Biological amelioration of acidic seepage streams

• Main Authors: Kalin, Margaret, Smith, M. P.
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/12554

Wetland and lake sediments provide conditions where microbial sulphate reduction and biomineralization occur. These processes can assist in the amelioration of acid mine drainage emerging from pyritic mining wastes. The biological neutralization of mine water however, requires specific conditions that allow anaerobic and aerobic decomposition of organic materials to take place, together with alkalinity generation and sulphate reduction. This paper reports on the work leading up to the construction of a test facility in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. A 4-cell test system was installed where flow can be controlled from a minimum of 1.4 - 3 L/min to a maximum of 150 - 200 L/min. The seepage characteristics in the system have been determined in order to define the physical, chemical, and biological requirements for the process.