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Acid Mine Drainage, Environment Impacts, Ways and Strategies for Treatment and Prevention

Authors:
[ Omid Gharachorlou ] -
[ GH.R.Hashemi ] -

Abstract:

Industry, labour, government, and environmentalists must be agree on one issue: that Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) is the number one environmental problem facing the mining industry. Acid Mine Drainage:devastates fish and aquatic habitat, is virtually impossible to reverse with existing technology, andonce started, costs millions of pays annually to treat and can continue for centuries. AMD occurs when sulfidebearing minerals in rock are exposed to air and water, changing the sulphide sulphur to sulphuric acid. This acid can dissolve heavy metals found in waste rock and tailings such as lead, zinc, copper, arsenic, selenium, mercury, and cadmium, into ground and surface water. Certain bacteria, naturally present, can ignificantly increase the rate of this reaction. AMD and heavy metals pollution can poison ground and drinking water. AMD can destroy aquatic life and habitat. Ore bodies commonly mined that pose AMD risk in whole the world are gold, silver, copper, iron, zinc, lead (or multi-metal combinations), and specially coal.Acid mine drainage (AMD) environments have recently received considerable attenlion due mainly to the environmental problems associated with them. Acid mine drainage is acidic water with color of yellow, Green, or rare orange containing sulfuric acid (and often toxic heavy metals) which results from the microbial oxidation of iron-sulfide minerals which have been exposed through mining processes. Acid drainage can and does occur naturally at specific sites. It happens when sulfide minerals are exposed to weathering and react with water and oxygen to produce sulfuric acid, which is carried away in runoff. This process is called acid rock drainage (ARD). In mining, however, the scale and impact of the acid generation (here usually called acid mine drainage or AMD) can be pushed far beyond natural limits. As concerned individuals committed tn the protection and respect of our natural world, we can: .identify operating or abandoned mine sites in our regions, .Learn about how mine sites are being monitored, what permits have been issued, and how citizens and specially Greens advocates (such as Environmental NGOs) are involved in decision making. .get more information about AMD and other mining issues across our country and in our mines specially on the COAL MINES, and .Insist that prevention of AMD is the only acceptable and responsible strategy.

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