Managing the acidity of abandoned water filled coal mining voids in Collie

221 Pages·2017·5.82 MB·English

EEddiitthh CCoowwaann UUnniivveerrssiittyy
RReesseeaarrcchh OOnnlliinnee
Theses: Doctorates and Masters Theses
1-1-2000
MMaannaaggiinngg tthhee aacciiddiittyy ooff aabbaannddoonneedd wwaatteerr fifilllleedd ccooaall mmiinniinngg vvooiiddss
iinn CCoolllliiee ((WWeesstteerrnn AAuussttrraalliiaa)) uussiinngg oorrggaanniicc mmaatttteerr
Scott A. Thompson
Edith Cowan University
Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses
Part of the Water Resource Management Commons
RReeccoommmmeennddeedd CCiittaattiioonn
Thompson, S. A. (2000). Managing the acidity of abandoned water filled coal mining voids in Collie
(Western Australia) using organic matter. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1352
This Thesis is posted at Research Online.
https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1352
Edith Cowan University 

Copyright Warning 

You may print or download ONE copy of this document for the purpose 
of your own research or study. 

The University does not authorize you to copy, communicate or 
otherwise make available electronically to any other person any 
copyright material contained on this site. 

You are reminded of the following: 

 Copyright owners are entitled to take legal action against persons 
who infringe their copyright. 

 A reproduction of material that is protected by copyright may be a 
copyright infringement. Where the reproduction of such material is 
done without attribution of authorship, with false attribution of 
authorship or the authorship is treated in a derogatory manner, 
this may be a breach of the author’s moral rights contained in Part 
IX of the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). 

 Courts have the power to impose a wide range of civil and criminal 
sanctions for infringement of copyright, infringement of moral 
rights and other offences under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). 
Higher penalties may apply, and higher damages may be awarded, 
for offences and infringements involving the conversion of material 
into digital or electronic form.
USE OF THESIS

