Acid Mining Byproduct May Help Clean Water

March 8, 2013 - A byproduct from the treatment of acid-mine drainage may be able to help clean water from agricultural and wastewater discharges, according to a recent study from the U.S. Geological Survey Leetown Science Center.  

The report published in the Journal Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, shows that acid-mine drainage sludge that’s been treated offers a low-cost solution to remove phosphorus from agricultural and municipal wastewaters. Phosphorus that’s absorbed by the mine drainage can later be stripped and recycled into fertilizer, and mine drainage can be reused for additional treatment cycles. This approach could decrease the cost of acid-mine drainage treatment, prevent degradation of aquatic ecosystems, and recycle valuable nutrients. 

Acid-mine drainage is produced when sulfide minerals tied to coal and metal deposits are exposed to air and moisture. The resulting acid and dissolved metals are toxic. Untreated drainage has impacted more than 5,000 miles of streams in the Appalachian region. When acid-mine drainage is neutralized with a base, an iron-rich sludge forms, the new process provides an efficient, cost-effective option. It not only reduces the need to dispose of the sludge, but it allows residuals to reduce phosphorus from agricultural and municipal wastewaters.  

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