Acid mine drainage

Acidic, metal-laden water flowing from mines and tailings when pyrite and other sulfides oxidise in contact with air and water. Orange iron oxyhydroxides precipitate along the flow.

Composition

pH often 2 to 4; dissolved Fe, SO4, Al, Zn, Cu, As, Cd; precipitates of schwertmannite, jarosite, ferrihydrite.

Sources

In the atlas

All glossary terms