Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Iron Removal by a Passive System Treating Alkaline Coal Mine Drainage

  • Technical Article
  • Published:
Mine Water and the Environment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Marchand passive treatment system was constructed in 2006 for a 6,000 L/min discharge from an abandoned underground bituminous coal mine located in western Pennsylvania, USA. The system consists of six serially connected ponds followed by a large constructed wetland. Treatment performance was monitored between December 2006 and 2007. The system inflow was alkaline with pH 6.2, 337 mg/L CaCO3 alkalinity, 74 mg/L Fe, 1 mg/L Mn, and <1 mg/L Al. The final discharge averaged pH 7.5, 214 mg/L CaCO3 alkalinity, and 0.8 mg/L Fe. The settling ponds removed 84% of the Fe at an average rate of 26 g Fe m−2 day−1. The constructed wetland removed residual Fe at a rate of 4 g Fe m−2 day−1. Analyses of dissolved and particulate Fe fractions indicated that Fe removal was limited in the ponds by the rate of iron oxidation and in the wetland by the rate of particulate iron settling. The treatment effectiveness of the system did not substantially degrade during cold weather or at high flows. The system cost $1.3 million (2006) or $207 (US) per L/min of average flow. Annual maintenance and sampling costs are projected at $10,000 per year. The 25-year present value cost estimate (4% discount rate) is $1.45 million or $0.018 per 1,000 L of treated flow.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • American Public Health Association (1999) Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater. In: Clesceri LS, Greenberg AE, Eaton AD (eds) American Public Health Association, American Water Works Association, and the Water Environment Federation, 20th edn. Washington DC

  • Brodie GA (1990) Treatment of acid mine drainage using constructed wetlands, experiences of the Tennessee Valley Authority, In: Graves DH, Tomljanovich DA (eds) In: Proceedings 1990 symposium on mining, OES Publ, University of KY, Lexington, pp 77–83

  • Butler JN (1991) Carbon dioxide equilibria and their applications, Lewis, p 259

  • Cravotta CA III (2007) Passive aerobic treatment of net-alkaline, iron-laden drainage from a flooded underground anthracite mine, Pennsylvania USA. Mine Water Environ 26:128–149

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dempsey BA, Roscoe HC, Ames R, Hedin R, Jeon B-H (2001) Ferrous oxidation chemistry in passive abiotic systems for the treatment of mine drainage. Geochem Explor Environ Anal 1(1):81–89

    Google Scholar 

  • Hedin RS, Nairn RW, Kleinmann RLP (1994a) Passive treatment of coal mine drainage. USBM IC 9389, US Dept of the Interior, Washington DC, p 35

  • Hedin RS, Watzlaf GR, Nairn RW (1994b) Passive treatment of acid mine drainage with limestone. J Environ Qual 23(6):1338–1345

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hedin RS (1999) Recovery of iron oxides from polluted coal mine drainage. Patent # 5,954,969, US Patent and Trademark Office, Washington

  • Hedin RS (2003) Recovery of marketable iron oxide from mine drainage. Land Contam Recl 11(2):93–97

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hedin RS (2006) Sustainable mine drainage treatment through the passive production of saleable iron oxide solids. In: Barnhisel RI (ed) Proceedings international conference on acid rock drainage, St Louis MO, American Soc of Mining and Reclamation, Lexington, pp 764–773

  • Hellier WW, Giovannitt EF, Slack PT (1994) Best professional judgment analysis for constructed wetlands as a best available technology for the treatment of post-mining groundwater seeps. In: Proceedings international land reclamation and mine drainage conference and 3rd international conference on the abatement of acidic drainage, Pittsburgh PA, vol 1. USBM SP 06A-94, pp 60–69

  • Hustwit CC, Ackman TE, Erickson PE (1992) The role of oxygen transfer in acid mine drainage treatment. Water Environ Res 64:817–823

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirby CS, Thomas HM, Southam G, Donald R (1999) Relative contributions of abiotic and biological factors in Fe(II) oxidation in mine drainage. Appl Geochem 14:511–530

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lambert DC, McDonough KM, Dzombak DA (2004) Long-term changes in quality of discharge water from abandoned underground coal mines in Uniontown Syncline, Fayette county, PA, USA. Water Res 38(2):277–288

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nuttall C (2002) Testing and performance of the newly constructed full-scale passive treatment system at the Whittle Colliery, Northumberland. In: Nuttall C (ed) Mine water treatment: a decade of progress. University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle, pp 16–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Pullman Swindell, Inc (1977) Irwin Syncline Basin Mine Drainage Abatement Project, Operation Scarlift. Project # SL, Dept of Environmental Resources, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pp 103–105

  • Stark LR, William FM, Stevens SE, Eddy DP (1994) Iron retention and vegetative cover at the Simco constructed wetland: an appraisal through year eight of operations. In: Proceedings international land reclamation and mine drainage conference and 3rd international conference on the abatement of acidic drainage, pittsburgh PA, USA, vol 1. USBM SP 06A-94, pp 89–98

  • Wood SC, Younger PL, Robins NS (1999) Long-term changes in the quality of polluted minewater discharges from abandoned underground coal workings in Scotland. Q J Eng Geol Hydroge 32(1):69–79

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Younger PL (2000) The adoption and adaptation of passive treatment technologies for mine waters in the United Kingdom. Mine Water Environ 2):84–97

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Younger PL, Banwart SA, Hedin RS (2002) Mine water: hydrology, pollution, remediation. Kluwer, Dordrecht, p 442

Download references

Acknowledgments

Funding for the Marchand system’s design, permitting and construction was provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Growing Greener Program. Ted Weaver conducted mine pool and soils investigations and managed early construction activities. Kim Weaver designed the system and prepared the permit applications. Darl Dodson was the Sewickley Creek Watershed Association’s project manager. J. Jack provided construction oversight. David Larson, Ben Hedin, and Dan Compton assisted with water sampling. Thanks to the Rich Beam at the PA Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation and to Bruce Golden at the Western PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation for providing laboratory analyses.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hedin Environmental, 195 Castle Shannon Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA, 15228, USA

    Robert S. Hedin

Authors
  1. Robert S. Hedin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert S. Hedin.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hedin, R.S. Iron Removal by a Passive System Treating Alkaline Coal Mine Drainage. Mine Water Environ 27, 200–209 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10230-008-0041-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10230-008-0041-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation