Mine spoils

Erdman, J.A., R.J. Ebens, and A.A. Case. 1978. Molybdenosis a potential problem in ruminants grazing on coal mine spoils. Jour. Range Manage. 31 34-36. 

Ebens, R.J. and H.T. Shacklette. 1982. Geochemistry of Some Rocks, Mine Spoils, Stream Sediments, Soils, Plants, and Waters in the Western Energy Region of the Conterminous United States. U.S. Geol. Surv. Prof. Paper 1237. U.S. Govt. Printing Off., Washington, D.C. 173 pp. 

The composition of industrial wastes varies depending on the industrial structure of a country or region. It consists of general rubbish, packaging, food wastes, acids, alkalis, oils, solvents, resins, paints, mine spoils and sludges. A proportion of the industrial waste is classified as hazardous waste because it contains materials that are presently or potentially hazardous to humans and other living organisms. 

Pallant, E. Hilster, L.M. Earthworm response to 10 weeks of incubation in a pot with acid mine spoil, sewage sludge and lime. Biol. Pert. Soil. 1996, 22, 355-358. 

Zielinski, R. A., Otton, J. K. Johnson, C. A. 2001. Sources of salinity near a coal mine spoil pile, north-central Colorado. Journal of Environmental Quality, 30, 1237-1248. 

Loredo, J., Ordo nez, A., Gallego, J.R. et al. (1999) Geochemical characterisation of mercury mining spoil heaps in the area of Mieres (Asturias, northern Spain). Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 67(1-3), 377-90. 

In the field, soil can sometimes be a significant source of contamination. For example, in areas of mineralisation, heavy metals may occur naturally at elevated levels in soils. If there has been mining activity in the past this can exacerbate the problem by the spreading of mine spoil at the surface. Animals, particularly cattle, which tend to tug at forage rather than biting it, can ingest significant amounts of soil and metals can accumulate in tissues such as the liver. Plants may also take up elements from the soil that can accumulate in... 

Goldner, W. R., Hoffman, F. M., and Medve, R. J., 1986. Allelopathic effects of Cladonia cristatella on ectomycorrhyzal fungi common to bituminous strip-mine spoils. Can. J. Bot. 64,1586-1590. 

Saturated hydraulic conductivity may also be influenced by dramatic changes in solution viscosity as well as the soil s dispersive potential. The data in Figure 10.5 represent saturated hydraulic conductivity as a function of EC. It appears that as EC increases, hydraulic conductivity decreases. The soil material in this study represents a Kentucky mine spoil. The predominant salt in the solution was an acid, MgS04. Suspension data showed that as MgS04 concentration increased, colloid dispersion increased. This could be due to an increase in solution viscosity, which also has a suppressing effect on saturated hydraulic conductivity (see Eq. 10.2). 

LeRoux, N. W., P. W, Dacey and K. L. Temple, 1980. The microbial role in pyrite oxidation at alkaline pH in coal mine spoil. In P. A. Truidnger, M. R. Walter, and B. J. Ralph, Eds. Biogeochemistry of Ancient and Modem Environments. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pp. 515— 520. 

Pichtel, J. R. and W. A. Dick. 1991. Influence of biological inhibitors on the oxidation of pyritic mine spoil. Soil Biol. Biochem. 23 109-116. 

Pionke, H. B., A. S. Rogowski, and R. J. Deangelis. 1980, Controlling the rate of acid loss from strip mine spoil. J. Environ. Qual 9 694-699. 

Gerke H. H., Molson J. W., and Frind E. O. (1998) Modelling the effect of chemical heterogeneity on acidification and solute leaching in overburden mine spoils. J. Hydrol. 209, 166-185. 

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