Design and performance of limestone drains to increase pH and remove metals from acidic mine drainage, Chapter 2

Data on the construction characteristics and the composition of influent and effluent at 13 underground, limestone-filled drains in Pennsylvania and Maryland are reported to evaluate the design and performance of limestone drains for the attenuation of acidity and dissolved metals in acidic mine drainage. On the basis of the initial mass of limestone, dimensions of the drains, and average flow rates, the initial porosity and average detention time for each drain were computed. Calculated porosity ranged from 0.12 to 0.50 with corresponding detention times at average flow from 1.3 to 33 h. The effectiveness of treatment was dependent on influent chemistry, detention time, and limestone purity. At two sites where influent contained elevated dissolved Al (>5 mg/liter), drain performance declined rapidly; elsewhere the drains consistently produced near-neutral effluent, even when influent contained small concentrations of dissolved Fe^+ (