01 Minewater 1 Lectures 1 To 6

Mine water I
Theory and application

(Summer semester 2021)
Why we should understand/learn about
mine water?
https://mineralseducationcoalition.org/
Mine waste
Major problems
Innovation
Needed
Mine water
Mine water…?
Mine water 1 - Theory and application
Content
• What is Mine water ? – Sources, Component and characteristics
• Why treatment in necessary? – Requirement, Technologies, Challenges
• Active mine water treatment technologies
• Passive mine water treatment technologies
• Case studies
5
What is Mine water ? – Sources, Component and characteristics
What is Mine water? Water in contact with mining operation

Sources
• Acid Mine Drainage (AMD)
• Mine leachate
• Mine dewatering
• Flooded mines (Overflow)
• Surface runoff or seepage from mine sites
6
Sources Pathways Receiving Environment

• Tailings • Runoff • Ground water
• Waste rock stockpiles • Infiltration through mine waste • Surface water
• Ore and low grade ore stock piles • Infiltration through soil/ Vadose zone • Air
• Heap leaching materials • Ground water • Soil
• Pit walls • Surface water • Sediment
• Underground workings • Uptake by biota
• Movement of mine water
• Air
Source: INAP (The International Network for Acid Prevention)


Components and characteristics
• Low pH value
• Dissolved metals (Fe, Mn, Al, As, Cr, Cu, Co, Ni, Zn, Hg, Pb)
• Radionuclides (U, Th, Ra)
• Turbidity
• Mineralization(Ca, Mg, Na, HCO3-,Cl-, SO42-)
• Nutrients (Ammonium, Nitrate, Phosphate)
• Organic
8
Why treatment in necessary? – Requirement, Technologies, Challenges
Water quality standards
• World Health Organization

• European Union
• Environment Protection Agency
Appelo, C. A. J., & Postma, D. (2005). 9

What is Mine water ? – Sources, Component and characteristics Active mining

(several decades)
Waste disposal
Source of AMD
Intense sulfide oxidation
Transport of AMD through

tailings and underlying aquifers
www.gardguide.com/index.php?title=Image:FactorsthatAffectSulphideOxidation.jpg
10
How long will it continue? How can we reduce/ avoid AMD?
Where can you have Acid Mine Drainage ?

• What are the earliest indications of AMD?
Photo- M. Ussath Photo- M. Ussath
11

12
Formation of Acid Mine Drainage
Wolkersdorfer (2013)
13

Photometer Iron Test Strips Sulfate Test Strips
Photo- André Simon
14
Please study the importance
Mine water 1 - Theory and application of these four reaction
during this week.
Next week we will do a
group activity /
Reaction 1 Presentation
2FeS2 + 7O2 + 2H2O 2Fe2+ + 4SO42- + 4H+
Reaction 2
4Fe2+ + O2 + 4H 4Fe3+ + 2H2O
+
Reaction 3
Fe3+ + 3H2O Fe(OH)3 + 3H+
Reaction 4
FeS2 + 14Fe3+ + 8H2O 15Fe2+ + 2SO42- + 16H+ 15
(Ritche, 1994)

Reaction 1
2FeS2 + 7O2 + 2H2O 2Fe2+ + 4SO42- + 4H+
Reaction 2
4Fe2+ + O2 + 4H 4Fe3+ + 2H2O
+
Reaction 3
Fe3+ + 3H2O Fe(OH)3 + 3H+
Reaction 4
FeS2 + 14Fe3+ + 8H2O 15Fe2+ + 2SO42- + 16H+ 16
(Ritche, 1994)
SULFIDE OXIDATION MECHANISMS: CONTROLS AND RATES OF
OXYGEN TRANSPORT
Overview of the Geochemistry of Pyrite Oxidation
Pyrite Oxidation
Reaction 1
2FeS2 + 7O2 + 2H2O 2Fe2+ + 4SO42- + 4H+
• weathering of pyrite in the presence of oxygen and water to
produce iron(II), sulfate, and hydrogen ions
Reaction 2
4Fe2+ + O2 + 4H+ 4Fe3+ + 2H2O
• oxidation of Fe(II) to Fe(III)
• rate determining step
17
(Ritche, 1994)
SULFIDE OXIDATION MECHANISMS: CONTROLS AND RATES OF
OXYGEN TRANSPORT
Overview of the Geochemistry of Pyrite Oxidation
Pyrite Oxidation
Reaction 3
2Fe3+ + 6H2O 2Fe(OH)3 + 6H+
• 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
• This reaction is catalyzed by the presence of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans which
accelerates the oxidation of ferrous iron into ferric iron (reaction 2) by a factor of 106:1 18
(Ritche, 1994)
Source: INAP (The International Network for Acid Prevention) 19

