A Seminar

Presentation
on
“ACID MINE DRAINAGE: PREDICTION AND PREVETION IN MINING INDUSTARY”

Submitted by:-
Khileshwar Kumar Verma
ME(Metalliferous) Mining Final Year
Roll No: 16MIE10002

Department of Mining Engineering

 Preamble
 Definition of acid mine drainage
 Occurrence of acid mine drainage
 Sources of acid mine drainage
 Effect of acid mine drainage
 Chemistry of acid mine drainage
 Prediction method of acid mine drainage
 prevention method of acid mine drainage
 Conclusion
 References
 Preamble
 Acid mine drainage (AMD), or acid rock drainage (ARD) refers to the outflow of acidic
water from metal mines or coal mines.
 Acid Mine Drainage is the acidic metal rich water formed by the reaction between the water
and rock containing sulphur-bearing minerals.
 Accumulation of heavy metals in soil and water leads to increase bio-concentration and bio
accumulation in plants, fish, livestock and humans through the process of eating and being
eaten.
 “Acid mine drainage continues to be an important water pollution problem in mining
industry around the world. When sulphide/pyretic minerals are exposed to the atmosphere, in
presence of water oxidation of sulphide produces sulphuric acid and releases heavy metals
and other pollutants to the drainage.”
 Occurrence of acid mine drainage
• Acid Mine Drainage results from the oxidation of sulfide minerals inherent in
some ore bodies and the surrounding rocks.
• Iron sulfide minerals, especially pyrite (FeS2), chalcopyrite (FeS.CuS) and
also pyrrhotine (FeS) contribute the most to formation of Acid Mine
Drainage.
 Sources of Acid Mine Drainage
Primary sources
 Mine rock dumps
 Tailings impoundment
 Underground and open pit mine workings
 Pumped/nature discharged underground water
 Construction rock used in roads, dams, etc.
Secondary sources
 Treatment sludge pounds rock cuts
 Concentrated load-out stockpiles
 Concentrate spills along roads
 Emergency ponds
Figure: Formation of acid mine drainage
 Effect on Acid Mine Drainage generation
 Environmental effect:
 Effect on water resources:
 Effect on Biological resources:
 Effect on Human resources:
 Chemistry of Acid Mine Drainage
Reaction 1
2FeS2 + 7O2 + 2H2O  4Fe 2+ + 4SO4 + 4H+
 weathering of pyrite in the presence of oxygen and water to produce iron(II), sulfate, and hydrogen ions
Reaction 2
4Fe2+ + 7O2 + 2H2O  4Fe3+ + 2H2O
 oxidation of Fe(II) to Fe(III)
Reaction 3
2Fe3+ + 12H2O  4Fe(OH)3 + 12H+
 hydrolysis of Fe(III)
 precipitation of iron(III) hydroxide if pH > 3.5
Reaction 4
FeS2 + 14Fe3+ + 8H2O  15Fe2+ + 2SO42- + 16H+
 oxidation of additional pyrite (from steps 1 and 2) by Fe(III) -- here iron is the oxidizing agent, not oxygen
 cyclic and self-propagating step
Overall Reaction
4FeS2 + 15O2 + 14H2O  4Fe(OH)3 + 8H2SO4
 Prediction method of acid mine drainage
 Acid mine drainage prediction tests are increasingly relied upon to assess the long-term
potential of acid generation. This concern has developed because of the lag time at existing
mines between waste emplacement and observation of an acid drainage problem.
 The objectives of predictive testing are to:
• Determine if a discrete volume of mining waste will generate acid and
• Predict the quality of the drainage based on the rate of acid formation measured
 Prediction method of acid mine drainage
 Sampling
 Kinetic tests
 Humidity cell tests
 Soxhelet extraction tests
 Column tests
 Field scale test
 BC Research confirmation test:
 Static test
 Acid-base accounting
 Modified acid base accounting
 Alkaline production potential : sulfur ratio
 Net acid production test net acid generation testing
 Shake flask test
 Bio kinetic treatment
 Sampling: The sampling scheme is designed to define acid generating and non acid generating and
acid neutralizing material, to determine spatial differences in lithologies and to generate enough data
points for waste rock block modelling.

Kinetic test: Kinetic tests accelerate weathering rates under closely controlled laboratory conditions,
therefore providing useful calibration data for acid rock drainage predictive models. Generally these
tests involve:
Subjection of samples to periodic leaching;
Calculation of rates of acid generation and neutralisation capability depletion;
Calculation of metal release; and
The prediction of water quality.
These tests provide information on the rate of sulphide mineral oxidation and therefore acid
production, as well as an indication of drainage water quality.
Different types of kinetic test method used in acid mine drainage
 Humidity cell tests
 Soxhelet extraction tests
 Column tests
 Field scale test
 BC Research confirmation test:
Static test: This tests are predict drainage quality by comparing the sample's maximum acid production
potential with its maximum neutralization potential. The acid potential (AP) is determined by
multiplying the percent of total sulphur or sulphide sulphur in the sample by a conversion factor.
Different types of Static test method used in acid mine drainage
 Acid-base accounting
 Modified acid base accounting
 Alkaline production potential : Sulfur ratio
 Net acid production test net acid generation testing
 Shake flask test
 Prevention of acid mine drainage
 Minimizing oxygen supply because of diffusion or advection
 Minimizing water infiltration and leaching (water acts as both a reactant and a transport
mechanism)
 Minimizing, removing, or isolating sulfide minerals
 Controlling pore water solution pH
 Maximizing availability of acid neutralizing minerals and pore water alkalinity
 Controlling bacteria and biogeochemical processes
 Control of oxidation for acid forming mineral
Control of biological oxidation
Removal of pyrite source
Exclusion of oxygen
Isolation from oxygen
Physical Barrier
Deferent types of covers used in prevention for acid mine drainage formation

