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Gusek, J. J. (2002). Proceedings, Annual Conference – National Association of Abandoned Mine Land Programs. Park City.
Abstract: There are basically two kinds of biological passive treatment cells for treating mine drainage. Aerobic Cells, containing cattails and other plants, are typically applicable to coal mine drainage where iron and manganese and mild acidity are problematic. Anaerobic Cells or Sulfate-Reducing Bioreactors are typically applicable to metal mine drainage with high acidity and a wide range of metals. Most passive treatment systems employ one or both of these cell types. The track record of aerobic cells in treating coal mine drainage is impressive, especially in the eastern coalfields. Sulfate-reducing bioreactors have tremendous potential at metal mines and coal mines, but have not seen as wide an application. This paper presents the advantages of sulfate-reducing bioreactors in treating mine drainage, including: the ability to work in cold, high altitude environments, handle high flow rates of mildly affected ARD in moderate acreage footprints, treat low pH acid drainage with a wide range of metals and anions including uranium, selenium, and sulfate, accept acid drainagecontaining dissolved aluminum without clogging with hydroxide sludge, have life-cycle costs on the order of $0.50 per thousand gallons, and be integrated into “semi-passive” systems that might be powered by liquid organic wastes. Sulfate reducing bioreactors might not be applicable in every abandoned mine situation. However a phased design program of laboratory, bench, and pilot scale testing has been shown to increase the likelihood of a successful design.
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Houston, K. S., Milionis, P. N., Eppley, R. L., Harrington, J. M., & Harrington, J. G. (2005). Field Demonstration of In-Situ Treatment and Prevention of Acid Mine Drainage in the Abandoned Tide Mine, Indiana County, Pennsylvania.
Abstract: A field demonstration of the Green World Science® patented process technology was performed to address acid mine drainage (AMD) at an abandoned bituminous coal mine, the Tide Mine in Center Township, Indiana County, PA. ARCADIS owns an exclusive patent license of the Green World Science® process, which can be used in situ to transform an aerobic, AMD-producing mine pool to a biologically mediated, sulfate-reducing state. The Green World Science® process treats the entire mine pool to address the source of AMD in place. The project was conducted through a grant agreement between the Blacklick Creek Watershed Association, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation, and ARCADIS. In conjunction with the characterization of mine pool hydraulics through injection of a bromide tracer, the in situ treatments implemented at Tide Mine include the initial addition of alkalinity to create an environment suitable for biological activity, injection of organic carbon into the mine pool to facilitate microbially mediated metals reduction and precipitation, and injection of carbon dioxide gas into the atmosphere above the mine pool to control the dominant source of oxygen that perpetuates the AMD process. Collectively, these treatments raised the pH from a baseline of approximately 2.5 to over 6 during the demonstration period. The mine pool subsequently maintains a pH above 5 through microbially produced (i.e., bicarbonate) alkalinity. Ferric iron has been reduced to non-detect concentrations within the anaerobic mine pool, and aluminum concentrations have decreased by approximately 30%, with additional metals removal expected as the system becomes controlled by ferrous sulfide precipitation. The injection of carbon dioxide gas into the mine workings decreased oxygen concentrations above the mine pool from over 20% (ambient air conditions) to less than 5% over approximately three months, thus mitigating the source of AMD within the mine.
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