20
Mine water treatment technologies
Active treatment Passive treatment

• Neutralization • Constructed wetlands
• Sulfate removal • Anoxic Limestone Drains (ALD)
• Open Limestone Channels
• Electrochemical technologies
• Permeable reactive barriers
• Reverse osmosis • Phytotechnologies
• Ion exchange • Biochemical Reactors
21
22
Suitability of mine water treatment approaches (ERMITE 2003).
23

24

Group Presentations on
Mine water 1 - Theory and application 28.05.2021
Mine water treatment technologies
Active treatment Passive treatment

• Neutralization • Constructed wetlands
• Sulfate removal • Anoxic Limestone Drains (ALD)
• Open Limestone Channels
• Electrochemical technologies
• Permeable reactive barriers
• Reverse osmosis • Phytotechnologies
• Ion exchange • Biochemical Reactors
25
Carbonate Species vs. pH
(Figure by Ole Pedersen)
26
(https://www.aqion.de/site/153)
Neutralization Technologies
Lime precipitation
CO2
Mine Iron Co
Aeration precipitation
Water precipitation
Lime Lime
Flocculation
• Why lime addition is required? What different types are available for this?
• What is the importunacy of aeration?
• Why flocculation is necessary?
CaO + H2O  Ca(OH)2
27
2 FeCl3 + 3 Ca(OH)2 = 2 Fe(OH)3↓ + 3 CaCl2
Low Density Sludge (LDS) Technology
Reactor Aeration Sedimentation
Lime Floc aid
Treated water
Mine
water
Sludge
Chamber filter press/

centrifuge
28
High Density Sludge (HDS) Technology
Reactor Aeration Sedimentation
Lime Floc aid
Treated water
Mine
water
Sludge
Sludge
(20…40% solid content)
Sludge recycling
Chamber filter press/ 29
centrifuge
Neutralization Technologies 17 grams of sludge

High Density Sludge (HDS) Technology
+ efficiency
+ faster sedimentation
+ sludge is dewatered easier
+ lower space capacity (dewatering),
+ investment costs
- Needs longer time for start-up

- More difficult to handle
Ref- Scott Benowitz, P. E. / Water Engineering Technologies, Inc.
30
Stripping column
• a columnar device with filling material for swirling the
liquid and gas flow
• during stripping, ingredients are removed from the
liquid through the passage of gases (air, steam, etc.)
and transferred to the gas phase.
• liquid flows in counter-current  against the
direction of the gas flow
• In our case: air from the bottom of the column to the
top, mine water from the top of the column to the
bottom
• In order to achieve a large contact area between the
water and the air www.stripanlage.de
31
Stripping column
• a columnar device with filling material for swirling the
liquid and gas flow
• during stripping, ingredients are removed from the
liquid through the passage of gases (air, steam, etc.)
and transferred to the gas phase.
• liquid flows in counter-current  against the
direction of the gas flow
• In our case: air from the bottom of the column to the
top, mine water from the top of the column to the Photo- Corinne Wendler
bottom
• In order to achieve a large contact area between the
water and the air 32
Mine Waters of Wismut – Pollutants
History of WISMUT:
During the period of the cold war,
uranium mining was a key industry in Eastern
Germany.
The Soviet and later Soviet-German company WISMUT became the world’s third largest producer
of uranium.
When Germany was reunified in 1989, the WISMUT became part of the German Ministry of
Economic. At that time, mining operations were no longer viable and had to cease.
In 1991, WISMUT was transformed from a mining company to a remediation project addressing the
33
legacies of 45 years of intensive Mining.
Reference: “20 Jahre Wismut GmbH”
Mine Waters of Wismut – Pollutants
Contamination in Mine Waters:
• Radionuclides: Uranium U, Radon Ra

• Heavy metals: Iron Fe, Arsenic As
• High sulfate content
 Mine Water is chemically and radioactively polluted

 Treatment is required, in order to protect surrounding groundwater and surface water
34
Example 01 - Wismut Modified Lime precipitation
BaCl2
HCl CO2
FeCl3
Inflow (feed)
Ca(OH)2
Flocculation aid
Air HCl
Cement
Outflow
Immobilized residue 35
36
Example 02 - WBA Schlema-Alberoda
Mine Water Quality of Schlema-Alberoda WBA influent

