Abandoned mines and the water environment in the UK

摘要

Abandoned mines are one of the most significant pollution threats in the UKaffecting more than 5,000 km of rivers, as well as important drinking watersupply aquifers. Thousands of these mines, some dating back to the BronzeAge, extracted coal, metals and other minerals. Mining-impacted riversdischarge some of the biggest loads of metals such as Cd, Fe, Cu and Zn to theseas around Britain. Many environmental quality standard failures for prioritysubstances under the Water Framework Directive are in metal mining areas.The worst discharges from closed deep coal mines have been prioritised and54 minewater treatment plants capture thousands of tonnes of Fe and othermetals every year, protecting over 200 km of rivers and drinking wateraquifers. Treatment is only in place at one abandoned metal mine. We are nowprioritising the UK rivers most impacted by metal mines and developing anational remediation strategy. The effect of highly contaminated sediments onecosystem health remains unclear. Sustainable passive technologies for coalminewaters are proven but new treatment systems are required for metal minedischarges, preferably with recovery of metals, energy and water. Abandonedmines are important reserves of biodiversity and industrial heritage sitesincluding the tin and copper mining areas of the new Cornwall and WestDevon World Heritage Site.