Many researchers have studied environmental problems in soil and aquatic ecosystems that have arisen from acid mine drainage in china and elsewhere 5,14,15,16,17,18. Environmental affects of acid mine drainage brukunga mine amd. Dear readers, please refer to this latest article regarding the serious effects of acid mine drainage on the environment and human lives in south africa. Acid mine drainage acid rock drainage ard is a natural process whereby sulphuric acid is produced when sulphides in rocks are exposed to air and water. During mining these sulphide minerals get exposed to air and mine water, then oxidation and hydrolysis results in the generation of acid mine drainage. The effects of isolation and acid mine drainage on fish. When large quantities of rock containing sulphide minerals are excavated from an open pit or opened up in an underground mine, it reacts with water and oxygen to create sulphuric acid. Environmental impact of acid mine drainage youtube. It can be controlled by preventing the flow of water to the mining sites. The oxidation of sulphidic mine wastes and the consequent release of acid mine drainage and acid rock drainage, is one of the main strategic environmental issues facing the mining industry. Effects of mining on the environment and human health. Acid mine drainage amd refers to the outflow of acidic water from a mining site.
Fact sheet acid mine drainage the problem the formation of. Effects of acid mine drainage on plant community structure in. Acid mine drainage amd occurs when metal sulfides, most commonly pyrite, are exposed to and react with air and water. The acid mine drainage subcommittee of the maryland state water quality advisory committee developed the original project concept and secured funding. What can be done to prevent or clean up acid mine drainage. Acid mine drainage amd is generated under environmental conditions when sulfide minerals are exposed to oxygen, water, and acidophilic microorganisms. Amd is a problem now because of the increasing numbers of closed mines and the eventual closure of whole coalfields. Pdf the effects of acid mine drainage amd on the internal. The environmental and ecological impacts of acid mine drainage consist of acidity, metal toxicity and the marine ecosystem. The acidity levels in the water make it unconsumable and harmful, thus, having an effective acid mine drainage water treatment plant is key in reducing the impact of mining in the environment. Isolated headwater streams in mined watersheds may have good water quality and fish habitat, yet be disconnected from immigration sources by stream segments impaired by acid mine drainage amd. Key engineering considerations would include seepage genera. Migration and fate of acid mine drainage pollutants in. In examining this table, it is important to note that diffusion of oxygen into water is slow and, therefore, oxidation of iron sulfide is inhibited until the water level drops, which can occur periodically or seasonally in some cases.
Sulfuric acid is produced when water interacts with sulfurbearing materials in the presence of oxygen and common bacteria1. Municipal compostbased mixture for acid mine drainage bioremediation. Nov, 2019 in a nutshell, acid mine drainage is a form of water pollution that happens when rain, runoff, or streams come in contact with rock that is rich in sulfur. The main cause of acid mine drainage is the occurrence of pyrite and sulphide minerals with the rock of coal seams. By far the most common mine drainage problem is that of acid mine drainage amd. In most cases, this acid comes primarily from oxidation of iron sulfide fes2, also known as pyrite or fools gold, which is often found in conjunction with valuable metals.
In fact, soil that has been polluted by iron and sulfate has. This study investigated the heavy metals and physicochemical changes effects of acid mine drainage on selected surface and groundwater resources in the mining community in ghana. Sevilla, spain acid mine drainage prevention and control options nural kuyucak golder associates ltd. Acid rock drainage and acid mine drainage acid rock drainage ard is a natural process in which sulfuric acid is produced when sulfides in rocksfor example, pyrite fes 2 are exposed to air and water. Acid mine drainage also leaches into the groundwater, which in turn may have implications on plant community composition and health. Environmental impacts of mining can occur at local, regional, and global scales through direct and indirect mining practices. Environmental affects of acid mine drainage brukunga. Treatment of acid mine drainage harvard university. Work carried out at the abandoned copper cu and sulphur s mine at avoca south east ireland has shown acid mine drainage amd to be a multifa.
Mine drainage is metalrich water formed from a chemical reaction between water and rocks containing sulfurbearing minerals. The south african human rights commission acknowledges mariette liefferink and eugene viljoen for providing the photographs that appear in this booklet. Acid mine drainage dumped in west virginia waters paul thomas of morgantown, w. The extreme acidity is harmful to most aquatic life and, even after. Acid mine drainage mines built as early as the 1800s were developed in a manner which utilized gravity drainage, to avoid excessive water accumulation in the mines as a result, water polluted by acid, iron, sulfur and aluminum drained away from the mines and into streams results of acid mine drainage. Acid mine drainage, acid and metalliferous drainage amd, or acid rock drainage ard is the outflow of acidic water from metal mines or coal mines acid rock drainage occurs naturally within some environments as part of the rock weathering process but is exacerbated by largescale earth disturbances characteristic of mining and other large construction activities, usually within rocks. Mariette is the ceo of the federation for a sustainable environment and was a member of the sahrc section 05 committee on human rights and acid mine drainage. Jun 17, 2016 what is acid mine drainage amd, why is it such a serious threat to south africa and more importantly why has been it been silenced and kept under wraps by the mining industry and south african government for so long. Major impact areas are rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal waters, although amd affects different aquatic ecosystems in different ways. Introduction acid mine drainage amd is an unavoid able byproduct of the mining and mineral. The effect of soil amendments on plant performance in an area affected by acid mine drainage. Impacts can result in erosion, sinkholes, loss of biodiversity, or the contamination of soil, groundwater, and surface water by the chemicals emitted from mining processes. An appraisal article pdf available in indian journal of environmental protection 3011 november 2010 with. The main cause of acid mine drainage is the occurrence of pyrite and other sulphide minerals like pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite, galena etc.