(Mean values, m-F510) 37
Reference: Excursion Guide Wissym2015
BaCl2
CO2 FeCl3
HCl Flocculation aid
KMnO4
Ca(OH)2
Air
38
39
Classification of Waste:
Category A - dangerous
40
Example 03 - WBA Ronneburg
41
air
Lime
Inlet
Flocculation aid
HCl
42
Classification of Waste:
NOT dangerous! 43
Example 04 - RL Zwenkau
44
(Wiegand et al., 2003)
Residual Lake former Lignite Mine Zwenkau south of Leipzig

970 ha (biggest Lake in south of Leipzig)
Mine closed in 1999, till 2009 Hedge restoration

2007-2015 Flooding (90%)
• Water from „Weißer Elster“ (flooding construction 3 m³/sec)

• circular pipeline
• Flood bypass construction (up to 130 m³/sec)
Since 2011 Neutralization plant to improve lake water quality

26 t Quicklime per day
Till 2017/2018 Construction channel and sluice to Cospuden lake
45
46
In 2000
47
In 2006
48
In 2009
49
In 2013
50
In 2015
51
52
53
https://www.zwenkauer-see.com/entdecken/geschichte/
Mine water I
Theory and application
(Summer semester 2021)
Ion Exchange
Technologies
What is ion
exchange?
2
In-Mine Ion Exchange Treatment System at the Soudan Mine, Minnesota
INFLOW
The pH is around 4
copper concentrations 3 to 30 mg/L
cobalt concentrations 0.1 to 0.3 mg/L
Discharge 60 gpm
OUTFLOW
The pH is around 7.2
copper concentrations < 0.01 mg/L
cobalt concentrations < 0.002 mg/L
Discharge 60 gpm
http://www.itrcweb.org/miningwaste-guidance/to_ion_exch.htm. 3
PuriTech Ltd - Belgium Real world scenarios
200m³/h nickel cobalt ion exchanger with the PuriTech patented ION-IX multiport valve in
the centre of the installation 4
ENPAR Technologies Inc., Canada Real world scenarios
Patented AmmEL Process for the Treatment of Ammonia in Low Temperature Mine
Wastewater; Ammonia Converted to Environmentally–Friendly Nitrogen Gas 5
Ìon Exchange (IX) Technologies
What is ion exchange?
6
Ìon Exchange (IX) Technologies
Sketch by- Juliane Günther 7

Ìon Exchange Technologies
R- X2- (2Na+ , Ca2+) + Cu2+ R- X2- Cu2+ + (2Na+ , Ca2+)
Sketch by- Juliane Günther 8

R- X2- (2Na+ , Ca2+) + Cu2+ R- X2- Cu2+ + (2Na+ , Ca2+)
• Reversible process
• Mainly depend on relative affinity, concentration, and charge
• Low environmental footprints
9
Whenever an ion is removed out of an aqueous solution and is replaced by

another ionic species, it is generally referred to as “ion exchange.”
or
a chemical reaction in which free mobile ions of a solid, the ion exchanger,
are exchanged for different ions of similar charge in solution.
Kumar, S., & Jain, S. (2013).

10
Ion exchange is the reversible exchange of contaminant ions with more desirable ions of a
similar charge adsorbed to solid surfaces known as ion exchange resins.
The active process provides hardness removal, desalination, alkalinity removal, radioactive
waste removal, ammonia removal and metals removal.
Similar ion exchange resins can remove selenate and selenite ions from water. Depending on
the type of water that is to be treated, selective metal recovery may be an option.
Adams, et al. (2014).

(EPA 542-R-14-001) 11
Classification of ion exchange materials
12
Kumar, S., & Jain, S. (2013).
13
Ìon Exchange Technologies
Ion exchange reaction is simple….
(Neumann. S, 2008) 14
Chelating ion exchange resins
Pore space
R + R +
Resin lattice
Resin phase
ion
Charged functional
15
groups on resin lattice (Crittenden et al., 2005, p 1362; Harland, 2007 ; Im, 2015 )
• Strong acidic cation exchangers (SAC) ( eg.-R-SO3H, -R-SO4Na)
• Weak acidic cation exchangers (WAC)(eg.-COOH)
• Strong base anion exchangers (SBA)(eg.-OH)
• Weak base anion exchangers(WBA)(eg.-C2H4N+H)
• Chelating ion exchangers
16
17
Ion Exchange Operation Cycle

