Communication: Projects: Acid Mine Drainage
In a unique partnership, the Office of Surface Mining and the
Americorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) Program have
come together to place volunteer
interns throughout the historic coal mining regions of Appalachia.
These interns will be working to help identify and remedy the
environmental and economic problems caused by acid mine drainage.
With your input, your local intern at the Warrior River Clean
Water Partnership can help ensure your community has a safe drinking
water supply and a healthier future.
What is Acid Mine Drainage (AMD)?
Acid mine drainage (AMD) is polluted water that leaks from abandoned
coal mines into our water supply. It occurs when water seeps
into mines and comes into contact with pyrite, a common mineral
found in mined areas. The reaction between pyrite, water, and
oxygen creates sulfuric acid. The sulfuric acid then dissolves
metals left behind in the rock of the mines, picking up the metallic
residue and depositing it into streams and groundwater. The acidic,
metal-laden water kills aquatic life in the stream and has a
devastating impact on local communities.
“Yellowboy”
You may have seen streambeds coated with a yellow or red residue,
staining the banks a deep orange-brown color. What looks like
rust is actually a sign of acid mine drainage. “Yellowboy” is
a result of AMD carrying dissolved iron into streams and rivers.
AMD can also be identified by a white, milky appearance to
water (dissolved Aluminum), or a thick, oily black coating
on the riverbed (dissolved Manganese). The presence of any
of these metals in local streams could result in big problems
for your watershed.
The Impact on Our Communities
A history of acid mine drainage can hurt a community on much
more than a visual level.
AMD will….
- Disrupt the life cycles of most aquatic life,
including fish and plants.
- Leak
into groundwater and contaminate drinking water supplies.
- Cause skin irritation
in people who may come into contact with AMD water.
- Corrode
infrastructure such as concrete culverts, bridge abutments, and floodwalls.
- Lead to a decrease in recreational tourism
and economy.
How can we clean up AMD?
There are two methods to treat water polluted with AMD. The “active” method
involves chemical treatment to reduce the acidity in the water
and remove the dissolved metallic residue. This method requires
expensive technology and provides only a temporary solution .
Another option is “passive” treatment, which uses
natural processes to reduce acidity and remove heavy metals from
water. For example, constructed wetlands can reduce water acidity
through a chemical reaction induced by bacteria and algae. Because
this method does not require the addition of costly chemicals,
it is a more financially-viable option for AMD treatment.
What you can do
One of the difficult challenges in the process of cleaning up
acid mine drainage is identifying all the rivers and land affected
by AMD. You can assist the efforts to clean up AMD in your
community by reporting any abandoned mine lands, open portals,
or discolored waterways and streambeds to local agencies. Your
input is vital to protecting your community’s water and
safety.
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