SILICATE TREATMENT FOR ACID MINE DRAINAGE PREVENTION

A TREATMENT TECHNIQUE HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED ON A LABORATORY SCALE WHICH INHIBITS OR PREVENTS THE GENERATION OF ACID MINE WATER FROM WASTE COAL REFUSE. THREE VARIATIONS OF THE GENERAL METHOD WERE CONSIDERED: NEUTRALIZATION OF THE WATER-ACCESSIBLE REFUSE WITH A DILUTE SOLUTION OF SODIUM SILICATE (WATERGLASS); DEVELOPMENT OF A CONTINUOUS GEL ON THE REFUSE SURFACE STRUCTURE WHICH SEALED OFF THE ENTIRE PILE FROM NATURAL RUNOFF WATERS; AND DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE PILE STRUCTURE OF A CONTINUOUS SILICA/ALUMINA GEL TO ELIMINATE PERCOLATION THROUGH THE REFUSE AND MINIMIZE THE EFFECT OF NATURAL EROSION OF THE GEL STRUCTURE. THE MOST EFFECTIVE TREATMENT UTILIZED A MIXED ALUMINA/SILICA GEL FORMED WITHIN THE PILE AT DEPTHS UP TO SIX INCHES. THIS METHOD WAS EFFECTIVE FOR MORE THAN 500 INCHES OF EQUIVALENT RAINFALL. EXTENSIVE WASHINGS OF THE WEATHERED TEST MATERIALS ESTABLISHED THE FACT THAT THE TREATMENTS WERE EFFECTIVE FOR AT LEAST 120 INCHES OF EQUIVALENT RAINFALL (THE DURATION OF THE TEST) IN PREVENTING ACID GENERATION. /AUTHOR/

• Corporate Authors:

  Environmental Protection Agency

  Office of Water Planning and Standards, 401 M Street, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20460
• Publication Date: 1971-2

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: 94 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Acids; Drainage; Environment; Mines; Runoff; Silica gel; Spoil; Subsurface drainage; Tailings; Water
• Old TRIS Terms: Acid mine drainage; Drainage and environment; Mine waters
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00230121
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 17 1972 12:00AM