Mine Water Quality Research Articles

Research on Mine Water Quality Monitoring System Based on SOPC

As for the severe situation of mine water hazard in our country, it is extremely urgent to find ways of preventing and managing mine water hazard. This paper proposes a design of system which adopts fluorescence detecting technology and uses SOPC as the core control module, it can quickly detect the changes of mine water hazard source.This system collects signal of fluorescence produced in laser irradiation of water, and turns it into electric signal which is later be collected by ADC and then sends the digital data into FPGA for storing and managing. SOPC is designed in QuartusIIsoftware, and program code is designed in NiosIIsoftware, which will finally be downloaded into FPGA. A test of data collecting, handling and storing is carried out in the lab to verify the feasibility of the system. The results show that the system can efficiently detect the changes of mine water hazard source.

Chemical Characteristics and Utilization of Coal Mine Drainage in China

The growing demand for water in China’s coal-producing regions requires enhanced coal mine drainage (CMD) utilization. Mine water quality was analyzed for 269 mines distributed in 11 of China’s large coal-producing regions. We found that China’s CMD can be broadly characterized as: slightly contaminated, acidic, high salinity, high sulfate, high fluoride, and containing elevated iron and manganese. When CMD had properties of more than one category, its most distinctive characteristic was used for classification. When this was done, the chemical characteristics tended to correlate with the hydrogeological conditions of the region. Appropriate treatment technologies and pollution prevention measures based on these chemical characteristics could enhance the likelihood of mine water being used to relieve China’s water shortage crisis and promote environmental protection for China’s coal-producing regions.

The Effect of Applied Magnetic Field on the Mine Water Coagulation

It is significant to use different techniques to improve the overall efficiency of mine water treatment, because the utilization rate of treated mine water is low and the treating cost is high. According to the characteristics of water quality of coal mine water, the influence of the magnetic field on mine water treatment was studied in this paper in order to provide a reference for mine water treatment. It was found that magnetic field has effect on surface tension and electrical conductivity of mine water. When the magnetic field strength is less than 0.3T, the surface tension of the mine water decreases with the increase of magnetic field intensity, while the magnetic field strength is more than 0.3T, the surface tension of the mine water increases with the increase of magnetic field intensity. In the range of 0.0T ~ 0.5T, the mine water conductivity increases with the increase of magnetic field intensity and, as high as 14.8 ms/cm, then along with the increase of magnetic field intensity, the conductivity remains same. The influence of magnetic field intensity, amount of coagulant and magnetization time on coagulation were studied in this paper, and their effect were also investigated by Orthogonal test. The results show that when the magnetic field intensity is 0.35 T, magnetization time is 4 min and the amount of coagulant is 3 ml/L, the coagulation effect is the best. Under the condition, the mine water turbidity fell to 0.85 NTU from 200 NTU.

Quantitative environmental impact assessment of the Open cast mining in Sonbhadra district, Uttar Pradesh, India

The district Sonbhadra, previously a part of Mirzapur district in Uttar Pradesh, India, was created as a separate district in 1991.Geologically the area consists of Vindhyan supergroup, Mahakoshal group and Dudhi granitoid complex.The district Sonbhadra has rich mineral resources and their potential. The area is known for production of cement grade Limestone and Dolomite; the other minerals are Clay, Calcite, Silimanite and base metals for more than last three decades. These mining areas show impacts on the environmental status of the district. In the present study, the different mining and environmental parameters have been considered for analysing the environmental impact assessment (EIA). A matrix method has been used to delineate the quantitative EIA in the area. Finally, the resulted assessment impact value index (-2861.76), shows significant impact on environment such as degradation of forest land, air contamination due to mining dust, water quality and related health aspect of the area. Thus, major environmental control measures should be taken for sustainable development of the study area such as improvement of mining equipments, proper dumping of the mining waste and large scale plantation.

Study on the Technology for Underground Treatment of XingFu Mine Water

According to the XingFu mine's water quality, put forward a technology for mine water underground treatment. Changing original underground mine water sump into complex settling pond. Estimate the investment and the operation cost of the underground mine water treatment project. The result shows that: the cost of the underground mine water treatment is only 1.1172 yuan per ton, saving about 2 yuan per ton compare with the price of industrial water. This prove that it is feasible and saving for underground mine water treatment in XingFu mine.

