedings.
Abstract: Surface waters in the Pine Creek Geosyncline (located in Australia's “Top End”, defined as the area of Australia north of 15 degrees S) are characterized by their low carbonate buffering capacity. These waters are buffered by silicate weathering and hence are slightly acidic, ranging in pH from 4.0 to 6.0. The Pine Creek Geosyncline contains most of the Top Ends' economic mineral deposits and characteristically shows no correlation between carbonate minerals and sulfidic orebodies hosting gold deposits (unlike uranium deposits). Thus many gold mines do not have ready access to carbonate minerals for buffering acid mine drainage (AMD). It is possible that locally available fast-weathering silicate minerals may be used to buffer AMD seeps. The buffering intensity of silicate minerals exceeds that of carbonate minerals, but their slow dissolution kinetics has ensured that these materials have received little attention in treating AMD. In addition, carbonate mineral dissolution is retarded when contacted with intense AMD solutions due to the formation of surface coatings of iron minerals. The lower pH range of silicate mineral dissolution may prevent the formation of such coatings. The Pine Creek Geosyncline consists of a complex geochemistry, and a number of fast-weathering silicate minerals have been noted in various areas. The difficulty in assessing such minerals for use in buffering AMD is the lack of kinetic data available under conditions prevalent AMD (i.e., low pH solutions saturated with aluminium and silica). This study sets out to evaluate the applicability of using such minerals to treat AMD surface seeps.
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