The potential threat of mine drainage to groundwater resources

• Published in: Current opinion in environmental science & health Vol. 27; p. 100347
• Main Authors: Tomiyama, Shingo, Igarashi, Toshifumi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01-06-2022
• Subjects: Abandoned mines; Groundwater resources; Metals contamination; Mine drainage; Metals contamination; Abandoned mines; Mine drainage; Groundwater resources
• ISSN: 2468-5844; 2468-5844
• DOI: 10.1016/j.coesh.2022.100347

Groundwater is an extremely valuable freshwater resource for drinking and agricultural use, and its value is increasing with global population growth. One of the potential threats to its water quality is mine drainage from abandoned mines. In recent years, progress has been made in investigating the impact of mine drainage on groundwater, as the use of various isotope analyses and improvements in numerical simulation techniques are applied constructing detailed conceptual models for evaluating contamination. This review examines the case studies to date from around the world and reports on the causes and characteristics of mine drainage, the potential for groundwater contamination, and some thoughts on the actions that should be taken.