Wetlands for remediation

of acid-mine drainage
Alyssa Shiel

Overview

Define acid-mine
drainage
Constructed
wetlands as passive
treatment systems
Acid-tolerant aquatic
plants
Benhar ironstone
mine spoil in Central
Scotland

Acid-mine drainage

Drainage flowing from or caused by mining

that is typically highly acidic with elevated metal
levels
Increased concentrations of cadmium, nickel,
lead, zinc, copper and sulfates
The primary source of freshwater metal
contamination
Associated with land contamination and sparse
vegetation
May leach into surrounding watercourses

Acid-mine drainage

Lowers pH, between 2.0

and 3.0
Contaminates water with
oils, cyanides, acids and
alkalies
Reduces buffering capacity
Alters phosphorus
availability
Solubilizes some heavy
metals

Constructed wetlands as treatment

systems

Viable treatment system for

many mining regions of the
world
Passive, low-cost remediation
Goals
Removal of iron from the
water column
Removal of other metals
Sulfate reduction
Alleviation of extreme
acidic conditions

Acid tolerant aquatic species

Typha sp. (cattails)

Sphagnum dominates

Green algaes

Chlamydomonas aplanata (<3)

Blue-green algaes

Found to accumulate iron

Spirulina nordstedtii (4.9)

Diatoms

Navicula nivalis (3.0)

(M. Kelly, 1988)

Benhar ironstone spoil heap in

Central Scotland
Acidic metal-rich drainage
from reclaimed ironstone mine
spoil
12 month evaluation of a
constructed wetland system

(Heal and Salt, 1999)

Benhar before remediation

Ironstone spoil

Characterized by pH 2.7 and 247 mg/l total Fe

Highly acidic with elevated metal concentrations
Acidity may mobilize iron, manganese, aluminum and
other metals
Although mining ceased early in the 20th Century, the
Bing has remained mostly unvegetated due to the highly
acidic and infertile spoil
Mine drainage was polluting a small watercourse which
leads into the River Almond

Ironstone spoil

Iron pyrites in ironstone and coal spoil are

oxidized to form sulfuric acid when exposed to
air and water
At pH above 4, acid production proceeds slowly
and is controlled by the rate of oxygen diffusion
into the spoil
Below pH 4, an alternative oxidation pathway
exists involving the bacterium Thiobacillus
ferrooxidans

Treatment

Creating an aesthetically-pleasing landform

Treatment with dried pelleted sewage sludge,
limestone and peat
After which trees were planted Betula pubescens
and Alnus glutinosa (common alder)
Construction of settling pond and surface flow
wetland to receive spoil drainage
Mushroom compost substrate
Cattails (Typha latifolia).

Reclamation

Acidity, iron, manganese

and aluminum
concentrations declined
Removed on average 33%
of acidity and 20-40% of
metal inputs
Removal rates decreased in
the winter
Enabled vegetation
establishment
Effect was spatially
variable

Summary

Constructed wetlands offer an inexpensive,

passive treatment for acid-mine drainage
Several acid-tolerant aquatic species including
Sphagnum and Typha sp.
Benhar mine spoil
Site history
Treatment
Results