Predicting Potential Aluminum Contamination of Surface and Ground Waters from Acid Sulfate Enriched Drainages Emanuating from Low Neutralization Capacity Watersheds

摘要

The composition of soil solutions and surface waters emanating from unreclaimed, or partially reclaimed, strip-mined watersheds with low buffering capacity in Kentucky were compared with soil solution compositions of unaffected strata in the watershed. The data suggest that almost 20 years after mining, most soil solutions and surface waters of the disturbed areas still contain high levels of dissolved Al, controlled primarily by the solubilities of a jubanite-like mineral (upper limit) and alunite (lower limit). Soluble Al in solutions of undisturbed areas was consistent with the solubility of laolinite or gibbsite. The absence of jubanite x-ray diffraction peaks suggested the presence of an amorphous mineral or one stoichiometrically similar to jurbanite. The control of soluble Al by basic aluminum sulfate minerals was not affected by the variable mineralogical and tectural composition of soil and geological strata in the watershed.