The Cause And Effects Of Acid Mine Drainage

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MINE DRAINAGE

Within the mining process there are several sources that cause ARD. No
matter what activities occur, ARD usually occurs when certain conditions are met.
These conditions are the factors that limit or accelerate the release of ARD.
The initial release of ARD can occur anywhere from a few months to many decades
after the sulfide containing material is disturbed or deposited. ARD has been
associated with mines since mining began. When ARD occurs due to the effects of
mining it is called acid mine drainage, or AMD. The coal mining industry here
in the eastern United States has been associated with a major source of AMD for
decades. When water comes in contact with pyrite in coal and the rock
surrounding it, chemical reactions take place which cause the water to gain
acidity and to pick up iron, manganese and aluminum. Water that comes into
contact with coal has a orange-red yellow and sometimes white color. The metals
stay in the solution beneath the earth due ...

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rock contains sufficient alkaline material to neutralize any acid produced,
or the climate is arid and there is not adequate rainfall infiltration to cause
leakage. (Ellison & Hutchison 1992)"

CHEMISTRY

"The most important factor in determining the extent of the acid mine
drainage is not the pH, but the total acidity. (Ellison &Hutchison 1992)" Total
acidity is a measure of the excess amount of H+ ions over other ions in the
solution. A high acidity is accompanied by a low pH in AMD. This is what
separates AMD from acid rain, which has a low pH and a low acidity. These
differences are due to the sources of acid in different ecosystems.
A buffer, as we learned in class, "is a ...

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