Geochemical Characterization of Acid Mine Lakes in Northwest Turkey and Their Effect on the Environment

• Published in: Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology Vol. 64; no. 3; pp. 357 - 376
• Main Authors: Yucel, Deniz Sanliyuksel, Baba, Alper
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer-Verlag 01-04-2013; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acid mine drainage; Acidic wastes; Acids; Aluminum; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Artificial lakes; Biological and medical sciences; Chemical contaminants; Coal mining; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental effects; Environmental Health; Environmental impact; Environmental monitoring; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Eocene; Fresh water ecosystems; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Geologic Sediments - analysis; Groundwater discharge; Groundwater runoff; Iron; Lagoons; Lake sediments; Lakes; Lakes - analysis; Lignite; Metals, Heavy - analysis; Mine wastes; Minerals; Mines; Mining; Mining industry; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; Northwest; Oxidation; Pollutants; Pollution; Precipitation; Quaternary; Soil Science & Conservation; Studies; Sulfur content; Surface water; Synecology; Topography; Trace elements; Trace Elements - analysis; Turkey; Waste Disposal, Fluid; Waste materials; Water Movements; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water pollution; Water Quality; Water quality standards; Turkey; Asia; Mediterranean Basin; Middle east; Lignite; Acid Mine Drainage; Jarosite; FeS2; Mine Waste; Characterization; Freshwater environment; Pollution; Ecotoxicology; Toxicity; Acidification; Geochemistry; Lakes; pH; Environment; Lacustrine environment; Acid medium
• ISSN: 0090-4341; 1432-0703
• DOI: 10.1007/s00244-012-9843-7

Mining activity generates a large quantity of mine waste. The potential hazard of mine waste depends on the host mineral. The tendency of mine waste to produce acid mine drainage (AMD) containing potentially toxic metals depends on the amounts of sulfide, carbonate minerals, and trace-element concentrations found in ore deposits. The acid mine process is one of the most significant environmental challenges and a major source of water pollution worldwide. AMD and its effects were studied in northwest Turkey where there are several sedimentary and hydrothermal mineral deposits that have been economically extracted. The study area is located in Can county of Canakkale province. Canakkale contains marine, lagoon, and lake sediments precipitated with volcanoclastics that occurred as a result of volcanism, which was active during various periods from the Upper Eocene to Plio-Quaternary. Can county is rich in coal with a total lignite reserve >100 million tons and contains numerous mines that were operated by private companies and later abandoned without any remediation. As a result, human intervention in the natural structure and topography has resulted in large open pits and deterioration in these areas. Abandoned open pit mines typically fill with water from runoff and groundwater discharge, producing artificial lakes. Acid drainage waters from these mines have resulted in the degradation of surface-water quality around Can County. The average pH and electrical conductivity of acid mine lakes (AMLs) in this study were found to be 3.03 and 3831.33 μS cm
−1
, respectively. Total iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al) levels were also found to be high (329.77 and 360.67 mg L
−1
, respectively). The results show that the concentration of most elements, such as Fe and Al in particular, exceed national and international water-quality standards.