There are typically four steps in a complete ion exchange process cycle:
1. Service (Loading)
2. Backwash
3. Regeneration
4. Rinse (Conditioning)
The quantity of service water and backwash water generated can be

significant and may require on-site storage tanks

(EPA 542-R-14-001)
18
Ion exchange process
Batch mode Continuous mode / Column mode
Photo. Himmat.N Photo. Janith A

19
Batch mode
Batch mode involves mixing

the resin and solution in a
batch tank, allowing the
exchange to come
equilibrium, and then
separating the resin from
solution.
Photo. Himmat.N
20
Continuous mode / Column mode

Metal solution is loaded into the
ion exchange column at a
particular flow rate. Charged
metal ions will bind to the
oppositely charged functional
groups in the resin while
releasing the mobile ions in the
functional groups to the solution
phase.
Photo. Janith A
21
Continuous mode/ Column mode
Flow direction ?
Sampling?
22
Continuous mode/ Column mode
Unique Vocabulary
• Bed volume (BV)
• Flow rate
• Column loading
• Mass transfer zone
• Breakthrough
• Regeneration
• Conditioning
• Affinity
• Exchange capacity
23
Continuous mode/ Column mode Unique Vocabulary
• Bed volume (BV)

Volume of the wet settled resin
in the column.
Units
BV, cm3, mL, L
Example- If the volume of wet settled resins

in the column is 10mL,
then,
10mL = 1 BV 24
• Bed volume (BV)
25
(Neumann. S, 2008)
• Bed volume (BV)
26
(Neumann. S, 2008)
• Flow rate
Volumetric flow rate use to load or
regenerate the column.
Units
mL/h, L/h, BV/h
Example- If the flow rate of the pump is 15mL/h,

(if 15mL = 1 BV) then,
15mL/h = 1 BV/h
Likewise, 60mL/h = 4 BV/h
27

• Column loading – Loading of the metal ion solution to the column
28

• Breakthrough – The point where a particular ion in the effluent
appear in appreciable quantity.
29
(Inamuddin, 2012)

• Breakthrough – The point where a particular ion in the effluent
appear in appreciable quantity.
30
(Jorgensen, 2002)

• Mass transfer zone – The section of the bed where there is a concentration
gradient, based on percentage breakthrough with respect to feed solution.
31
(Jorgensen, 2002)

• Column regeneration – Bringing the exhausted column to the fresh state
by removing adsorbed ions using a specific solution.
32

• Exchange capacity– The number of ion exchange sites.
Resin type Total capacity (eq/L) Operational capacity (eq/L)

WAC 3.7 – 4.5 1.0 – 3.5
SAC 1.7 – 2.2 0.6 – 1.7
WBA 1.1 – 1.7 0.8 – 1.3
SBA 0.9 – 1.4 0.4 – 0.9
(dardel.info/IX/capacity.html#total_cap)
Why there is a difference?

33
Ion Exchange Operation Cycle – design consideration
1. Type of resin
2. Volume and type of regenerant
3. Backwash water source
4. Backwash quantities
5. Pre-filtration of solids
6. Column configuration
7. pH adjustment before and after ion exchange
8. Cycle length
NOTE - There are various types of ion exchange resins available. It is important to work with an ion exchange resin manufacturer
to conduct tests to select the appropriate resin for the contaminated source water. The higher the concentration of total dissolved
solids in the water, the greater the concentration of competing anions and, therefore, the more frequently the resins will need to
be regenerated.
34
Why ion exchange?
50 L of mine water 50 L
50 mL
Cu 300 mg/L Good
Cu 30000 mg/L
Co 600 mg/L quality
Co 15 mg/L Ni 30 mg/L water
Zn 30 mg/L
Ni 2 mg/L
Zn 3 mg/L
35
Why ion exchange?
Cu
50 mL
Cu 30000 mg/L (40-50 g/L) ??
Co 600 mg/L
Ni 30 mg/L Ni
Zn 30 mg/L
Co
36
Case study
Chile – The world’s largest copper producer

> 300 Million tons of untreated tailings (1938-1990)
Heavy metals
Metalloids
Radio active elements
Acids
Process chemicals
Cu2+ Ni2+ Zn2+
2261 18.1 20.3
mg/L mg/L mg/L
(Dold, 2006; Lee and Correa, 2007) 37
Heap leaching materials
(Photos by – Janith A )
Table 1: Feed composition of the generated mine water

mg/L Al Ca Co Cu Li Mg Mn Na Zn Ni Ce Fe K
Phase 1 98.5 318 14.6 230 3.93 256 42.4 1110 2.47 1.30 0.48 0.65 2.25
Phase 2 116 349 14.6 263 4.37 300 50.4 1113 2.49 1.45 0.47 0.85 2.33
38
Mine water treatment techniques - Theory and application
Ion exchange columns

