Abstract

MACHADO, Ana; OTERO, María; SEVILLA, Manuel  and  ASENSIO, Verónica. Acid Mine Drainage remediation through artificial soils with biochar. Rev. de Ciências Agrárias [online]. 2022, vol.45, n.4, pp.961-970.  Epub Dec 01, 2022. ISSN 0871-018X.  https://doi.org/10.19084/rca.28723.

Acid mine drainage (AMD) is a serious environmental problem associated with the mine sector when minerals that contains sulfur are exposed. The effluents discharge, in water bodies, with low pH and high metals levels, can pose a threat to the ecosystems, even after the mine exploration ceases. Hence, treatments for the AMD are necessary and can be accomplish by mine restoration actions. The project Mindingsoils aims to mitigate ADM by applying artificial soils with biochar under a circular economy concept, that will promote the reduction of runoff generated, increase of the mine pH runoff and provide metals sorption capacity. To that aim, the mine residues and different biochars (Acacia, Pine and Eucalyptus) were chemically characterized. The results showed that the mine residues, with high level of metals and low pH, will promote environmental negative effects in the adjacent water bodies. From the different tested biochars, Acacia spp. was the feedstock that had more potential for ADM remediation strategies due to its high cation exchange capacity as well as H and O ratios. These results allowed the design of the artificial soil, which will be tested in a pilot field experimental.

Keywords : metals sorption; mine effluents; pollution mitigation; Technosols.

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