An apatite drain: New method for iron and aluminum removal from highly contaminated acid mine drainage
- Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States)
The apatite drain system is a new method for acid mine drainage (AMD) treatment. Laboratory tests and the field experiment showed that this technique can be used for removal of high concentrations of iron and aluminum in the AMD with pH less than 4.0. In addition, this system removes both ferric and ferrous irons whereas constructed wetlands system remove only ferric iron when it is converted from ferrous iron in the wetlands. The geochemical model was then used to simulate the changes in concentration of aqueous constituents and in pH, and the potential mineral phase. The results of MINTEQ2 supports the conclusion of experiments. Apatite removed iron, sulfate, and aluminum from AMD and pH was inversely proportional to apatite added until it had reached the equilibrium point (pH=4.09 at 25{degrees}). Nevertheless, the role of apatite as a precipitant and a pH buffer was restricted by the solubility of it.
- OSTI ID:
- 588803
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9605286--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English