This occurs along outcrops or scree slopes where sulfidebearing rock is. Effect of acid mine drainage on creeks or streams in a. The acid had formed through the natural oxidation of the pyrite minerals in air and water to form the sulphuric acid, this effect is known as acid and metalliferous drainage or acid mine drainage amd. Effects of acid mine drainage on plant community structure. This combination of chemical and physical stressors creates a challenging environment for aquatic biota. Acid mine drainage amd refers to the process by which sulphides found in mining waste are oxidised, leading to the subsequent release of pollutants.
Keyword acid mine drainage amd, active treatment, passive treatment. Acid mine drainage an overview sciencedirect topics. Acid mine drainage this toxic water leaks out of abandoned mines to contaminate groundwater, streams, soil, plants, animals and humans. Work carried out at the abandoned copper cu and sulphur s mine at avoca south east ireland has shown acid mine drainage amd to be a multifactor pollutant. Environmental and ecological effects of acid mine drainage acidity and metal toxicity the high acidity of acid mine drainage and the high amounts of dissolved heavy metals such as copper and zinc generally make acid mine drainage extremely toxic to most organisms pentreath, 1994. Acid mine drainage amd in the gauteng cityregion gcr has been described in the media as a. Studies on environmental impact of acid mine drainage generation and its treatment. The benefits of acid mine drainage remediation on the. Acid mine drainage overview acid rock drainage ard is produced by the oxidation of sulfide minerals, chiefly iron pyrite or iron disulfide fes2. Problems associated with mine drainage contaminated drinking water disrupted growth and reproduction of aquatic plants and animals corroding effects of acid on parts of infrastructure such as bridges acid mine drainage mines built as early as the 1800s were developed in a manner which utilized gravity drainage, to avoid excessive water accumulation in the mines. Assessment of impacts of acid mine drainage on surface water quality of tweelopiespruit microcatchment, limpopo basin, water quality, hlanganani tutu, intechopen, doi. Aug 22, 2018 the effects of mining coal persists for years after coal is removed. The low ph value of the discharge mine water results in the further dissolution of minerals and release of toxic metals, when it allowed getting. The term mineimpacted water is used because it is more inclusive than terms such as acid mine drainage amd or acid rock drainage ard.
This is a natural chemical reaction which can proceed. Acid mine drainage is a serious matter of concern to the environment as it contains toxic substances which creates problem to the ecosystems and living beings. Although acid mine drainage is the most common impact of mining on water quality, the variety of mineral geology is such that there is no singlecharacteristic mine water. Major environmental incidents caused by acid mine drainage. An outflow of acid mine drainage from the lafayette mines in rapu rapu into the sea would undoubtedly affect local marine life. Acid mine drainage and environment daily excelsior. In some regions, it is the most common form of stream and river pollution. When water flows over or through sulfurbearing mine tailings, a chemical reaction occurs between the water and rocks resulting in metalrich water. This publication explains the chemistry of streams and treatment objections and guidelines. The effects of acid mine drainage on water use parameters of acid mine drainage pollution as is true for the threshold values of all forms of pollution, the threshold values of acid mine drainage pollution are those concentrations of contaminants which are capable of causing harmful effects on previously unaffected water uses. This harvard report was just recently released in october, 2016 and is extremely in depth on the issues of the serious. Environmental impacts and acid drainage of coal mining in.
These streams typically have low ph, high concentrations of dissolved metals, and substrata coated with metal hydroxide precipitates. Acid mine drainage the problem the formation of acid mine drainage and the contaminants associated with it have been described as the largest environmental problem facing the u. These processes also have an impact on the atmosphere from the emissions of. Environmental impact and remediation of acid mine drainage. Abstractstreams affected by acid mine drainage amd are highly stressed ecosystems and occur worldwide. Dec 17, 2016 acid mine drainage acid rock drainage ard is a natural process whereby sulphuric acid is produced when sulphides in rocks are exposed to air and water. Bloodless dzwairo and munyaradzi mujuru january 18th 2017. Pdf studies on environmental impact of acid mine drainage. Assessment of impacts of acid mine drainage on surface. Acid mine drainage prevention and control options 601 prediction of performance the performance of the designed or selected options compared to the adopted standards is predicted by applying appropriate engineering techniques e.