Sampling
Flow direction
39
IX Loading cycle graphs
40
Loading of TP 260 resin until the complete breakthrough of Cu
Flow
rate 1
BV/h
Flow
rate 6
BV/h
41
IX Regeneration graphs
42
Column M
V = 1 BV/h
10% H2SO4
Column M
V = 1 BV/h
10% H2SO4
43
Column N
V = 1 BV/h
Column N 1% H2SO4
V = 1 BV/h
1% H2SO4
44
IX
Regeneration
graphs
45
IX Loading cycle graphs
46
Selective extraction of cobalt
Optimization of regeneration
Synthetic mine water – pH increment (like liming)
For highest Fe removal:
0.50 mg/l NaOH
Removes:
Al: 99.94% Cu:
97.62%
Fe: 99.92% Zn: 80.32%
BUT: removes the other

metals too!!!
Precipitation order:
1st: Al
2nd: Cu
3rd: Fe (!)
4th: Zn
Mine water 1 -
Ion exchange in mine

water treatment
Case study-
Witwatersrand Goldfield in
Gauteng, South Africa
• Almost zero-effluent
• Economically-viable
• A patented approach
50
(Howard et al, 2009)

Ion exchange in mine water treatment

Case study- Witwatersrand Goldfield in Gauteng, South Africa
Witwatersrand
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witwatersrand
Howard, D., Grobler, C., Robinson, R. E. G., & Cole, P. M. (2009). Sustainable purification of mine water using ion 51
exchange technology. In International Mine Water Conference (pp. 447-453).


• Significant volume of neutralized

water from three operating
shafts.
• Neutralizing with lime improves

mine water quality, but does not
meet discharge or re-use
standards.
• Necessity of an additional
treatment.
52

Experimental Program
• Three distinct stages to address specific process

issues.
• Dynamic experiments on bench-scale using

800mℓ IX columns.
• Steady state experiments on pilot scale (4m3/d)

using 20ℓ IX columns.
• Optimization trials on pilot scale using 20ℓ IX

column.
53

• A separate ion-exchange step was

developed for the removal of uranium
• Use of nitric acid and ammonia (regenerant

in the ion exchange circuit) to produce
saleable products
• Considerable flexibility to influent quality
• Use of a proprietary IX technique to

significantly increase eluate concentrations
and eliminate waste
54

After Neutralization
After Ion exchange
55

Explosives
industry
Chemical
grade
applications
56
Group Presentations on
Mine water 1 - Theory and application 25.06.2021
Group Presentation - Mine water treatment technologies
1. Select a narrator (coordinator) for the group.
2. Discuss on how to contact each other to prepare the presentation.
3. Prepare a good presentation and practice well (15 minutes per group).
4. Please submit your group presentation by 18.06.2021 via OPAL.
5. Presentation will be held on 25.06.2021 @ 12.00 via ZOOM.
6. Actively participating in the presentation is mandatory to become eligible to sit for the
57
final exam.
https://flowcentric-mining.com/case-study-namib-mills/
Membrane
Filtration
Technologies
1
Membrane Filtration Technologies
2
3

Separation of Feed in 2 Streams: Permeate & Retentate
Dead-end configuration. Cross-flow configuration.
4
(Saxena et al., 2009)

Reverse Osmosis (RO)
What is Osmosis ?
Spontaneous net movement

of
solvent molecules
through a
selectively permeable
membrane
into a region of
higher solute concentration.
5
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osmosis

What is Osmosis ?
Spontaneous net movement

of
solvent molecules
through a
selectively permeable
membrane
into a region of
higher solute concentration.
6

Pressure
A water purification process that

uses a partially permeable
membrane to separate ions,
unwanted molecules and larger
particles from drinking water.
Pressure is used to overcome osmotic pressure
7

Spiral wound RO
membrane element
inside a pressure vessel
8
https://complete-water.com/resources/

Source: SA Water (Australia) 9

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RDA_B_dRQ0

Six stage filtration process
10
https://www.soleaqua.com.tw/

Advantages
• Simple and reliable.
• Remove not only ionic salts but also non-ionic colloidal
matter and high molecular weight organic matter.
• Low maintenance cost
• Membrane can be replaced in 3- 4 minutes
Disadvantages
• Higher installation cost
• Membrane cost is high
11
• Membrane should be withstand pressure of 20 – 100 atm

