Chemistry of acid strip-mine lake recovery

Book · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1973

OSTI ID:5360339

Simmler, J J

A study of the role of metals from the time of acid formation on the pyrite crystal to the time of lake recovery focused on 12 lakes northeast of Columbia, Missouri to determine iron-clay-aluminum interaction. The high concentration of aluminum and iron make the greatest contribution to the net buffer capacity of the water, and is responsible for the long natural recovery times associated with all acid strip-mine lakes. The amount of aluminum dissolved and allowed to flow into the lake depends upon the clay type and minerals dissolved on the spoil banks. The longer the lake remains at low pH values, the more difficult it is for the sulfate reducing bacteria to maintain growth and reproduce. The bacteria slowly titrate the acidity through the release of hydrogen sulfide to the atmosphere until all acidic buffers below 4.5 are exhausted. At this point lake recovery proceeds at a rapid rate. 21 references, 27 figures, 5 tables.

• Research Organization: Department of the Interior, Washington, DC (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5360339
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
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Lignite
& Peat-- Environmental Aspects
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Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID MINE DRAINAGE
ACID NEUTRALIZING CAPACITY
ALUMINIUM
BACTERIA
BUFFERS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMISTRY
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN SULFIDES
LAKES
MASS TRANSFER
METALS
MICROORGANISMS
MINING
PH VALUE
RUNOFF
SPOIL BANKS
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE MINING
SURFACE WATERS
WATER CHEMISTRY