Pilot scale study of acid mine drainage

In order to study pyrite oxidation and resulting acid mine drainage, a research facility was developed using a small, long-abandoned drift mine and six 33 inch diameter auger holes drilled in order to have comparable, isolated, experimental 'mines' on a pilot scale basis. Experimental data and observations of the effect of oxygen concentration on acid production have shown the location of major reaction zones and indicated that bacterial catalysis of pyrite oxidation is not a significant factor in production of acid mine drainage. When the correspondence between holes has been established, one hole will be used as a reference mine so that fluctuations due to hydrologic variations can be separated from effects of experimentally imposed changes in the other holes.