Hydro-geochemical behavior of bicarbonate and sulfate ions leaching from a sulfide-poor silver mine in Central Mexico: Potential indicator of acid mine drainage

摘要

Acid mine drainage (AMD) and high heavy metal concentrations in suiface and groundwater have been reported as a major problem in and around sulfide-rich mineralized zones worldwide. In fact, there are national and international programs for prevention and monitoring AMD in several countries (Breahut, 2000; Hoglund, 2000; Shea, 2000; Tremblay, 2000). Most of the reported environmental evaluations of AMD in the literature have been done in sulfide-rich mines located at medium latitudes and temperate climate (Banwart and Malmstrom, 2001; Simms et al., 2000; Younger, 2000; Kim and Chon, 1991), Several efforts have been made for predicting potential for AMD by static and kinetic tests (Sobek et al, 1978, White et al, 1999), and by field experiments (Bencala and Ortiz, 1994). Another line of research in environmental geochemistry has focused on hydrogeochemical modeling of AMD, especially forward or predictive mathematical modeling (Banwart and Malnistrom, 2001; Brown et al., 2000).