Impact of uranium mines closure and abandonment on groundwater quality

The aim of the study is to assess the evolving mine water quality of closed uranium mines (abandoned between 1958 and 1992) in the Czech Republic. This paper focuses on the changes in mine water quality over time and spatial variability. In 2010, systematic monitoring of mine water quality was performed at all available locations of previous uranium exploitation. Gravity flow discharges (mine adits, uncontrolled discharges) or shafts (in dynamic state or stagnating) were sampled. Since the quality of mine water results from multiple conditions-geology, type of sample, sampling depth, time since mine flooding, an assessment of mine water quality evolution was done taking into account all these conditions. Multivariate analyses were applied in order to identify the groups of samples based on their similarity. Evaluation of hydrogeochemical equilibrium and evolution of mine waters was done using the Geochemist's Workbench and PHREEQC software. The sampling proved that uranium concentrations in mine waters did not predominantly exceed 0.45 mg/L. In case of discharges from old adits abandoned more than 40 years ago, uranium concentrations were below the MCL of US Environmental Protection Agency for uranium in drinking water (0.03 mg/L). Higher concentrations, up to 1.23 mg/L of U, were found only at active dewatered mines. Activity concentration of 226Ra varied from 0.03 up to 1.85 Bq/L except for two sites with increased background values due to rock formation (granites). Radium has a typically increasing trend after mine abandonment with a large variability. Concerning metals in mine water, Al, Co and Ni exceeded legislative limits on two sites with low pH waters. The mine water quality changes with a focus on uranium mobility were described from recently dewatered mines to shafts with water level maintained in order to prevent outflows to surface water and finally to stagnating shafts and discharges of mine water from old adits. The results were in good agreement with published experience on mine water stratification, its disturbance by pumping or natural water decant and the "first flush" phenomenon after mine flooding.

Study on Removal of Iron and Manganese from Mine Water by Method of Medicament

Use single and coexistence of simulated mine water contains Fe2+ and Mn2+ as processing object, the new NWMO medicament on Fe2+ and Mn2+’s removal efficiency, NWMO dosage, pH, reaction time and temperature on NWMO’s removal efficiency were investigated. When treated mine water only contains Fe2+, the appropriate conditions of the factors are that NWMO dosage/Fe2+ content=19:1, pH=5, room temperature, the reaction time is 10min, and the removal rate of Fe2+ is more than 80%; When treated mine water only contains Mn2+, the appropriate conditions of the factors are that NWMO dosage/Mn2+ content=22:1, pH=6, 35°C, the reaction time is 10min, the removal rate of Mn2+ is more than 60%; When the processing of Fe2+ and Mn2+ coexistence of mine water, the appropriate conditions of the factors are that NWMO dosage/Fe2+content=19:1, Fe2+ content/Mn2+ content=5:1, pH=6, 35°C, the reaction time is 10min, the removal rate of Fe2+ can be as high as 100%, and the highest Mn2+ removal rate can amount to 75%. In view of the current mine water quality characteristics that contains Fe2+ and Mn2+, the NWMO medicament is very suitable, and can achieve quick and efficient removal of iron and manganese.

The Feasibility Evaluation of Mine Drainage Utilization in Jiaozuo

Taking the mine water of Jiaozuo as a research, the feasibility utilizing of mine water is analyzed. By detecting mine water quality and predicting water quantity of five productive mine in Jiaozuo, it shows that the mine water of Jiaozuo is suspended matter and mine discharge is stable. According to the principle of “combine drainage with supply, selective water quality to use” and the different requirement for other purposes, the resource utilization scheme for mine water is put forward. Finally, benefit evaluation is made.

Improving Mine Water Quality by Low Density Sludge Storage in Flooded Underground Workings

This paper discusses the chemical and physical characteristics of low density sludge (LDS) and its interaction with mine water in a flooded German underground fluorite mine. The highly hydrous nature of the sludge (11.5–17 % solids), its rather low sedimentation rate, and its thixotropic viscosity were confirmed. The interaction of LDS and mine water was tested in the laboratory in batch experiments and modelled with PHREEQC. Mine water quality improved through contact with the LDS sludge: the total alkalinity and pH of the water increased and its iron concentration and total acidity decreased. Storage of sludge in a flooded mine could be a sustainable tool for both the handling of LDS and improvement of mine water quality, even when the LDS represents less than 1 % of the total mine water volume. No polymer flocculants from the LDS treatment plant were found in the discharged mine water.

