Comments on: From stream to sky: AMD’s biological reach http://amp.wpcamr.org/archives/15 Western Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:17:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Jim Gusek, P.E. http://amp.wpcamr.org/archives/15#comment-11 Jim Gusek, P.E. Mon, 09 Oct 2006 21:49:22 +0000 http://amp.wpcamr.org/archives/15#comment-11 I'd like to point out that sulfate reducing bioreactors, which are know to precipitate metal sulfides such as FeS (acid-volatile sulfide, not pyrite) also are known to precipitate aluminum hydroxy-sulfates (B.T. Thomas, 2002). These aluminum mineral phases do not tend to plug the reactors like pure limestone systems which plug with aluminum hydroxide/gibbsite. Bench and pilot testing of the SRBR technology at the Fran Mine in Clinton County, PA did a fine job of removing aluminum at concentrations up to about 240 mg/L. I believe the Yellow Creek Phase 2B SRBR in Indiana County has been handling aluminum at concentrations of about 40 mg/L since it was built in late 2003. I’d like to point out that sulfate reducing bioreactors, which are know to precipitate metal sulfides such as FeS (acid-volatile sulfide, not pyrite) also are known to precipitate aluminum hydroxy-sulfates (B.T. Thomas, 2002). These aluminum mineral phases do not tend to plug the reactors like pure limestone systems which plug with aluminum hydroxide/gibbsite.

Bench and pilot testing of the SRBR technology at the Fran Mine in Clinton County, PA did a fine job of removing aluminum at concentrations up to about 240 mg/L. I believe the Yellow Creek Phase 2B SRBR in Indiana County has been handling aluminum at concentrations of about 40 mg/L since it was built in late 2003.

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