The newly opened mine operated with high efficiency using modern equipment and produced from 350 to 450 tons of ore per day. Acid mine drainage amd is a pollutant that arises from exposure of metal sulphide minerals such as the abundantly available pyrite fes 2 to oxygen and water during the mining of metals and coals 1, 2. Passive treatment methods for acid water in pennsylvania. Owing to the larger disturbance and production methods, the acid mine drainage from the modern mine had a significant impact on an entire watershed. Jul 22, 2011 from teachers domain this video shows how acid mine drainage from an abandoned coal mine has affected wildcat branch in kentuckys daniel boone national forest. Well, it forms when pyrite is exposed and it reacts with water and oxygen. Environmental effects of acid mine drainage cape town. Effect of acid mine drainage on creeks or streams in a mining. Studies of fish and macroinvertebrate communities, habitat, and a number of hydrochemical parameters in monday creek, ohio, show that amd eliminates fish communities and severely limits. The effects of acid mine drainage amd on the internal and the external environment in the open coal mining activities article pdf available february 2016 with 1,084 reads how we measure reads. Over the last decade, a flurry of news articles have highlighted the threat of acid water decant and its likely effects on human health, the environment, water quality, municipal infrastructure and building foundations in the johannesburg central business district cbd. Environmental impacts and health aspects in the mining industry. Acid mine drainage amd is the flow, or seepage, of polluted water from old mining areas.
Acid mine drainage, acid and metalliferous drainage amd, or acid rock drainage ard is the. Mining and water pollution safe drinking water foundation. One of the most common environmental effects of inadequate reclamation of deep and surface mines is acid mine drainage amd. In a nutshell, acid mine drainage is a form of water pollution that happens when rain, runoff, or streams come in contact with rock that is rich in sulfur. Major impact areas are rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal waters, although amd affects different aquatic ecosystems in. Environmental impacts and health aspects in the mining industry i master of science thesis report no.
Pdf environmental impact and remediation of acid mine drainage. Pyrite undergoes oxidation in a series of reactions, the first stage trigger of which results in production of sulfuric acid and ferrous sulfate as provided in eq. As a result, the water becomes very acidic and damages downstream aquatic ecosystems. Mining, waste ore burden, tailings, and exposure of abandoned mines to the environment promote amd, catalyzed by naturally occurring acidophilic chemolithotrophic. Acid mine drainage effects, types, plants, marine, oxygen. Acid mine drainage adm is the most significant environmental pollution problem associated with mining industry. Studies of fish and macroinvertebrate communities, habitat, and a number of hydrochemical parameters in monday creek, ohio, show that amd eliminates fish. Mineacid drainage mad is the runoff produced when water comes into contact with exposed rocks containing sulfurbearing minerals that react with water and air to form sulfuric acid, dissolved fe and al, and other chemical elements blowes et al.
The effects of isolation and acid mine drainage on fish and. You might be wondering how mines generate acid mine drainage. Effect of acid mine drainage on aquatic resources once acid drainage is created, metals are released into the surrounding environment, and become readily available to biological organisms. Acid mine drainage is especially harmful because it can occur indefinitely long after mining has ended. The activities of coal exploitation can change the environment, and the changing of the environment will cause the previous environmental components to be disturbed. It is not clear what the effects of acid mine drainage would be, but adverse effects from the. The effects of mining coal persists for years after coal is removed. Acid mine drainage is when abandoned mines leak heavy metals into streams and rivers. As a result an orange colour can blanket the river, estuary or sea bed killing plants and making surface water unusable as drinking water. Assessment of impacts of acid mine drainage on surface water. What is acid mine drainage amd, why is it such a serious threat to south africa and more importantly why has been it been silenced and kept under wraps by the mining industry and south african government for so long. Pdf work carried out at the abandoned copper cu and sulphur s mine at avoca south east ireland has shown acid mine drainage amd to be a.
The effects of acid mine drainage amd on the internal and the external environment in the open coal mining activities article pdf available. Consequences of acid mine drainage for the structure and. It affects aquatic ecosystems by a number of direct and indirect pathways. Mine acid drainage mad is the runoff produced when water comes into contact with exposed rocks containing sulfurbearing minerals that react with water and air to form sulfuric acid, dissolved fe and al, and other chemical elements blowes et al. Sulphide is typical present in the form of pyrite fes 2, which is the largest contributor of amd, though other metal sulphide ores are common sources. Acid mine drainage prediction compares acid rock drainage factors of waste rock piles and tailings impoundments. In canada, work to reduce the effects of acid mine drainage is concentrated under the mine environment neutral drainage mend program. Nf gray, environmental impact and remediation of acid mine drainage. Sulphuric acid dissolves in water and air, and can remain suspended in air for varying periods of time. Environmental impacts and health aspects in the mining. One of the activities of the exploitation leads to the formation of acid mine drainage that can have a negative impact on the environment. The acidic water formed by this process can dissolve many metals.