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WATER QUALITY AND TREATMENT OF ACID MINE DRAINAGE FROM THE ABANDONED -MEDET- DEPOSIT IN BULGARIA
Abstract
Acid mine drainage (AMD) is a significant environmental issue especially in countries like Bulgaria that currently has 486 closed and abandoned mining waste facilities including tailings, dumps and heaps. Some of them are thoroughly investigated and known for their low pH levels and high metal and metalloid concentrations. The most conventional active treatment method for AMD involves neutralization through the use of different reagents. However, a significant limitation in the application of this method is the lack of detailed literature on the exact dosages of alkalizing reagents required for specific AMDs. Furthermore, precise wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) design parameters are usually available only to engineers in their practice and rarely become publicly accessible. The aim of this study is to enrich scientific literature with data on AMD water quality and the needed technological parameters of WWTPs that use neutralization as a main process. AMD from the dumps around the abandoned -Medet- copper deposit in Bulgaria was used for the laboratory experiments. A specific dosage determination of a 5% solution of Ca(OH)2 and a 10% solution of NaOH with feasibility comparison of both for Cu, Fe and partial SO42- removal was performed. For the full removal of SO42- an additional treatment step with anion exchange resin was added, which showed great efficiency at low residence time of 3-5 min. The paper will provide practicing water treatment engineers with valuable data for future projects and serve as a basis for researchers for optimization work of the discussed AMD neutralization technology.
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References19
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