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Impact of Mine Waste Leachates on Aquatic Environment: A Review

  • Water Pollution (S Sengupta, Section Editor)
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Abstract

The economic development of a country is mainly dependent on important industrial activities such as mining. Because of mining operations, huge quantities of solid wastes especially, overburden and rejects, are generated. As these are not valuable to the owners of the mine, they may be inappropriately disposed of into the environment, posing severe threat to the environment, particularly affecting both surface and ground water quality. Most mine waste-related environmental degradation is associated with leaching of contaminants from overburden dumps and acid mine drainage. Leachates originating from mine waste overburden dumps may have the potential to contaminate the surrounding water resources, especially ground water. The present paper envisages the harmful effect of mine waste leachates on the environment and how it creates possible hazard to aquatic life. This paper also reviews the strategies for improvements in existing mine waste management along with the suitable measures to combat the overall problem.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, 826004, India

    Manish Kumar Jain

  2. IIT(ISM)-ENVIS, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, 826004, India

    Arpita Das

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  1. Manish Kumar Jain
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Correspondence to Manish Kumar Jain.

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Jain, M.K., Das, A. Impact of Mine Waste Leachates on Aquatic Environment: A Review. Curr Pollution Rep 3, 31–37 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40726-017-0050-z

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