Renovation of a failed constructed wetland treating acid mine drainage

 Acid mine drainage (AMD) from abandoned underground mines significantly impairs water quality in the Jones Branch watershed in McCreary Co., Kentucky, USA. A 1022-m² surface-flow wetland was constructed in 1989 to reduce the AMD effects, however, the system failed after six months due to insufficient utilization of the treatment area, inadequate alkalinity production and metal overloading. In an attempt to improve treatment efficiencies, a renovation project was designed incorporating two anoxic limestone drains (ALDs) and a series of anaerobic subsurface drains that promote vertical flow of mine water through a successive alkalinity producing system (SAPS) of limestone beds overlain by organic compost. Analytical results from the 19-month post-renovation period are very encouraging. Mean iron concentrations have decreased from 787 to 39 mg l^–1, pH increased from 3.38 to 6.46 and acidity has been reduced from 2244 to 199 mg l^–1 (CaCO₃ equivalent). Mass removal rates averaged 98% for Al, 95% for Fe, 94% for acidity, 55% for sulfate and 49% for Mn during the study period. The results indicate that increased alkalinity production from limestone dissolution and longer residence time have contributed to sufficient buffering and metal retention. The combination of ALDs and SAPS technologies used in the renovation and the sequence in which they were implemented within the wetland system proved to be an adequate and very promising design for the treatment of this and other sources of high metal load AMD. Received: 29 June 1998 · Accepted: 15 September 1998     

Treatment of synthetic acid mine drainage using rice wine waste as a carbon source

Spent mushroom compost (SMC) is commonly used as a carbon source for passive treatment systems in South Korea; however, it has some drawbacks, such as sulfate release from itself. Consequently, investigations to identify effective substitutes for SMC are necessary. In this study, batch experiments were conducted for 27 days to evaluate the efficiency of rice wine waste (RWW) for reducing sulfate and removing dissolved metals within synthetic acid mine drainage (AMD). The results showed that RWW could be more suitable than SMC, which even released sulfate in the early stage of the experiment, for sulfate reduction by sulfate-reducing bacteria. Both materials produced similar results with respect to the removal of dissolved metals, such as Fe and Al. Furthermore, a mixture of SMC and RWW showed the greatest efficiency in sulfate removal. Overall, both RWW and the mixed carbon source showed comparable performance to SMC, which indicated that RWW had a great potential for use as a carbon source for AMD treatment.     

Impact of NaSO4 dominated ionic strength on trace metal removal products in vertical flow bioreactors

Vertical flow bioreactors (VFBR) are often used as a component of passive treatment systems (PTS) to treat mine drainage. One of the primary purposes of VFBR is to remove trace metals from mine drainage and retain them in the organic substrate. Elevated ionic strength may impact the performance of VFBR and affect their ability to remove trace metals. A paired-comparison study was performed to determine how products of trace metal removal may change when ionic strength is elevated due to increased concentrations of common contributors to TDS, specifically sodium and sulfate. A sequential extraction procedure (SEP) and acid-volatile sulfide/simultaneously extracted metals analyses (AVS/SEM) were used to determine dominant Cd, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn removal products in bench-scale VFBR. Elevated ionic strength resulted in more Pb being retained in the substrates as an insoluble sulfide and less Mn being removed via adsorption to the substrates. An increase in ionic strength had a greater impact on adsorption when sulfate reduction was inhibited, with percentages of Mn and Zn removed via this mechanism decreasing by at least half. This finding could be particularly significant at the start of VFBR operation when adsorption is expected to be the primary removal mechanism.     

