VerticalNewsTM
Health
Studies from Queen's University describe new findings in applied geochemistry
2008 FEB 25 - (VerticeINews.com) - According to recent research from Kingston. Canada, ”Since 1995, when pumps were withdrawn from deep mines in East Fife (Scotland). mine waters have been rebounding throughout the coalfield. Recently. it has become necessary to pump and treat these waters to prevent their uncontrolled emergence at the surface.”
"However, even relatively shallow pumping to surface treatment lagoons of the initially chemically-stratified mine water from a shaft in the coastal Frances Colliery during two dynamic step-drawdown tests to establish the hydraulic characteristics of the system resulted In rapid breakdown of the stratification within 24 h and a poor pumped water quality with high dissolved Fe loading. Further, data are presented here of hydrochemical and isotopic sampling of the extended pump testing lasting up to several weeks. The use in particular of the environmental isotopes delta O-18,
delta H-2, delta S-14, H-3, C-13 and C-14 alongside hydrochemical and hydraulic pump test data allowed characterisation of the Frances system dynamics, mixing patterns and water quality sources feeding into this mineshaft under continuously pumped conditions. The pumped water quality reflects three significant components of mixing: shallow freshwater, seawater, and leakage from the surface treatment lagoons,” wrote T. Elliot and colleagues, Queen's University.
The researchers concluded: "In spite of the early impact of recirculating lagoon waters on the hydrochemistries, the highest Fe loadings in the longer-term pumped waters are identified with a mixed freshwater-seawater component affected by pyrite oxidation/melanterite dissolution in
the subsurface system."
Elliot and colleagues published their study In Applied Geochemistry (Hydrochemical and Isotopic tracing of mixing dynamics and water quality evolution under pumping conditions in the mine shaft of the abandoned Frances Colliery, Scotland. Applied Geochemistry, 2007;22(12):2834-2860).
For additional information, contact T. Elliot, Queen's University, Environmental Engineering Research Center, School Planning Architecture & Civil Engineering, EERC Environmental Tracers Laboratory,
Kingston. ON K7L 3N6, Canada.
Publisher contact information for the journal Applied Geochemistry is: Pergamon-EIsevier Science Ltd., the Boulevard. Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford 0X5 1GB, England.
Keywords : Geochemistry. Queen's University.
This article was prepared by VerticalNews Health editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2008, VerticalNews Health via VerticalNews .com.
http://www.verticalnews.com/newsletters/Chemicals-and-Chemistry/2008-02-25/62221CH.html