The Use of Thesis statement is not included in this version of the thesis.
MANAGING THE ACIDITY OF ABANDONED WATER FILLED COAL
MINING VOIDS IN COLLIE (WESTERN AUSTRALIA) USING ORGANIC
MATTER
by
Scott A. Thompson B Sc. (Environmental Science)
A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of
Master of Science (Environmental Management).
At the Faculty of Communication, Health and Science, Edith Cowan University,
Joondalup.
Fn!CTOMW AUNN IVERSITY
i1•·W.'.A"Y
1_,tn1. n
Date of submission: January, 2000
ii
ABSTRACT
Theeff ectiovfue sniensgs m oartgatadendrii ctti oin ocnrspe Hia ansb ea ndoned
watfielrlc eodma iln vionigid Cnso lwlaiisen vestPirgeavstiteouduhd.sai vees
dmeonsttrhapatates dsa icnidgdr iaci nage through tohreg anic matter increased
watpeHrL.sa bortartiuoasrliyisn n gts aecdti cmoern(etcs o llfreocmt ed
Ewin,gC toolnWleiset,e rn Awuesrutesr etadaol s isate)hse esff eocfat dsd itions
ofh amya,n uanrdme u lcvheegde toanpt Hin,ou nt rainse unltpslh eavtIeenal s.
seroifee xsp ertihmeeeff neotcfdst i ffeqrueanntot fiot rigeamsna itce rial,
sulprheadtuebc aicntgie nroicaulal anatdli koanglsei nneirtwayet rmieeo ans ured.
As ubsefiqeuelexdnp te rwiamcseo nntd utceotx eadmt ihineme p tahcmatat n ure
anmdu lhcahod nm inveo wiadt ie1nr8 in situ poncdosn stardujcattceoed n t
Ewington.
Iwta cso nclfruodmte hldea boreaxtpoerryit mhmeauntlt acsnh md a nure
treatwmeersneit gsn ifibceattnthtehalrany ay sa no rgamnaitactd edri fotri on
incretahpseHio nfag c idmiifinveeod wi adt aeEtrw ingTthomena .n uprreo duced
thger eaitnecsritepn aH sa,el thioctuo gnht rliebtsuoast l ekda tlhimanunil tcyh ;
suggemsutlihcnahagsg reaabtietlrori etlyce aarsbeo tnhadatinmed as n uTrhee.
manuarnmedu lacdhd iitnicorntesha pesHi e ntd h lea boraanfitdeo lrdy
experbiy0m .e5np-tH1 u .n5iT thsii.ns c rweaasssu es tfoarim noesodtft h2e1
weefike lexdp erAinmi ennctri.enp a His tneh ceo ntproonwlda srs e coorvdeerd
the8 wl eaesoktfts h eex perwihmiewcnahpts r obdaubtelo y i tnhfleoo fmw o re
alkaglrionuen dtwhartoteuhsrgeu h b starsac toaun ms eqoufte hwneic net er
rainpfaHvl all.mu eeass iutnrh eed exppeorni1dm5mse o nnttaahftlset rh e
commenceomfte hnpetr oijnedcittc hatathtpee od n tdrse waitmteahdn ure
iii
maintained significantly higher pH levels than either the mulch or the control
ponds. There was no difference between the pH values for the ponds treated with
mulch and the controls suggesting that manure not only provided a greater
increase in pH but also over a longer period.
The addition of organic matter also resulted in an increase in gilvin in the
laboratory experiments. Low sulphate and sulphide levels were also recorded in
all experiments before and after the introduction of organic materials into mine
void water and ponds adjacent to Ewington indicating that sulphate reducing
bacterial activity was not the cause for the increase in pH as occurred in other
situations, but rather the addition of alkaline organic matter caused the increase in
pH.
The addition of manure organic material was associated with an increase in the
ortho-phosphate levels, resulting in an increase in chlorophyll ac oncentrations.
This is believed to be the first stages of succession processes leading to the
establishment of a biologically active wetland system. During this process the
emerging ecosystem neutralises the acidic content of the water.
iv
DECLARATION
I certify that this thesis does not, to the best of my knowledge and belief
incorporate without acknowledgement any material previously submitted for a
degree or diploma in any institution of higher education; and that to the best ofmy
knowledge and belief contain any material previously published or written by
another person except where due reference is made in the text; or contain any
defamatory material.
Signature
Date� ������������-
v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
It haDnrMk a rLku nmdys, u perfovrhi isasod rv,ani dca es sisitnpan lcaen ning
thpirso ajnecdcr ti tciocmamlelnoytnd i rnaogftft s h tihse Isa ilsts.ho a mnyk
pareGnrtasha anEmdi lfoeret nh,pe iors iatncidrv iect oimcmaelon nvt asr ious
draoftfms yt hessuipsp,o mrymt ainnfiyge tlrdani dpt so lerah aitlgiehnv ge l of
disruipont ufirao mnoi vlteyhr pe a tswtyo e acrasu bsyet dhs itsu Idw yo.ua llds o
litkote h amnybk r otWhaeyrnfo,erh , it se chansisciasoltn tan hcceoe m puter.
It haDnrPk a Lualv foerrh yis su perwvhiisDlirLeo u nnw da osns abbatical and
ProfeHsasroRrrey c hforeh ric so mmeonnet asrd lryao ftfts h tihse Ist ihsa.n k
SarBarho wLni,Es daw aCrhdrsani,dAs n drHeuwt tfoorpn r ovimdewi intgh
backgdraootunatn hdwe a tcehre miosfEt wriyn gIwt oounal.ld ls iotk ote h ank
StepWhielnl ifraommGs r,e enSwreavsitfocerde osn atthimenu glfo crht he
project.
It haBnekn DAenandyr,e w DeHakaidnfi,Ge llNedHin,oc rklC ihnrM,ia sc k,
JereHmayd fiMealtLdta, u ndeDra vanidd foDrte haneayis rs isitntan hficeee l d.
Finanacsisails tance
Aspeocftt hspi rso wjeercfuetn dbeyda postrgersaedgaurraanfrcttohe mt he
SchoofNo alt uSrcailean ndct ehCsee nfotrrE ec osyMsatngeaemm eEndti,t h
CowUanni veOrtshifuetnryd .ic nagmfr eo mt hAeu stralian Coal Association
ResearchI a Pmar popgrreaocmfai. lat lthfi ienv anec aisasli srteacneciev ed.
vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................ 1
LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................. 6
LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................. 9
1.0 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................... 14
ACID MINE DRAINAGE IN AUSTRALIA ................................................................. 17
COAL MINING ..................................................................................................... 19
Brief history of Collie coal mining ................................................................ 20
CHEMISTRY OF ACID MINE DRAINAGE ................................................................. 22
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF ACID MINE DRAINAGE ......................................... 26
Effects of heavy metals ................................................................................. 27
Effects of low pH .......................................................................................... 28
CONTROL AND PREVENTION OF ACID MINE DRAINAGE ........................................ 29
REMEDIAT ION AND AMELIORATION STRATEGIES FOR TREATING ACID MINE
DRAINAGE ........................................................................................................... 31
SULPHATE REDUCING BACTERIA ............................................•............................ 32
Wetlands ........................................................................................................ 37
Passive treatment alternatives ....................................................................... 41
Anaerobic organic substrate systems (or compost wetlands) .................... 42
Successive alkalinity producing systems .................................................. 44
fN SITU VOID TREATMENT ................................................................................... 45
AUSTRALIAN COAL ASSOCIATION RESEARCH PROGRAM ......•............................ 48
STUDY AIMS ....................................................................................................... 49
2.0 STUDY SITE .................................................................................................. 51
COLLIE··············································································································· 51
Geology of the area ....................................................................................... 53
Ewington: the study site ................................................................................ 53
3.0 METHODS ...................................................................................................... 57
Selection of organic matter types .................................................................. 58
58
MEASUREMENT OF PHYSIO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES ............................................
Conductivity .................................................................................................. 58
Alkalinity ....................................................................................................... 59
pH .................................................................................................................. 59
Dissolved oxygen .......................................................................................... 59
Sulphate ......................................................................................................... 60
Sulphide ......................................................................................................... 60
Gilvin ............................................................................................................. 62
Filterable reactive phosphorous, nitrite/nitrates, ammonia ........................... 62
4.0 LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS ................................................................. 64
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 64
METHODS FOR LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS ...................................................... 66
Intact cores .................................................................................................... 66
Dissolved oxygen conditions ......................................................................... 67
Experiment 1 -Quantity and type of organic matter needed to produce an
affect .............................................................................................................. 68
Experiment 2 -Testing for sulphate reducing bacteria ................................. 69
2