Acid Mine Drainage Prevention

Abstract

Source control suppresses mine drainage production in-situ by neutralization and/or creating physical barriers to mitigate the exposure of bacteria and oxidants (e.g., air, water) on sulfide minerals. Source control tactics are subdivided into construction techniques; blending/co-disposal; capping/physical barriers; and passivation (e.g., organic coatings, inorganic coatings, silane coatings, carrier microencapsulation, etc.). Herein each technique’s suppression mechanism is discussed along with their advantages, disadvantages, and their recent research advances and literary gaps.