The influence of acidic mine and spoil drainage on water quality in the mid-Wales area

Ronald Fuge; Ian M.S. Laidlaw; William T. Perkins; Kerry P. Rogers

doi:10.1007/BF01734297

The influence of acidic mine and spoil drainage on water quality in the mid-Wales area

Ronald Fuge^*, Ian M.S. Laidlaw, William T. Perkins, Kerry P. Rogers

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Geography and Earth Sciences

Geochemistry and Hydrology Research Group

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

28 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The many abandoned base metal mines of the mid-Wales ore field are sources of extensive pollution. Some of the mineralised veins contain large amounts of pyrite and marcasite and oxidative weathering of these produces sulphuric acid resulting in very acidic mine drainage waters. In addition, the spoil tips associated with these mines can contain abundant iron sulphides. Drainage waters from these sources have pH values as low as 2.6 and are heavily contaminated with metals such as Al, Zn, Cd and Ni. Two of the main rivers of the area, the Rheidol and Ystwyth, intercept heavily contaminated acidic drainage which has a marked effect on water quality. The Rheidol contains over 100 μg L^-1 Zn for 16 km downstream of the acid water influx. This level is over three times the recommended EEC limit for Zn in salmonoid waters of low hardness.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	70-75
Number of pages	6
Journal	Environmental Geochemistry and Health
Volume	13
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01734297
Publication status	Published - Jun 1991

Access to Document

10.1007/BF01734297

Permanent link

Persistent link

Cite this

@article{fe19258d386b496eac9a839c77df67be,

title = "The influence of acidic mine and spoil drainage on water quality in the mid-Wales area",

abstract = "The many abandoned base metal mines of the mid-Wales ore field are sources of extensive pollution. Some of the mineralised veins contain large amounts of pyrite and marcasite and oxidative weathering of these produces sulphuric acid resulting in very acidic mine drainage waters. In addition, the spoil tips associated with these mines can contain abundant iron sulphides. Drainage waters from these sources have pH values as low as 2.6 and are heavily contaminated with metals such as Al, Zn, Cd and Ni. Two of the main rivers of the area, the Rheidol and Ystwyth, intercept heavily contaminated acidic drainage which has a marked effect on water quality. The Rheidol contains over 100 μg L-1 Zn for 16 km downstream of the acid water influx. This level is over three times the recommended EEC limit for Zn in salmonoid waters of low hardness.",

author = "Ronald Fuge and Laidlaw, {Ian M.S.} and Perkins, {William T.} and Rogers, {Kerry P.}",

year = "1991",

month = jun,

doi = "10.1007/BF01734297",

language = "English",

volume = "13",

pages = "70--75",

journal = "Environmental Geochemistry and Health",

issn = "0269-4042",

publisher = "Springer Nature",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The influence of acidic mine and spoil drainage on water quality in the mid-Wales area

AU - Fuge, Ronald

AU - Laidlaw, Ian M.S.

AU - Perkins, William T.

AU - Rogers, Kerry P.

PY - 1991/6

Y1 - 1991/6

N2 - The many abandoned base metal mines of the mid-Wales ore field are sources of extensive pollution. Some of the mineralised veins contain large amounts of pyrite and marcasite and oxidative weathering of these produces sulphuric acid resulting in very acidic mine drainage waters. In addition, the spoil tips associated with these mines can contain abundant iron sulphides. Drainage waters from these sources have pH values as low as 2.6 and are heavily contaminated with metals such as Al, Zn, Cd and Ni. Two of the main rivers of the area, the Rheidol and Ystwyth, intercept heavily contaminated acidic drainage which has a marked effect on water quality. The Rheidol contains over 100 μg L-1 Zn for 16 km downstream of the acid water influx. This level is over three times the recommended EEC limit for Zn in salmonoid waters of low hardness.

AB - The many abandoned base metal mines of the mid-Wales ore field are sources of extensive pollution. Some of the mineralised veins contain large amounts of pyrite and marcasite and oxidative weathering of these produces sulphuric acid resulting in very acidic mine drainage waters. In addition, the spoil tips associated with these mines can contain abundant iron sulphides. Drainage waters from these sources have pH values as low as 2.6 and are heavily contaminated with metals such as Al, Zn, Cd and Ni. Two of the main rivers of the area, the Rheidol and Ystwyth, intercept heavily contaminated acidic drainage which has a marked effect on water quality. The Rheidol contains over 100 μg L-1 Zn for 16 km downstream of the acid water influx. This level is over three times the recommended EEC limit for Zn in salmonoid waters of low hardness.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0026311597&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/BF01734297

DO - 10.1007/BF01734297

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:0026311597

SN - 0269-4042

VL - 13

SP - 70

EP - 75

JO - Environmental Geochemistry and Health

JF - Environmental Geochemistry and Health

IS - 2

ER -

The influence of acidic mine and spoil drainage on water quality in the mid-Wales area

Abstract

Access to Document

Permanent link

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this