Teachers from the Keystone Science School and about 100 students from Summit Middle School set up research stations around the abandoned Pennsylvania Mine on Peru Creek. They measured dissolved oxygen and zinc levels and searched for aquatic insects and other signs of life to learn about water issues in the Snake River Basin. The students will analyze the data in the classroom and put together a report of their findings, said science teacher Brian Richardson.
Along with a hands-on lesson in scientific research methods, the students found out that there is little life in the Snake River around Keystone, Pennsylvania. The students who were searching for bugs found none. Students also discovered that heavy concentrations of zinc and other metals from the abandoned mine upstream exceed state and federal limits, in violation of the Clean Water Act.
Last year the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggested that the area should be labeled a Superfund site to spur its cleanup. But shortsighted local officials killed the idea, apparently worried about the stigma of a Superfund listing. Superfund status or not, the Keystone area is a toxic mess that needs to be cleaned up.
Story at Summit Daily
September 28th, 2009 by The Cleaner
Acid mine drainage is especially nasty because it can occur indefinitely without treatment, long after the mining source of the pollution has ended.
Many hardrock mines across the Western United States may require water treatment in perpetuity. For example, government officials have determined that acid drainage at the Golden Sunlight mine will continue for thousands of years.
Water treatment can be a significant economic burden on the local economy if the mining company files for bankruptcy or refuses to cover water treatment costs. For example, acid runoff from the Summitville Mine in Colorado killed all biological life in a 17-mile stretch of the Alamosa River. The site was designated a federal Superfund site, and the EPA is spending $30,000 a day to capture and treat acid runoff.
More at EarthWorks Action
September 18th, 2009 by The Cleaner
Officials in Garrett County Maryland will spend $40,000 on a consultant to study the economic impact of keeping waterways free from acid mine drainage. The funds include a $20,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission.
“Our commissioners are in full support of this effort,” said Meg Ellis of the county’s Economic Development Department. “We know the value of tourism and we all remember what these streams looked like before the acid from the mines was being treated. Nobody likes dirty rivers, but money talks and this study will take a look at the importance of clean water to our county’s economy.”
Story at Times-News
September 17th, 2009 by The Cleaner
Water treatment company VWS Envig has created a new AMDRO technology to help fight acid mine drainage (AMD). The AMDRO technology consists of multiple processes, including clarification, media filtration, reverse osmosis and ion exchange polishing, which generate high-quality effluent with minimum pretreatment.
VWS Envig’s Martin Kotze says that water quality is a vital concern of the mining industry. “Mining operations need to maintain the quality and quantity of water resources, while ensuring that the environmental impact of their activities meets the ever-increasing environmental regulatory requirements, which are being [imposed on] the industry.”
The company provides solutions for the treatment of contaminated dam and underground mine water, and for the removal of heavy metals and other contaminants from process water to enable safe discharge. These solutions are available as portable pre-packaged or custom-engineered plants and offer a significantly reduced footprint compared with traditional technologies.
Story at Mining Weekly
September 11th, 2009 by The Cleaner