Soil compaction
Soil cover
Dry cover
Synthetic covers
Water covers
Covers with sludge
Sealing with clay
Handling tailings
Soil compaction: Compaction of the mining wastes decreases the permeability. This compaction
achieves on the one hand the reduction of water flow, which remains longer in the tailings, hindering
the oxidation of the materials and therefore the rate of acid production, and on the other, decrease of
oxygen diffusion, which slows down pyrite oxidation and makes the tailings less habitable for Ferro
oxidant bacteria.

Soil cover: Soil covers generally involve the use of granular earthen materials placed over mine
wastes. The objectives of a soil cover varies from site to site, but generally include: Soil covers- by
imported materials e.g. clay, soil low sulphide waste-rock if compactable Geo-textile fabrics
Dry cover- Dry covers are typically earthen, organic, or synthetic materials placed over mine wastes.
The term “dry” cover is used to contrast them from water. It may also be installed with the objective
of preventing the infiltration of precipitation into the underlying mine wastes.
 Synthetic Covers: Cover systems constructed with synthetic layers such as geo synthetic clay layers, various
plastics or bitumen. The primary objective of such covers is to reduce net infiltration and Synthetic materials
used include polyethylene, concrete, and asphalt.
 Water cover: Covering reactive mine wastes with water has long been used to control the production of acid
mine drainage. The low solubility of oxygen combined with its low diffusion coefficient in water makes this a
potentially very efficient technique
 Water cover- creation of a permanent lake or swamp
 use of an existing lake
 flooding of underground tunnels
 submarine disposal
 Cover with sludge: The goal of this study was to demonstrate the use of acid mine drainage treatment sludge
as a viable component in the manufacturing of Portland cement. Portland cement is composed of a mixture of
calcium, silicon, aluminium, and iron oxides. When acid mine drainage is dewatered, the resulting sludge is composed largely
of calcium, iron, and aluminium hydroxides.

 Sealing with clay: Often, mining transfer acidity is produced through groundwater discharge slopes. Then it is convenient
to
coat them with clay as the mine hole is filled, thereby reducing the water input through the mining wastes.
Handling tailing: Mine waste handling may be incorporated into mine planning to minimize exposure
of materials to atmospheric conditions and minimize the volume of material left on surface at closure.
 Use of tailings backfill for underground support. This method can also reduce overall costs compared
to conventional hydraulic backfill.
 Minimization of the waste footprint to reduce capping and re vegetation costs
 To reduce the surface area exposed to precipitation and oxidation.
Application of chemical: Addition of chemicals that interact with the tailing reduces the release of
acid, iron and other heavy metals into the reservoir since their solubility decreases as the pH
increases
Bactericide: The rate of a biotic pyrite oxidation declines as the pH decreases below 3.5. Under these
conditions, bacterially mediated pyrite oxidation predominates. Numerous researchers have evaluated
the use of bactericides, principally anionic surfactants, to prevent bacterial activity and limit the rate of
sulphide oxidation. Bactericides can be applied either directly to mine-waste surface.

Surface water diversion: This technique tries to reduce the water supply to those potentially acid
generating materials, by using safeguarding channels, pipes, waterproofed channels, slope changes
around the material area, etc.
 Conclusion
Acid mine drainage greatly influences water quality and has high environmental and
ecological impacts. It is therefore required to solve this worldwide problem at the earliest
opportunity. There are several preventive techniques to avoid the generation of AMD,
each of them effective for a different situation. Among them, dry covers and covers with
sludge are the more general ones, applicable to most situations. Although it would be
perfect to prevent the generation of AMD, many times it is not completely possible,
requiring corrective techniques to reduce or remove contamination from water.
 References
Akcil Ata. and Koldas Soner, 2006. Acid Mine Drainage: causes, treatment and case studies; Journal
of Cleaner Production Vol.: 14, PP No: 1139- 1145
Bernhard Dold, 2017. Acid rock drainage prediction: A critical review; Journal of Geochemical
Exploration, Vol. No. 172, PP No- 120-132
Ferguson K.D., Erickson P. M. 2013. Pre-Mine Prediction of Acid Mine Drainage; Environmental
Management of Solid Waste PP No- 24-43
Kuyucak Nural, 2012. Acid mine drainage prevention and Control options; international mine water
association
Sheoran A.S. and Sheoran V., 2006, Heavy metal removal mechanism of acid mine drainage in
wetlands: A critical review. Minerals Engineering, Vol. No. 19, PP No-105–116
Sangita, Udayabhana G., and Prasad bably, 2010. Studies on environmental impact of acid mine
drainage generation and its treatment: An appraisal, Vol. No. 30, PP No-953-967
Ziemkiewicz P.F., 1991. Prediction and control of acid mine drainage, effects of rock type and
amendment ; west virginia acid mine drainage task force
Acid mine drainage prediction, 1994; technical document, U.S Environmental protection agency
office of solid waste