Evaluation of factors influencing acid mine drainage production from various strata of the Allegheny group and the ground water interactions in slected areas of western Pennsylvania
Alkalinity and acidity were the two water quality parameters investigated in order to evaluate the effect of acid mine drainage on the ground water regimen of a strip mined area of the bituminous coal field of Pennsylvania. The alkalinity was related to the occurrence of calcium carbonate. The acid potential of a rock was related to the occurrence of pyrite by three leaching tests which were also used to evaluate the effects of rock type, iron bacteria and alkalinity on acid production. Rock and water samples were collected from an area underlain by Lower and Middle Kittanning formations (Allegheny group of the Pennsylvanian) and from a second study area underlain by Upper Kittanning and Lower Freeport formations (Allegheny group). Because the former area produced acid mine drainage and the latter did not, analyses of the rock and water samples were compared to determine the compositional variations responsible for divergent water qualities. To facilitate comparisons of various chemical components, extremely acid and alkaline water samples were collected from other mines to establish quality extremes. The hydrology of the two study areas was approximated from measurements and observations made on domestic wells in one area. It was found that the ranges of total sulfur contents (used to estimate the pyritic sulfur content) of the acid and non-acid areas were similar and could not explain the different water qualities produced. The leaching tests showed acid generation to be partly dependent upon the sulfur content of a sample and to be greatly influenced by the crystallinity of the pyrite, the presence of iron bacteria and calcium carbonate.
- Research Organization:
- Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park (USA). Dept. of Geology and Geophysics
- OSTI ID:
- 5418034
- Report Number(s):
- SR-65
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID MINE DRAINAGE
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
PENNSYLVANIA
BACTERIA
CALCIUM CARBONATES
GROUND WATER
HYDROLOGY
PH VALUE
PYRITE
WATER QUALITY
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATES
CHALCOGENIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IRON COMPOUNDS
IRON SULFIDES
MICROORGANISMS
MINERALS
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PYRITES
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
USA
WATER
010900* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Environmental Aspects
520200 - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)