Possibilities of remediation of neutral mine drainage – Removal and recovery of potentially hazardous elements

Abstract

Mine water is one of the factors threatening the environment. The aim of the review article is to discuss and critically evaluate individual strategies for the remediation of neutral mine water. A critical evaluation is an essential tool to determine an appropriate remediation strategy. A wetland system is the preferred method of metal removal. However, the disadvantage is that it takes up more space compared to other methods and has a lower metal removal efficiency compared to active metal removal methods. When creating a suitable strategy, it is also necessary to assess the conditions of the mining site, which partially or completely prevent the use of the selected remediation strategy. The benefit of this review article is the processing of suitable combinations of treatment methods for the removal of potentially hazardous elements and their subsequent recovery. Future research in the field needs to focus on the analysis of the negative aspects of the environment that may disrupt or support the implementation of the selected method of remediation.