Mineralogical characterization of mine waste

The application of mineralogical characterization to mine waste has the potential to improve risk assessment, guide appropriate mine planning for planned and active mines and optimize remediation design at closed or abandoned mines. Characterization of minerals, especially sulphide and carbonate phases, is particularly important for predicting the potential for acidic drainage and metal(loid) leaching. Another valuable outcome from mineralogical studies of mine waste is an understanding of the stability of reactive and metal(loid)-bearing minerals under various redox conditions. This paper reviews analytical methods that have been used to study mine waste mineralogy, including conventional methods such as X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, and advanced methods such as synchrotron-based microanalysis and automated mineralogy. We recommend direct collaboration between researchers and mining companies to choose the optimal mineralogical techniques to solve complex problems, to co-publish the results, and to ensure that mineralogical knowledge is used to inform mine waste management at all stages of the mining life cycle. A case study of arsenic-bearing gold mine tailings from Nova Scotia is presented to demonstrate the application of mineralogical techniques to improve human health risk assessment and the long-term management of historical mine wastes.     

关于矿产资源勘查开采过程中关键节点的探讨

随着采矿等矿业活动在全球范围内的大面积进行,人们对矿山及其周边环境问题的关注度持续增加。电感耦合多接收等离子体质谱仪(MC-ICP-MS)的出现推动了同位素的地球化学研究,也使得同位素示踪技术被广泛应用于探究矿山环境中的各类问题。为强调同位素示踪技术在复杂矿山环境中应用的重要性及其能解决科学问题的多样性,本文调研和分析了截至2022年7月国内外学者公开发表的借助同位素示踪技术测试、分析矿山水文环境中的地球化学过程及污染物来源/影响等方面的论文及其数据,研究区涵盖二十多个国家、四十多个地区。通过总结发现：水体氢、氧同位素示踪技术是矿山水源解析、水力联系研究及酸性矿山废水(AMD)源识别的有效工具;硫酸盐硫、氧同位素示踪技术为研究矿山环境中的硫酸盐来源、AMD酸化过程及污染、细菌硫酸盐的还原作用与元素迁移转化等提供重要支持;重金属(铅、镉、锌、汞等)同位素示踪技术是探究矿山及附近环境中的金属污染来源及不同来源贡献率的有效手段。大量研究表明,虽然同位素技术在解析矿山环境污染物来源和特征污染物迁移转化机制以及揭示矿山水文地球化学过程等方面起到重要作用,但目前的大部分研究局限于应用单一/少数同位素对矿山环境介质进行短时间示踪研究。因此,未来需进一步发展多同位素示踪技术,并对矿山环境中存在的各类问题进行长期、持续地监测调查,提出有效的污染防治新方法。

     

Lead and nickel biosorption with a fungal biomass isolated from metal mine drainage: Box–Behnken experimental design

The Pb(II) and Ni(II) biosorption of a fungal biomass isolated from mine drainage of metal-processing industries in Balya (Bal?kesir province, Turkey) was optimized using a response surface methodology by altering parameters such as pH, initial metal concentration, contact time and biosorbent dosage. This strain was shown to be highly similar to Penicillium sp. Furthermore, zeta potential measurements and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were performed to understand the adsorption mechanism. A Box–Behnken design with 29 experiments was used to evaluate the interactions between independent variables. The results showed that the fungal biomass isolated from the metal mine drainage could have a significant environmental impact through the biosorption of Pb(II) and Ni(II) in waters polluted with heavy metals, particularly in the drainage from metal mines. The maximum removal values were 76 and 47 % at pH 4.5 for both Pb(II) and Ni(II), with 123 and 33 mg/L initial metal concentrations, 65 and 89 min contact times and 0.2 and 1.6 g/L biosorbent, respectively.     

