A Brief Explanation of Abandoned Mine Drainage (AMD)
Whether near the surface or deep underground, mining exposes buried rock layers containing sulfur rich minerals to the atmosphere. Since they are below a water table or aquifer, the mined area fills with water after it’s closed down. A series of chemical reactions, assisted by underground bacteria and fueled by the surplus of water and atmospheric oxygen, take place producing sulfuric acid and dissolved metals. This acidic, metal-rich water flows out of the abandoned mine and into surrounding streams. If left untreated, chronic pollution from AMD will impair or kill much of the aquatic life within those streams.
If you have questions about the remediation projects or would like to schedule a tour of our treatment systems, please contact Carla.
Learn About Our Abandoned Mine Discharge Projects
Current Concerns
Unfortunately, when dealing with water, it will take the path of least resistance. In these instances, blow out events occur where water within the mine is discharged at random locations and does not get captured by the treatment systems. Below are photos of a recent blow out at the Sagamore treatment system. We are currently working to determine the cause of this blow out and creating a plan to remediate this issue. Please stay updated as we work to solve this problem.
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