Acid Mine Drainage Research Paper

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9. Treatment of acid mine drainage. 9.1. Active Treatment
Active treatment involves addition of chemicals to the source of AMD and the stream contaminated by AMD, which raise the PH of the water and precipitate metals. However the chemicals are expensive and the treatment facility is expensive to construct and operate [Skousen 20]. The chemicals used for active treatments are limestone (calcium carbonate); Hydrated lime (calcium hydroxide); caustic soda (sodium hydroxide); soda ash (sodium carbonate); and in some cases ammonia (NH3) 9.1.1. Neutralization with chemicals
Limestone is normally use for treatment of AMD and may have an economic and practical advantages (Hill and Wilmote 21).The use of limestone for treating AMD has been studied by a number of researches. Limestone increases the PH of water by consuming hydrogen ions and adding alkalinity through bicarbonate ions (Younger 22). As the PH of the acidic water raised metals can precipitate to form hydroxides and oxy hydroxides.

CaCO3 + 2H+ = Ca2+ + H2O + CO2 ………(10)
CaCO3 + H2CO3 = Ca2+ + 2HCO3- …………….(11) …show more content…

US Bureau of mines developed a method for neutralization of AMD. In this process mine water is mixed with very fine limestone slurry followed by aeration of the resulting mixture to remove CO2 and precipitate iron, separate solids from liquid by sedimentation [Mihok and Duel 23] has been developed a fluidized bed limestone neutralization process to neutralize free acid and remove Fe (II) from under ground acid mine water. McDonald et al., (1976) observed using limestone and lime, separately and in comminution on AMD treatment that lime treatment in a series flow eliminated upto 85% of the metal cations in the plant

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