Passive mine water treatment: The correct approach?

The implementation of passive, waste water treatment technologies by the mineral sector has been de-layed by many factors. These are explored in this paper. A precise understanding of the contaminant generation process, is a prerequisite to any successful remediation strategy, whether active or passive, but is often marginal at best. The effectiveness of wetlands which bio-mineralize nutrients and organ-ics, reduce metal acidity and improve pH has been widely demonstrated but the message doesn't seem to be getting out. Weathering on the surface of the minerals is initially a geochemical process but is then accelerated by bacteria, a biogeochemical process; this sets in motion the secondary precipitation, dissolution and hydrolysis of the weathering products, a chemical process which again is accelerated by bacterial ac-tivity, entering again the realm of bio-geochemistry and bio-mineralization. The resulting contaminant stream is generated by hydrological as well as hydro-geological processes as atmospheric precipitation transports the weathering products to ground and surface water. Once the contaminants are in the wa-ter particulate formation and surface science are dominant disciplines which need to be evoked to op-timize the treatment. A review of the recent literature on passive treatment in the mining sector is util-ized in this paper to highlight areas of research that could bridge the gap between disciplines and fur-ther develop the geochemical and ecological treatment for mine waste management areas