Passive Treatments for Mine Drainage: A Guide for Early Researchers (SpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences and Technology)

This book allows readers to grasp both the fundamentals and the latest technological advances in the field of mine drainage, which is increasingly crucial both environmentally and economically. Its extensive coverage of current and promising passive treatment technologies, combined with numerous practical guides, makes it an indispensable tool for early researchers seeking promising trends and identifying gaps. The book systematically explores recent literature on passive treatment research, classifying them as preventative, in-situ, and ex-situ solutions. It covers relevant passive treatments such as permeable reactive barriers, constructed wetlands, gravel bed reactors, saturated rock fills, and passivation techniques, among other common source control tactics. Each technology is discussed in terms of principal mechanisms, state-of-the-art technological advances, advantages and disadvantages, and suitability for a given mine drainage chemistry and flow regime. Thebook provides a comprehensive view of the entire field, offering researchers and policymakers a reference guide, research ideas, understanding, and practical applications for each technology. Furthermore, the contains an overview of recent trends in material selection for passive treatment applications, primarily through the use of industrial waste and by-products, which incorporate more sustainable practices in mine drainage remediation. Uniquely, the manuscript includes a flowchart based on water chemistry and flow rates to guide readers to ideal treatment options, along with written analysis to further support the readers’ decision-making. Overall, this equips early researchers in the field with knowledge of fundamentals and promising research routes when dealing with different mine drainage complexities while also providing them with promising research avenues that can advance the field further. Graphical Abstract Contents List of Variables 1 Introduction References 2 Acid Mine Drainage Prevention 2.1 Construction Techniques 2.2 Blending or Co-disposal 2.3 Physical Barriers or Capping 2.4 Passivation/Microencapsulation 2.4.1 Organic Coating 2.4.2 Inorganic Coatings 2.4.3 Organosilane Coatings 2.4.4 Carrier Microencapsulation References 3 In-Situ Remedies 3.1 In-Pit Treatments 3.1.1 Alkaline In-Pit Treatments 3.1.2 Immobilization In-Pit Treatments 3.1.3 Biological In-Pit Treatments 3.1.4 Mixed In-Pit Treatments 3.2 Saturated Rock Fills 3.2.1 Saturated Rock Fills (SRFs) Technology Description 3.2.2 Saturated Rock Fill Studies References 4 Ex-Situ Remedies 4.1 Anoxic Limestone Drains (ALD) 4.2 Permeable Reactive Barrier (PRB) 4.2.1 PRB Design: Associated Materials and Removal Mechanisms 4.2.2 Reactive PRBs 4.2.3 Alkaline PRBs 4.2.4 Dispersed Alkaline Substrate (DAS) PRB 4.2.5 Adsorptive PRBs 4.2.6 Biological PRBs 4.2.7 Diffusion-Active (DAPRB)/Sulfidogenic Exchange System (SDES) PRBs 4.3 Constructed Wetlands 4.3.1 Subsurface Flow Constructed Wetlands 4.3.2 Floating Constructed Wetlands 4.4 Gravel Bed Reactors (GBRs) References 5 Recommendations and Challenges 5.1 Prevention of Mine Drainage Production 5.2 On-Site Treatment of Mine Drainage 5.2.1 Saturated Rock Fill (SRF) and Gravel Bed Reactor (GBR) Recommendations 5.2.2 In-Pit Treatment Recommendations 5.2.3 Constructed Wetland Recommendations 5.3 Capturing and Treating Mine Drainage Seepage References 6 Outlook 6.1 Source Control 6.2 Permeable Reactive Barriers (PRBs) 6.3 Constructed Wetlands 6.4 Saturated Rock Fills/Gravel Bed Reactor 6.5 In-Pit Treatments References