Evaluation of mixtures of peat,zero-valent iron and alkalinity amendments for treatment of acid rock drainage

Reactive mixtures to be used in a permeable reactive barrier (PRB) for the treatment of low quality groundwater derived from a mine waste rock storage site were evaluated. Low pH drainage water from the site contained high concentrations of sulfate and dissolved metals, including Al, Co, Ni, and Zn. Column experiments were conducted to evaluate whether mixtures containing either peat moss (as an organic carbon source) or a mixture of peat moss and granular zero-valent iron (ZVI) filings, in addition to small amounts of lime and/or limestone, were suitable treatment materials for removing these metals from the water. The experimental results showed that the mixtures promote bacterially-mediated sulfate reduction and metal removal by precipitation of metal sulfides, metal carbonate/hydroxide precipitation, and adsorption under relatively high pH conditions (pH of 7–8). Both reactive mixtures removed influent dissolved metals to near or below the limit of detection in the effluent throughout the experiment; however, influent-level concentrations of the metals of interest gradually moved through the column containing peat alone, as the pH neutralizing ability in the mixture was consumed. In contrast, the column containing both peat and ZVI showed very little breakthrough of the influent metals, suggesting that the longevity of the mixture including ZVI will be much longer than the mixture containing peat alone. The results show that both reactive mixtures should be effective in a PRB installation as long as neutral pH conditions and microbial activity are maintained. The cost to performance ratio of the two reactive mixtures will be a key factor in determining which mixture is best suited for a particular site.     

Understanding of the biochemical events in a chemo-bioreactor during continuous acid mine drainage treatment

Spent mushroom compost (SMC) is widely used as reactor matrix in passive bioreactor involving sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) for acid mine drainage (AMD) treatment. Follow-up our previous report, recent work has been established the extent of activity, sustained organic carbon availability, and the biochemical events of successive alkalinity producing system-based chemo-bioreactor for continuous performance using SMC. Removal of iron and sulfate from influent was over 77 and 90%, respectively, for first 13 weeks, while sulfate removal efficiency suddenly dropped down to 31% thereafter. Ahead of 13th week, process failure was beginning to be noticed when available dissolved organic carbon (DOC) value dropped down to 50 mg/L. SRB population was mostly affected with DOC drought at this stage. Sulfur was one of the major elements found with other tested metals in blackish green effluent precipitate. Sulfide compounds of the tested metals were formed on both exhausted chemo-bioreactor bed and precipitate. FTIR analysis indicated that SMC was responsible for metal binding and available nutrients supply. The present study revealed the feasibility of SMC as a host for treating AMD by this chemo-bioreactor that will assist in designing the continuous treatment practice.     

An integrated approach to environmental risk assessment of cumulatively impacted drainage basin from mining activities in southwestern Ghana

Acid rock/mine drainage and metal leaching constitute major environmental management risks in the mining industry. This paper assesses the environmental risks due to acid rock/mine drainage, and the metal leaching potential of multiple mines of gold and manganese on the Ankobra River Drainage Basin in Southwestern Ghana. The basin is a hub of mining activity in Ghana, hosting several mines. A combination of mineralogical, and static geochemical acid drainage predictive investigation of overburden of varied geological units, complimented with hydrochemical drainage quality analysis was used to assess potential environmental risks posed by acid-generating lithologies and mine spoil. Mineralogical investigations revealed sulphide-bearing lithological units with profound compositional variations due to the incorporation of potentially toxic heavy metals and metalloids, in association with carbonates and silicates. Accounting Base Accounting (ABA) and Net acid generation potential pH (NAGpH) tests delimited two tailing sites as potentially acid generating with NAGpH of 3.5 and 4.8, respectively. Five other samples, representing specific lithological units in the stratigraphic sequence, with net acid neutralization potential ratio (NNPR) less than 5.0, were classified as being potentially acid generating according to the categorization requirement of the US Forestry Service. The rest of the samples exhibited moderate to very strong buffering capabilities. The assessment also evaluated drainage quality of the network of streams and rivers constituting the basin and identified sources of drainage contaminants. Acidic waters emanate from identified acid generating sources, while high metal load regimes were identified with both low pH waters and high pH regimes, coincident with high sulphide and carbonate alteration sites, respectively. The study results show that Zn, Cu, Ni, As, Co, Sb, SO₄ ²⁻, pH, alkalinity and conductivity are essential and adequate parameters in routine environmental risk monitoring programmes of mines in the area. Sites characterized by low pH (<5.5) with high sulphate and metal ions are suggestive of acid mine drainage, while sites with high pH (>7.5), metal ions and sulphate are suggestive of net acid neutralizing.     

