Passive Treatment Systems for the Remediation of Acid Mine Drainage at Wheal Jane, Cornwall

• Published in: Journal (Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management) Vol. 13; no. 2; pp. 93 - 103
• Main Authors: Hamilton, Q. U. I., Lamb, H. M., Hallett, C., Proctor, J. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.04.1999; Terence Dalton
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Biological treatment of waters; Biotechnology; Environment and pollution; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Industrial wastewaters; Minewater; passive treatment; Pollution; reedbed; Wastewaters; Water treatment and pollution; wetland; United Kingdom; Europe; Decontamination; Industrial waste water; Artificial medium; Waste water purification; Acid mine drainage; Mining industry; Wetland; Biological purification
• ISSN: 1360-4015
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1747-6593.1999.tb01014.x

ABSTRACT In 1992, Knight Piésold was appointed to formulate a long‐term treatment strategy for the remediation of acidic metal‐rich minewater issuing from the abandoned Wheal Jane mine in Cornwall, UK. The study has investigated both passive and active treatment technologies. As part of the study, a pilot passive‐treatment plant was constructed during 1994, comprising three separate systems. Each system contains the same main treatment stages which consist of five aerobic reedbeds, an anaerobic cell and an aerobic rock‐filter. Two of the systems also incorporate pretreatment, one in the form of lime dosing and the other in the form of an anoxic limestone drain. This paper discusses the theory and design criteria used in the construction of the plant and examines performance data during the period June 1995 to November 1996.