Acid Drainage

For hundreds, even thousands of years, human beings have mined for metals and stones, and with the advent of greater technology as well as greater needs, the demands for these resources continue to grow. While these resources benefit our lives in many ways, the effects of mining can be detrimental, and one such effect is the topic of this essay, acid mine drainage (A.M.D.). The causes of A.M.D. will be discussed, along with some of the physical and biological problems associated with it. Some prevention and remediation treatments will also be considered.

Acid mine drainage refers to water (leachate, drainage or seepage) that has come into contact with oxidised rocks or overburden that contains sulphide material (coal, zinc, copper, lead). (Keller, 2000; U.S.G.S.; U.S.E.P.A., 2002). A common sulphide is pyrite, or iron disulfide (FeS2), and throughout this essay it will be pyrite that will be the primary sulphide considered. Acid mine drainage is not a new phenomenon, early mining techniques utilized gravity to avoid water pooling, resulting in the water becoming polluted by acid, iron, sulphur and aluminium (U.S.E.P.A., 2002). It is most commonly associated with co

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Some common words found in the essay are:
United Keller, USGS USEPA, USGS AMD, , Tar Creek, United America, water table, mine drainage, acid mine, acid mine drainage, Protection Association, 2 2002, usepa 2002, keller 2000, heavy metals, dep 2 2002, dep 2, usgs usepa, surface water, usgs usepa 2002, contaminate ground surface, ground surface water,
Approximate Word count = 1455
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)