Coupled physicochemical and bacterial reduction mechanisms for passive remediation of sulfate- and metal-rich acid mine drainage

Treatment of acid mine drainage (AMD) highly rich in sulfate and multiple metal elements has been investigated in a continuous flow column experiment using organic and inorganic reactive media. Treatment substrates that composed of spent mushroom compost (SMC), limestone, activated sludge and woodchips were incorporated into bacterial sulfate reduction (BSR) treatment for AMD. SMC greatly assisted the removals of sulfate and metals and acted as essential carbon source for sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). Alkalinity produced by dissolution of limestone and metabolism of SRB has provided acidity neutralization capacity for AMD where pH was maintained at neutral state, thus aiding the removal of sulfate. Fe, Pb, Cu, Zn and Al were effectively removed (87–100%); however, Mn was not successfully removed despite initial Mn reduction during early phase due to interference with Fe. The first half of the treatment was an essential phase for removal of most metals where contaminants were primarily removed by the BSR in addition to carbonate dissolution function. The importance of BSR in the presence of organic materials was also supported by metal fraction analysis that primary metal accumulation occurs mainly through metal adsorption onto the organic matter, e.g., as sulfides and onto Fe/Mn oxides surfaces.     

西北地区矿山环境地质问题及动态数据库建设

西北地区矿产资源丰富,矿业开发已成为地区经济发展的主要经济支柱。但是由于该区生态环境脆弱,不合理的矿业开发导致矿山环境地质问题严峻,部分矿区呈现加速恶化势态。资源损毁、地质灾害、环境污染是矿业活动的主要环境地质问题。矿业引发的地质环境问题与矿产资源类型、开发方式、地域条件及矿山企业的规模、性质关系密切。在研究分析矿山环境地质问题的基础上,建立了以MAPGIS为平台的可视化动态环境地质数据库。     

山东西南部南四湖流域环境地质综合调查

本文论述了水体污染、矿山环境地质灾害、地下水环境异常、南四湖淤积、地球化学环境与地方病等环境地质问题，探讨了煤炭开采对南四湖湖容演变的积极影响。湖体及主要人湖河流污染严重；流域内煤炭资源开发引起的矿山环境地质灾害比较严重，地面塌陷面积达112．395km^2；各种固体废弃物积存总量6412．68万t；矿井排水对矿区地下水资源造成严重破坏。地方病以地氟病和克山病为主。在对流域内环境地质问题综合分析的基础上，提出了对流域环境地质问题的治理措施。     

Hydrogeologic and environmental impact of amjhore pyrite mines,India

Drainage from active and inactive pyrite mines has produced chemical and physical pollution of both ground- and surface water in Amjhore region. In the present case, chemical pollution is caused by exposing pyrite minerals to oxidation or leaching, resulting in undesirable concentrations of dissolved materials. Pyrite mining suddenly exposed large quantities of sulfides to direct contact with oxygen, and oxidation proceeds rapidly, resulting in acidity and release of metal (Fe) and sulfates to the water system, eventually resulting in water pollution in the region. The magnitude and impact of the problem is just being recognized and, as the present and the future projected demand for clean water is of top priority, the present studies were undertaken.Mine drainage includes water flowing from the surface and underground mines and runoff or seepage from the pyrite mines. This article describes the various hydrologic factors that control acid water formation and its transport. The mine drainage is obviously a continuing source of pollution and, therefore, remedial measures mainly consisting of a double-stage limestone-lime treatment technique have been suggested. The present results will be used to develop an alternative and more effective abatement technology to mitigate acid production at the source, namely, the technique of revegetation of the soil cover applied to the waste mine dump material.Water quality change is discussed in detail, with emphasis on acidity formed from exposed pyrite material and on increase in dissolved solids. Preventive and treatment measures are recommended.     

