Minerals and Mine Drainage

Abstract

This chapter reviews the literature pertaining to environmental processes that affect mineral dissolution reactions and the generation of acid mine drainage, the fate and transport of metal contaminants within the environment, the toxic influences of metals and mine drainage on aquatic species, characterization of abandoned mines and their potential for contamination, and technologies for remediation of mining-impacted systems or removing metals from wastewater streams. SITE CHARACTERIZATION AND ASSESSMENTAn important initial step during remediation plan development for miningimpacted areas is the assessment of a site's geologic composition and characterization of the future contamination potential. Airborne electromagnetic and magnetic surveys were used to provide an indication of metallic sulfide distribution in Copper Cliff (northern Ontario, Canada) (Shang et al., 2001). This technique was capable of providing information on mine tailing extent and showed promise for reducing ambiguity about interpreting mine tailing distribution and alterations in composition over time. Rare earth element (REE) fingerprinting was utilized to identify sources of acidic drainage and to better understand water-rock interactions in the Durham basin (England) (Worall and Pearson, 2001). Czaja (2001) prepared an account of the influence of mining and hydrological transformations in Upper Silesia (Poland) from the fifteenth to nineteenth centuries and described changes in environmental pollution relating to mining activity. The potential for long-term pollution from an open cast lignite mine in Germany (the Janschwalde dump) was evaluated using a three-dimensional geochemical model to calculate the pyrite oxidation in different parts of the mine (Rolland et al., 2001).Another predictive modeling study was performed at the Janschwalde dump and Literature Review 2002