English

In late 2008, a passive treatment system was completed to treat mine drainage in the Tar Creek watershed, located in the Tri State Lead-Zinc Mining District of the Central United States. Untreated mine drainage at this site was characterized by elevated levels of Fe, Zn, Pb, Cd, As and sulfate. Mine water quality improvement at this and many other passive treatment sites has been well-documented, but these systems may have additional water quality impacts on the surrounding environment that were not considered in the design phase and are not typically monitored. An example is the potential production of nuisance constituents (i.e., potentially harmful concentrations of non-target contaminants). This research focused on export of two potential nuisance constituents: sulfide and nutrients. Research objectives were to determine nuisance constituent inputs and outputs for each unit of the ten-cell passive treatment system. The passive treatment system was sampled for typical mine drainage and potential nuisance constituents from Fall 2010 through Summer 2011. Phosphorus and N were found in the mine water at levels in excess of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommended ambient criteria for lakes or streams for Nutrient Ecoregion IX. Phosphorus and N were removed in the iron oxidation ponds and surface flow wetlands. Sulfide and nutrients were exported from the vertical flow bioreactors. All nuisance constituents were exported from the system at least seasonally. Although re-aeration decreased sulfide levels, it was still exported from the system at levels that exceeded aquatic toxicity and nuisance odor levels. Export of P, sulfide, and possibly N is expected to decrease as the system ages and readily digestible compounds in the vertical flow bioreactor compost layer are consumed.

Analysis and Solution of the Influence of Mine Water on the Electric and Hydraulic Control System

The electric and hydraulic control system of hydraulic support is the critical part for the mechanized working face to work productively and efficiently. Its energy transfer and conversion were realized by the hydraulic fluid containing high content of water as transmission medium. Nowadays we mainly use the simply treated mine water in the hydraulic fluid, and the treated mine water still contains various ions of suspension. Those impurities can damage some sensitive parts of the control system and result in the paralysis of the whole system in the worst case. Therefore, the quality control of the mine water used in the electric and hydraulic control system is very crucial. This paper is to examine the mine water quality index in conjunction with case study, discuss the negative effects of mine water on the electric and hydraulic control system, and propose scientific solutions.

Methodological problems of Assessing Spatial and Temporal Changes in the quality of Mine Water / Metodologické Problémy Hodnocení Prostorových A Časových Změn Kvality Důlních Vod

Abstract An important, but largely neglected hydrogeological issue is the timing of mine water sampling during mining and after mine closure. Significant temporal and spatial changes in the “ageing“ of information, neglected effects of dynamic changes in the quality of mine water and its resources are causing severe degradation of information from mine water analyses and their possible misleading interpretation. Hydrogeological data are typical examples of multi-parametric information and if any hydrogeochemical data bases and their further processing are to be undertaken it is advisable to use methods of multi-parametric analyses followed by hydrogeochemical reaction models. Another limiting factor affecting the validity of results is the assessment of the issue of the representativeness of samples. The methodology applied on various mining sites is widely discussed in the paper.

Vietnam, China, and the United States: The Regulatory Framework of Mining Pollution and Water Quality

This research paper is an effort to compare the mining and water quality policy and regulatory framework of three countries: Vietnam, China, and the United States. Many relevant issues relating to mining and water quality protection will be analyzed, in order to meet three purposes: 1) Provide an overview of each countries’ legal framework, so the reader will better understand all three countries’ legal processes; 2) Analyze the most relevant laws and regulations of the mining sector, environmental law, and water pollution control and water quality protection; 3) Provide examples to underscore the legal and regulatory processes, and their effects, in the real-world. To summarize, there are many similarities between China and Vietnam’s legal framework and environmental protection mechanisms, simply by virtue of the fact that they are both socialist countries, both authoritarian governments, and both in the midst of an industrial revolution. The United States intersects in some areas of water quality standards and technological controls of effluents with both countries, as well as Environmental Impact Assessments and certain enforcement measures. This is true especially in China, where the EPA has actively consulted the Chinese government in water pollution and water quality matters. Research showed that all three countries lack effective enforcement measures either in reality, or in practice, to address mining pollution in surface water, and all three countries have degraded surface water quality despite implementation of regulations. Likewise, in all three countries, mining pollution that affects water quality is increasing, and water quality is diminishing as a whole. It is the opinion of this author that each country must develop better regulatory mechanisms that limit mining discharges into waterways, and that increase water quality across the board. That this isn’t the penultimate priority in each regulatory system speaks to the persuasive power of industry.

