Acid Drainage

Acid mine drainage - causes effects and solutions For hundreds, even thousands of years, human beings have mined for metals and stones, and with the advent of greater technology as well as greater needs, the demands for these resources continue to grow. While these resources benefit our lives in many ways, the effects of mining can be detrimental, and one such effect is the topic of this essay, acid mine drainage (A.M.D.). The …

…water table, or are located close to the water table. A.M.D. can be avoided through techniques such as submerging wastes to exclude oxygen contact, sealing wastes above the water table, as well as water management techniques. Also possible is the use of artificial aerobic or anaerobic wetlands to treat the affected water. Through mitigation techniques, it should be possible to reduce if not eliminate acid mine drainage as an environmental and social problem.