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- Title
Impact of high aluminium loading on a small catchment area (Thuringia Slate mining area) -- geochemical transformations and hydrological transport
- Authors
Sandhage-Hofmann, A.; Peiffer, S.; Bar, S.; Beierkuhnlein, C.; Kaupenjohann, M.
- Abstract
A field study was performed on the effects of acid mine leachate from slate mine tailings seeping into a small river passing through the tailings. Before entering. the tailings the river water has high alkalinity which neutralizes acidity upon mixing with leachate within thetailings. Downstreams of the tailings the pH of the river water ranges about pH = 8, the water contains high concentrations of sulfate (~~1500 mu mol/l) and particulate bound aluminium (~~80 mu mol/l), but low concentrations of dissolved aluminium (~~3 mu mol/l). It is therefore assumed that Al(OH)3 colloids are precipitated duringthe neutralisation process and transported out of the tailings. The concentration of particulate bound aluminium along the river shows a strong correlation with the concentration of sulfate, which indicatesthat particulate bound aluminium is conservative. It therefore seemsthat under dry weather conditions (under most of the sampling was performed) no chemical retention mechanism exists which confines the distribution of aluminium to a restricted part of the catchment area. In contrast, the white river sediment is rich in both aluminium and sulfate, which suggests the temporary formation of aluminium hydroxosulfate minerals. Favorable (i.e. acidic) conditions may prevail at highdischarges where the acidity accumulated in the tailings is flushed into the river with its subsequent acidification.
- Subjects
ACID mine drainage; ALUMINUM; GEOCHEMISTRY; HYDROLOGY; WATER pollution monitoring
- Publication
Water, Air & Soil Pollution, 1997, Vol 94, Issue 3-4, p401
- ISSN
0049-6979
- Publication type
Article