Effectiveness of various dispersed alkaline substrates for the pre-treatment of ferriferous acid mine drainage

Dispersed alkaline substrates (DAS) have been successfully used in passive treatment of highly contaminated acid mine drainage (AMD) to limit coating and clogging issues. However, further optimization of DAS systems is still needed, especially for their long-term efficiency during the treatment of ferriferous AMD. In the present study, three types of DAS comprised of natural alkaline materials (wood ash, calcite, dolomite), in different proportions (20%v/v, 50%v/v, 80%v/v), and a substrate with high surface area (wood chips) were tested in 9 batch reactors. The testing was carried out, in duplicate, for a period of 91 days, to evaluate the comparative performance of the mixtures for iron pre-treatment in ferriferous AMD (2500 mg/L Fe, at pH 4). Results showed increasing of pH (between 4.15 and 7.12), regardless of the proportion of alkaline materials in the DAS mixtures. Among the tested mixtures, wood ash type DAS were more effective for Fe removal (99.9%) than calcite or dolomite type DAS (up to 66%). All tested DAS had limited efficiency for sulfate removal and an additional treatment unit, such as a sulfate-reducing biochemical reactor, is needed. Moreover, due to the similar performances of the calcite and dolomite DAS, they could be potentially substituted and rather be used in a polishing treatment unit. Based on these findings, the most promising mixture was the 50% wood ash type DAS (WA50-DAS).     

Zinc and nickel removal in simulated limestone treatment of mining influenced water

Mining influenced water (MIW) is often characterized by low pH (acid mine drainage) and high dissolved metal concentrations. Treatment of MIW is often required to mitigate these two characteristics. One option, which has traditionally been used only for pH neutralization, is limestone based treatment systems. However, there is field evidence that limestone systems are also effective at removing metals such as Zn and Ni. These field systems are often too complex to examine specific removal hypotheses, while certain modes of laboratory examination are too simplistic to be applied to field settings. Instead, the batch reactors used here were intentionally more complex to allow for the examination of how certain variables (pH, alkalinity, and primary metal concentrations) interact to affect Zn and Ni removal. The data herein suggest that one possible removal process for Zn and Ni is through surface interactions on the precipitated primary metals Fe and Al. The specific processes are complex and conditional, and were found to depend on pH, alkalinity, and total amount of primary metal present. Indeed the complex interplay between these variables led to an observed local maximum in Zn removal that would not be predicted from traditional surface complexation theory or observed from simpler experimental systems.     

基于灰色关联分析法的江西省矿山环境质量评价

矿山环境质量评价是环境保护领域中带有方向性并颇具实践意义的工作。科学客观的评价结果可指导矿山环境保护与治理决策,促进矿业资源合理开发。不同矿山所处的开发阶段不同,其存在的环境问题也复杂多样。对数量庞大的多个矿山进行环境质量评价,灰色关联分析法具有较强的实用性。EXCEL数据处理功能的运用,弥补了灰色关联分析法中样本数量不足的缺陷。本文以江西省矿山环境质量评价为例,进行了矿山环境问题成因分析,系统阐述了采用灰色关联分析的评价方法与模型。选取了矿山环境背景和危害两大类共12个评价指标,以全省总矿山为样本评定了各指标作用权重和质量分级,结合综合指数法确定各矿山环境质量等级,为矿山环境保护与治理规划提供了可参考的科学依据。     

Effectiveness of sulfate-reducing passive bioreactors for treating highly contaminated acid mine drainage: I. Effect of hydraulic retention time