Water quality changes of a closed underground coal mine in Korea

The objective of this study was to assess the changes in mine water quality as an underground mine flooded from July 2005 to October 2008. The effect of air injection with a blower into the water was used to evaluate the potential to convert ferrous to ferric iron and to provide in situ treatment and precipitation. Mine flooding averaged 31cm/day with a linear shape until November 2007, when it flattened out due to outflow. During flooding, mine water pH remained around 6, but Eh shifted from 200 to -150mV. After the mine water level stabilized, contents of elements such as Fe and SO(4) tended to decrease as time passed. Air was injected by diffusers (150L/min/each) at three different depths of 2, 3, and 5m below the water level in the shaft. Dissolved oxygen eventually increased to 4 or 5mg/L depending on the depth of the diffusers. Aeration caused conversion of ferrous iron to ferric iron and about 30mg/l of iron was removed from the mine water. Therefore, air injection shows potential as a semi-active treatment or part of conventional treatment to precipitate iron in the mine pool.

Reach Sensitivity Index Mapping of the Amite River Watershed in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin: A Tool for Watershed Restoration

WEATHERS, D.H.; HAYES, M.O., and MICHEL, J., 2009. Reach sensitivity index mapping of the Amite River watershed in the Lake Pontchartrain basin: a tool for watershed restoration. Journal of Coastal Research, SI(54), 141– 151. West Palm Beach (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. In recent years, the focus on issues regarding water quality has shifted from a local site-specific view of a problem toward a holistic view where the health and hydrologic functionality of entire watersheds are of concern. One measure of watershed health is fluvial geomorphology. The goal of this project was to map the morphology of the streams of the Amite watershed of the Pontchartrain Basin using a reach sensitivity index (RSI). The classification scale is based on stream geomorphology, hydrology, and ecological characteristics, where rank is given based on morphological complexity and associated wetlands. The RSI classification method used data from 18 field sites along with digital orthophoto quarter quadrangle 1-m resolution infrared aerial imagery, gap analysis program land cover data, and digital elevation models generated from light detection and ranging. In addition to mapping, issues related to watershed impairment and restoration were identified. Key anthropogenic impacts observed include sand and gravel mining, stream manipulation, profuse litter, and overall water quality. The watershed in this study is proximal to urban areas associated with New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, so another theme, waterfront development, was also identified as a source of stream impairment. Reach sensitivity index stream classification can serve as a tool for conservation strategies and watershed restoration, where the ultimate goal is to restore natural hydrological and ecological functionality to impaired streams. Maps generated in the RSI project can further aid in regional planning, without which, rapid urban development and continued stream manipulation within the Amite and neighboring stream systems will result in accelerated watershed impairment and water-quality degradation.

The Occurrence and Quality of Mine Water in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin, Poland

The mining of coal in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin and the relatively recent closure of many of these mines during the past two to three decades has affected surface and underground water quality. Regulations in Poland are designed to protect active mining operations rather than water quality and water environment. Dewatering mechanisms in abandoned coal mines and characteristics of water pumped (quality, temperature) are discussed.

Influence of Arsenic from Anthropogenic Loaded Soils on the Mine Water Quality in the Tin District Ehrenfriedersdorf, Erzgebirge (Germany)

AbstractThe central part of the tin ore deposit Ehrenfriedersdorf/Erzgebirge, which was exploited from the 13th century to 1990, was flooded from 1994 to 1996. Since that time mine waters have flown through the gallery “Tiefer Sauberger Stolln” to the creek Wilisch in the Elbe river catchment area. The water at the mine portal shows high concentrations of arsenic and heavy metals. The average arsenic concentration is about 0.5 mg/L. Approximately two thirds of arsenic are transported dissolved. Where the mine water ascends from deeper levels, arsenic concentrations of about 0.4 mg/L were found. Here arsenic occurs predominantly particular. The mining gallery “Tiefer Sauberger Stolln” provides the unique opportunity of subsurface sampling for the identification of the arsenic sources under different hydrological conditions (normal and high water level). The sources of dissolved arsenic in the gallery part between the raise and the portal were determined and analyzed. Between these two monitoring points, many inflows of infiltration water were detected. The concentration of As in the infiltration water reaches up to 1.8 mg/L, which varies depending on the location in the gallery and the hydrological situation. The first part of the gallery was straightened, heightened and partly concreted with modern mining technique. The arsenic concentrations can decrease owing to high precipitation rates and snow melt events. The last part of the gallery was preserved due to low coverage. Here the arsenic concentrations in the infiltration waters increase with the surface water inflow. At a normal water level, 1 kg arsenic per day leaves the raise and 2.1 kg the gallery portal, which means that 50 % of the arsenic load comes from the infiltration water. At a high water level, 2.5 kg arsenic per day are transported through the raise and 8.2 kg per day through the gallery portal, which means that about 70 % of the arsenic load comes from infiltration water. The area of Ehrenfriedersdorf is characterized by a superposition of anthropogenic soil pollution over the geogenic inventory. There is a close connection between ancient soil contaminations by high amounts of water‐soluble arsenic compounds, e.g. arsenic trioxide formed by roasting the ores during ancient tin smelting, and high concentrations of dissolved arsenic in the infiltration water. The contamination of surface water and river sediments by arsenic is originating from an anthropogenic pollution of soils by ancient tailings via infiltration of water rich in arsenic into the mine gallery.

