Effective environmental management system of acid mine drainage at Kyisintaung copper surface mine in Myanmar

Abstract

Copper products are being utilized in many utilities such as electrical equipment, mechanical, architecture, and military industries. Basically the copper processing begins with the mining of copper ore which causes the environmental and social problems unless proper management systems are being exercised. This study focus on the effects of Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) of Kyisintaung mine, located near the confluence of the Yama Creek and the Chindwin River in Monywa, Sagaing region, Myanmar. To identify the effects, surface and ground water in the vicinity of the mine are sampled and analysed at the certified national laboratory. The study highlights the detailed analysis of the study programme and the results and findings have been discussed thoroughly. It has been observed that the hydrometallurgy method and zero discharging system are utilized at the mine. The results indicates that the effects of AMD around the area are insignificant because the laboratory analysis results of studied pollutants such as pH, temperature, hardness, conductivity, TDS, DO, Cu, Fe, Pb, Mg, SO4 2-are within the acceptable range of national environmental quality guideline. Finally, it has been noticed that there are no significant effects of AMD to surface and groundwater around the mine site, no water pollution sources to the environment, no serious environmental damages caused by AMD to near-by areas, and hence the adopted EMS of the mine is considered to be an effective system.