Interaction of acid mine drainage with waters and sediments of West Squaw Creek in the West Shasta mining district, California

Journal Article · Wed Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es00158a009· OSTI ID:6711120

Filipek, L H; Nordstrom, D K; Ficklin, W H

Acid mine drainage has acidified large volumes of water and added high concentrations of dissolved heavy metals to West Squaw Creek, a California stream draining igneous rocks of low-acid-neutralizing capacity. During mixing of the acid sulfate streams waters in the South Fork of West Squaw Creek with an almost equal volume of dilute uncontaminated water, Cu, Zn, Mn, and Al remained in solution rather than precipitating or adsorbing on solid phases. Changes in the concentration of these generally conservative metals could be used to determine relative flow volumes of acid tributaries and the main stream. An amorphous orange precipitate (probably ferric hydroxides or a mixture of ferric hydroxides and jarosite) was ubiquitous in the acid stream beds and was intimately associated with algae at the most acid sites. Relative sorption of cations decreased with decreasing water pH. However, arsenic was almost completely scavenged from solution within a short distance from the sulfide sources. 25 references, 5 figures, 4 tables.

• Research Organization: Geological Survey, Reston, VA
• OSTI ID: 6711120
• Journal Information: Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 21:4; ISSN ESTHA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520200* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID MINE DRAINAGE
ACID NEUTRALIZING CAPACITY
ACIDIFICATION
ALUMINIUM
ARSENIC
CALIFORNIA
CHEMISTRY
CONTAMINATION
COPPER
DATA
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FEDERAL REGION IX
INFORMATION
MANGANESE
METALS
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
POLLUTION
SEDIMENTS
SEMIMETALS
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
USA
WATER CHEMISTRY
WATER POLLUTION
ZINC