Geo-environmental quality assessment in Jharia coalfield, India, using multivariate statistics and geographic information system

A study on geo-environmental quality assessment in Jharia coalfield, India, has been attempted using multivariate statistical analysis and geographic information system (GIS) modelling techniques. Water quality index, calculated for each sample network station in the study area to assess the suitability of water for human consumption, revealed very poor to poor quality surface water and mine water. Air quality indexing indicated that there is no sample station with clean air as per the Indian standards, which indicate the hazardous air quality. Multi-criteria evaluation (MCE), a potential GIS tool, has been applied to the delineation of various degrees of stressed villages in terms of quality of life (QoL). The role of various geo-environmental parameters such as quality of groundwater, surface water, mine water and air together with village population densities has been emphasized for delineation of the environmentally stressed villages in Jharia coalfield. The integrated cluster analysis and MCE approach provide an improved means to geo-environmental quality assessment in Jharia coalfield in terms of QoL. The assessment study is aimed to be used for future coal mining, ensuring ecologically sustainable industrial development, particularly in a coalfield.

English

Predicting post-mining water quality is a key task in managing mine drainage. The most scientifically-defensible approach would be to undertake thermodynamics-based modeling of coupled geochemical and hydrodynamic processes occurring in flooded and partly flooded underground workings. Most models currently in use make the fatal assumption of local equilibrium, or else do not include all important geochemical and geometrical components of an abandoned mine system. Hydrologic and geochemical data have been incorporated into a model (POllutant Sources & Sinks in Underground Mines) that models one-dimensional reactive transport along a mine roadway. POSSUM is an object-oriented program that models the evolution of mine water quality, accounting for contaminant sources and sinks, water level changes (due to rebound and seasonal fluctuations), reaction kinetics, variable flow regimes, infiltration through porous media, and inflow from secondary roadways. The main metals included in POSSUM's analysis are Fe, Al, Mn, Ni, and Zn. Additionally, carbonates, including limestone, ankerite and siderite, and silicates, including K-feldspar, anorthite, albite and muscovite are represented in POSSUM. Reversible sorption is also accounted for. Contaminant transport is solved using the NOAH 1-D program developed at University of Newcastle. POSSUM solves for concentrations in both the aqueous and solid phases using sequential iterations of finite difference numerical methods. Data sets from the National Coal Mining Museum in Wakefield and Coal Authority boreholes have been collected for comparison with model results. In contrast to pre-existing models, POSSUM couples kinetically controlled multi-component reactions with variable transport and will further the 'state of the art' by improving the defensibility of predictions of water quality changes over time.

Hydrologic and Geochemical Factors Governing Chemical Evolution of Discharges from an Abandoned, Flooded, Underground Coal Mine Network

Discharges from some underground flooded coal mines have exhibited increases in pH and reductions in contaminant loadings with time. Data from a study of mine water quality evolution in interconnected, flooded mines of the Uniontown syncline, Southwestern Pennsylvania were evaluated with the aid of modeling to elucidate the hydrologic and geochemical factors responsible for such changes. Coal barriers left in place from mining operations define three hydraulically distinct but interconnected zones: the southern, central, and northern pools. Assuming each mine pool to behave as a completely mixed tank reactor, a steady-state, tanks-in-series model was developed to describe system hydraulics. Chemical modeling components were coupled with the tank reactor hydraulic model to simulate inputs to the mine voids, acid generation from pyrite dissolution, and discharge water quality. Empirical in-mine chemical production terms were estimated for each of the mine pools based on discharge data from 1974 to 1975 and ...