Case study- Ural region, Russia
Mine water from a copper mine
Treatment
IX based method RO based method

12
(Timofeev et al., 2019)


IX based method
• Capacity of 24 m3 per day
• Regeneration with 10% sulfuric acid (monthly)
• 10% sodium carbonate for softening
13


RO based method
Ultrafiltration
• Every 40 minutes compressed air and back

washed to remove the cake layer.
• Once a week chemical cleaning with NaOH

or Citric acid.
• Deep cleaning once per three month
14
75% of the yield after the RO process

Case study- Location : Ural region, Russia
15


Case study- Location : Ural region, Russia
16
Capital investments and operating expenses was made for an output of ~4.4 million m3 of water per year.

Case study-
Location : Ural region, Russia
17


Case study-
Location : South Australia
18
Source: sydneywater.com.au
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVdWqbpbv_Y

Case study - Recovery of drinking water and valuable minerals from AMD (Masindi, 2017)
Location : South Africa
Unit 1 - Recover metals using magnesite (MgCO3)

Unit 2 - Recover gypsum using lime (CaO)
Unit 3 - Recover Ca and Mg using soda ash (Na2CO3)
Unit 4 - Recover limestones using CO2 bubling
Unit 5 – RO to remove excess sulphate, sodium, and magnesium 19

Case study- Recovery of drinking water
and valuable minerals from AMD
Location : South Africa
Unit 1 - Recover metals using magnesite (MgCO3)

Unit 2 - Recover gypsum using lime (CaO)
Unit 3 - Recover Ca and Mg using soda ash (Na2CO3) 20
Unit 4 - Recover limestones using CO2 bubling (Masindi, 2017)

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Mine water I

Theory and application

• Why treatment in necessary? – Requirement, Technologies, Challenges

• Active mine water treatment technologies

• Passive mine water treatment technologies

What is Mine water ? – Sources, Component and characteristics

What is Mine water? Water in contact with mining operation

What is Mine water ? – Sources, Component and characteristics

What is Mine water? Water in contact with mining operation

Sources Pathways Receiving Environment

Source: INAP (The International Network for Acid Prevention)

What is Mine water ? – Sources, Component and characteristics

What is Mine water? Water in contact with mining operation

Why treatment in necessary? – Requirement, Technologies, Challenges

Water quality standards

• World Health Organization

Appelo, C. A. J., & Postma, D. (2005). 9

What is Mine water ? – Sources, Component and characteristics Active mining

Intense sulfide oxidation

Transport of AMD through

Where can you have Acid Mine Drainage ?

Photo- M. Ussath Photo- M. Ussath

Where can you have Acid Mine Drainage ?

Formation of Acid Mine Drainage

Where can you have Acid Mine Drainage ?

Photometer Iron Test Strips Sulfate Test Strips

Photo- André Simon

Formation of Acid Mine Drainage

Why treatment in necessary? – Requirement, Technologies, Challenges

Source: INAP (The International Network for Acid Prevention) 19

Why treatment in necessary? – Requirement, Technologies, Challenges

Why treatment in necessary? – Requirement, Technologies, Challenges

Mine water treatment technologies

Active treatment Passive treatment

Why treatment in necessary? – Requirement, Technologies, Challenges

Why treatment in necessary? – Requirement, Technologies, Challenges

Source: INAP (The International Network for Acid Prevention)

Source: INAP (The International Network for Acid Prevention)

Why treatment in necessary? – Requirement, Technologies, Challenges

Mine water treatment technologies

Active treatment Passive treatment

Carbonate Species vs. pH

(Figure by Ole Pedersen)

Chamber filter press/

Neutralization Technologies 17 grams of sludge

- Needs longer time for start-up

Mine Waters of Wismut – Pollutants

Mine Waters of Wismut – Pollutants

Contamination in Mine Waters:

• Radionuclides: Uranium U, Radon Ra

 Mine Water is chemically and radioactively polluted

Mine Water Quality of Schlema-Alberoda WBA influent

Residual Lake former Lignite Mine Zwenkau south of Leipzig

Mine closed in 1999, till 2009 Hedge restoration

• Water from „Weißer Elster“ (flooding construction 3 m³/sec)

Since 2011 Neutralization plant to improve lake water quality

Till 2017/2018 Construction channel and sluice to Cospuden lake

In-Mine Ion Exchange Treatment System at the Soudan Mine, Minnesota

PuriTech Ltd - Belgium Real world scenarios