Sulfate-reducing passive bioreactors have proved to be an effective technology for the treatment of acid mine drainage (AMD) contaminated waters over relatively short periods of time (1–5 a). However, long-term efficiency can be limited by several factors including problems related to the hydraulic properties of the reactive mixture. In this study, the effect of two hydraulic retention times (HRTs) of 7.3 d and 10 d on the performance of passive bioreactors was evaluated over an 11-month period for the treatment of a highly contaminated AMD. Evolution of the porosity and hydraulic conductivity of the reactive mixture was also evaluated during the 15-month operation of two bioreactors. Results indicated that bioreactors were effective at both HRTs for increasing the pH and alkalinity of contaminated water and for SO₄ and metal removal (60–82% for Fe and up to 99.9% for Cd, Ni and Zn). Although the quality of treated effluent was significantly improved with the 10 d HRT compared to the 7.3 d HRT, results showed that the higher HRT reduced the porosity and the permeability of the reactive mixture which might lead to hydraulic related problems and, eventually, to limited efficiency in long-term operation compared to a shorter HRT. The choice of HRT for a passive bioreactor must therefore consider both the desired quality of treated effluent and the potential for deterioration of hydraulic properties in the reactive mixture.     

Chemical and physical properties of iron hydroxide precipitates associated with passively treated coal mine drainage in the Bituminous Region of Pennsylvania and Maryland

Changes in precipitate mineralogy, morphology, and major and trace element concentrations and associations throughout 5 coal mine drainage (CMD) remediation systems treating discharges of varying chemistries were investigated in order to determine the factors that influence the characteristics of precipitates formed in passive systems. The 5 passive treatment systems sampled in this study are located in the bituminous coal fields of western Pennsylvania and northern Maryland, and treat discharges from Pennsylvanian age coals. The precipitates are dominantly (>70%) goethite. Crystallinity varies throughout an individual system, and lower crystallinity is associated with enhanced sorption of trace metals. Degree of crystallinity (and subsequently morphology and trace metal associations) is a function of the treatment system and how rapidly Fe(II) is oxidized, forms precipitates, aggregates and settles. Precipitates formed earlier in the passive treatment systems tend to have the highest crystallinity and the lowest concentrations of trace metal cations. High surface area and cation vacancies within the goethite structure enable sorption and incorporation of metals from coal mine drainage-polluted waters. Sorption affinities follow the order of Zn > Co ≈ Ni > Mn. Cobalt and Ni are preferentially sorbed to Mn oxide phases when these phases are present. As pH increases in the individual CMD treatment systems toward the pH_pzc of goethite, As sorption decreases and transition metal (Co, Mn, Ni and Zn) sorption increases. Sulfate, Na and Fe(II) concentrations may all influence the sorption of trace metals to the Fe hydroxide surface. Results of this study have implications not only for solids disposal and resource recovery but also for the optimization of passive CMD treatment systems.     

酸性矿山废水中生物成因次生高铁矿物的形成及环境工程意义

酸性矿山废水(acid mine drainage,AMD)是一类pH低并含有大量有毒金属元素的废水。AMD及受其影响的环境中次生高铁矿物类型主要包括羟基硫酸高铁矿物(如黄铁矾和施威特曼石等)和一些含水氧化铁矿物(如针铁矿和水铁矿等),而且这些矿物在不同条件下会发生相转变,如施氏矿物向针铁矿或黄铁矾矿物相转化。基于酸性环境中生物成因次生矿物的形成会"自然钝化"或"清除"废水中铁和有毒金属这一现象所获得的启示,提出利用这些矿物作为环境吸附材料去除地下水中砷,不但吸附量大(如施氏矿物对As的吸附可高达120mg/g),而且可直接吸附As(III),还几乎不受地下水中其他元素影响。利用AMD环境中羟基硫酸高铁矿物形成的原理,可将其应用于AMD石灰中和主动处理系统中,构成"强化微生物氧化诱导成矿-石灰中和"的联合主动处理系统,以提高AMD处理效果和降低石灰用量。利用微生物强化氧化与次生矿物晶体不断生长的原理构筑生物渗透性反应墙(PRB)并和石灰石渗透沟渠耦联,形成新型的AMD联合被动处理系统,这将有助于大幅度增加处理系统的寿命和处理效率。此外,文中还探讨了上述生物成因矿物形成在AMD和地下水处理方面应用的优点以及今后需要继续研究的问题。