What is meant by acid mine drainage?
What is meant by acid mine drainage?
Acid mine drainage (AMD) consists of metal-laden solutions produced by the oxidative dissolution of iron sulfide minerals exposed to air, moisture, and acidophilic microbes during the mining of coal and metal deposits.
Which mines cause acid mine drainage?
The major culprits are the coal and gold mines, and because of their location in the upper portions of the Vaal River catchment, their footprint on the water supply is huge. Aside from metal and acid pollution, the major problem is the increase in dissolved salts into the Vaal River.
How is acid used in mining?
How is it used in mining? In metal mining, sulfuric acid is used to leach copper oxide minerals. In one process, a solution of sulfuric acid laden with copper sulfate is stripped of copper via a solvent extraction and electro winning with the used sulfuric acid recycled back into the process.
Where is acid mine drainage?
Acid mine drainage can be released anywhere on the mine where sulfides are exposed to air and water — including waste rock piles, tailings, open pits, underground tunnels, and leach pads.
What is dust mining?
The vast majority of dust from mining activities consists of coarse particles (around 40 per cent) and particles larger than PM10, generated from natural activities such mechanical disturbance of rock and soil materials by dragline or shovel, bulldozing, blasting, and vehicles on dirt roads.
What causes acid mine water?
Acid mine drainage (AMD) from mining wastes is one of the current environmental problems in the field of mining pollution that requires most action measures. This term describes the drainage generated by natural oxidation of sulfide minerals when they are exposed to the combined action of water and atmospheric oxygen.
What are the common health problems of mining to miners?
Silicosis, pneumoconiosis (black lung disease), occupational hearing loss, and other medical problems have long been associated with mining operations.
What is the cause of acid mine?
Acid mine drainage (AMD) is the runoff produced when water comes in contact with exposed rocks containing sulfur-bearing minerals that react with water and air to form sulfuric acid and dissolved iron. This acidic run-off dissolves heavy metals including copper, lead, and mercury which pollute ground and surface water.
Do all mine produce acid water?
Although abandoned underground mines produce most of the acid mine drainage, some recently mined and reclaimed surface mines have produced ARD and have degraded local ground-water and surface-water resources.
Is it bad to live near a mine?
Provided that mines are operated with proper dust controls it is unlikely that healthy adult residents would suffer any serious health effects from the expected exposure to particulate matter. If you notice that dust levels are high, try to keep your windows and doors closed.
What causes acid – mine drainage?
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. As a result, the water becomes very acidic and damages downstream aquatic ecosystems. In some regions it is the most common form of stream and river pollution.
What are the effects of acid – mine drainage?
Effects on aquatic wildlife. Acid mine drainage also affects the wildlife living within the affected body of water. Aquatic macroinvertebrates living in streams or parts of streams affected by acid mine drainage show less individuals, less diversity, and less biomass.
What is the pH of acid mine drainage?
Acid Mine Drainage: pH. The pH values of natural surface waters usually range from 5.5 to 8.5. Extremely high (9.6) or low (4.5) values are unsuitable for most aquatic organisms. Young fish and immature stages of aquatic insects are extremely sensitive to pH levels below 5. Click on image at left for more.
What is acid mine water?
acid mine water. [′as·əd ′mīn ‚wȯd·ər] (mining engineering) Mine water with free sulfuric acid, due to the weathering of iron pyrites.
