Seasonal and weather-related controls on solute concentrations and acid drainage from a pyritic coal-refuse deposit in southwestern Indiana, U.S.A.

Olyphant, Greg A.; Bayless, E. Randall; Harper, Denver

doi:10.1016/0169-7722(91)90029-z

Cited by 31 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…In wet climates, salts are ephemeral unless they develop in sheltered areas. In arid climates, or during prolonged dry periods in humid climates, thick crusts of salts can form by evaporative processes, where upward migration of water by capillary action is the dominant process (Olyphant et al, 1991;Dold, 1999). Dissolution of accumulated highly soluble sulfate salts during spring snowmelt runoff or rainstorms can have short-term, catastrophic effects on metal loadings and on aquatic ecosystems (Nordstrom, 1977;Dagenhart, 1980;Olyphant et al, 1991;Bayless and Olyphant, 1993;Keith et al, 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Secondary sulfate minerals associated with acid drainage in the eastern US: recycling of metals and acidity in surficial environments

et al. 2005

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Weathering of metal-sulfide minerals produces suites of variably soluble efflorescent sulfate salts at a number of localities in the eastern United States. The salts, which are present on mine wastes, tailings piles, and outcrops, include minerals that incorporate heavy metals in solid solution, primarily the highly soluble members of the melanterite, rozenite, epsomite, halotrichite, and copiapite groups. The minerals were identified by a combination of powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electron-microprobe. Base-metal salts are rare at these localities, and Cu, Zn, and Co are commonly sequestered as solid solutions within Fe-and Fe-Al sulfate minerals. Salt dissolution affects the surfacewater chemistry at abandoned mines that exploited the massive sulfide deposits in the Vermont copper belt, the Mineral district of central Virginia, the Copper Basin (Ducktown) mining district of Tennessee, and where sulfide-bearing metamorphic rocks undisturbed by mining are exposed in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee.Dissolution experiments on composite salt samples from three minesites and two outcrops of metamorphic rock showed that, in all cases, the pH of the leachates rapidly declined from 6.9 to b3.7, and specific conductance increased gradually over 24 h. Leachates analyzed after 24-h dissolution experiments indicated that all of the salts provided ready sources), and base metals (N1000 mg L À1 for minesites, and 2 mg L À1 for other sites). Geochemical modeling of surface waters, mine-waste leachates, and salt leachates using PHREEQC software predicted saturation in the observed ochre minerals, but significant concentration by evaporation would be needed to reach saturation in most of the sulfate salts. Periodic surface-water monitoring at Vermont minesites indicated peak annual metal loads during spring runoff. At the Virginia site, where no winter-long snowpack develops, metal loads were highest during summer months when salts were dissolved periodically by rainstorms following sustained evaporation during dry spells. areas, persist in protected areas when temperature and relative humidity are appropriate, and contribute to metal loadings and acidity in surface waters upon dissolution, thereby causing short-term perturbations in water quality. Published by Elsevier B.V.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Secondary sulfate minerals associated with acid drainage in the eastern US: recycling of metals and acidity in surficial environments

et al. 2005

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“…Usually, the sulfidic waste soil/rock materials are stored in purposebuilt storage facilities with a liner on the bottom to prevent seepage of acidic water down to the adjacent aquifers and a capping layer of good soil to allow the establishment of vegetative cover after the capacity of the overburden storage facility is used up. Acid neutralizing agents and fertilizers are frequently applied to create more favourable conditions for vegetation establishment (Brown et al, 1997;Gatzweiler et al, 2001;Bleeker et al, 2002;Xenidis et al, 2002;Maddocks et al, 2004;Ram et al, 2006;Liu et al, 2009;Padmavathiamma and Li, 2010).…”

Section: Acid Sulfate Footprints Associated With Metal Ore Miningmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Coal refuse (tailings) from the coal preparation plant usually contains elevated concentration of pyrite and thus represent a significant acid sulfate footprint associated with coal mining (Olyphant et al, 1991), especially during the earlier days when these materials were not stored properly.…”

Section: Acid Sulfate Footprints Associated With Coal Miningmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In-situ acid neutralization of the acidic topsoils for vegetation establishment has been a major research effort for rehabilitation of exposed mine spoils in recent decades (Brown et al, 1997;Gatzweiler et al, 2001;Bleeker et al, 2002;Xenidis et al, 2002;Maddocks et al, 2004;Ram et al, 2006;Liu et al, 2009;Padmavathiamma and Li, 2010). However, there has so far been limited success in large-scale application of such technologies.…”

Section: Sulfidic Mine Spoilsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Climate Change Adaptation in Acid Sulfate Landscapes

Lin¹

2012

American Journal of Environmental Sciences

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Oxidation of sulfide minerals produces sulfuric acid and consequently creates Acid Sulfate Landscapes (ASLs), which represent one of the most degraded types of land-surface environments. Although acid sulfate-producing weathering is a naturally occurring process, it is markedly facilitated by human intervention. Mining is by far the dominant anthropogenic cause for the creation of inland acid sulfate footprints while land reclamation in coastal lowlands is the driver for the formation of coastal ASLs. The projected climate change highlights the possibility of an increase in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events such as droughts and heavy rains, which is likely to accelerate the acid generation in some circumstances and increase the frequency and magnitude of acid discharge. Sea level rise as a result of global warming will cause additional problems with the coastal ASLs. This is a review article. The following aspects are covered: (a) the overriding biogeochemical processes leading to acid sulfateproducing weathering, (b) a brief introduction to the inland acid sulfate landscapes, (c) a brief introduction to the coastal acid sulfate landscapes, (d) the likely impacts of climate change on ASLs and (e) the possible measures to combat climate change-induced environmental degradation in the identified key acid sulfate footprints. The projected climate change is like to significantly affect the acid sulfate landscapes in different ways. Appropriate management strategies and cost-effective technologies need to be developed in order to minimize the climate change-induced ecological degradation.

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“…Aluminum concentrations below detection are shown at detection limit (DetLim), indicated by horizontal line segments Cravotta (2000) demonstrated that the decreases in pH, SC, and concentrations of major ions during storm events for Swatara Creek could result from mixing of weakly acidic storm runoff having pH 4.0-4.5 and low dissolved solids with poorly buffered stream water having pH 6.0-6.5 and high sulfate. The storm runoff is derived from acidic rainfall with minor contributions from pyrite-oxidation products and carbonate minerals (Olyphant et al 1991).…”

Section: Correlations Among Stream Flow Metals and Suspended Solidsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Abandoned Mine Drainage in the Swatara Creek Basin, Southern Anthracite Coalfield, Pennsylvania, USA: 1. Stream Water Quality Trends Coinciding with the Return of Fish

Cravotta¹,

Brightbill²,

Langland³

2010

Mine Water Environ

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Seasonal and weather-related controls on solute concentrations and acid drainage from a pyritic coal-refuse deposit in southwestern Indiana, U.S.A.

Cited by 31 publications

References 7 publications

Secondary sulfate minerals associated with acid drainage in the eastern US: recycling of metals and acidity in surficial environments

Secondary sulfate minerals associated with acid drainage in the eastern US: recycling of metals and acidity in surficial environments

Climate Change Adaptation in Acid Sulfate Landscapes

Abandoned Mine Drainage in the Swatara Creek Basin, Southern Anthracite Coalfield, Pennsylvania, USA: 1. Stream Water Quality Trends Coinciding with the Return of Fish

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