English

Abstract

The Acid Drainage Technology Initiative (ADTI) was initiated in 1995 by federal agencies, the National Mining Association and the Interstate Mining Compact Commission to identify, evaluate and develop cost-effective and practical acid drainage technologies. In 1999, ADTI was expanded through the addition of the metal mining sector, which is focused on drainage quality issues related to metal mines. ADTI addresses drainage quality issues from abandoned, active, and future coal and metal mines. The guiding principle of ADTI is to build consensus among industry, federal and state regulatory agencies on acid drainage technology development and technology transfer issues. ADTI is focusing its efforts on mine drainage prediction, sampling/monitoring, modeling and avoidance/remediation. ADTI is not a regulatory or policy development program. ADTI includes the Coal Mining Sector and the Metal Mining Sector under the overall guidance of the ADTI Operations Committee. The Operations Committee consists of representatives from industry, state and federal government and academia. The Coal Mining Sector recently formed a number of groups to address a wide range of topics. The following groups have been formed: Water Quality, Coal Combustion By-Products (CCBs), Underground Mining, Passive Treatment, Technology Transfer. White papers have been prepared on 18 topics that are currently being studied. The Metal Mining Sector includes a steering committee and work groups on prediction, sampling and monitoring, modeling, mitigation, and pit lakes. The Metal Mining Sector has a committee that works with the Questa mine of Molycorp in the review of the waste rock pile study. Since 2003 ADTI is the US organizational partner of The International Network for Acid Prevention (INAP). The partnership is continuing and is strengthened through closer cooperation and communication. This paper will provide details of progress over the last four years.