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Can mine water be a potential resource for different uses in mining areas?
Bionote
Ashwani Kumar Tiwari is an Assistant Professor in the School of Environmental Sciences at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. His research focuses on water resources management, GIS, hydro-geochemistry, pollution, and aquifer vulnerability. He received the INC-IAH Young Scientist Award 2022 for his contributions to groundwater investigation and management. He chairs the MCAA Research Funding Working Group and is a member of INYAS. Dr. Tiwari completed his Ph.D. from IIT Dhanbad and was a post-doctoral researcher at Politecnico di Torino, Italy. He has published extensively and reviews for international journals.
Coal is a significant source of energy and a pillar for industrial growth in many countries around the globe. On the other hand, mining operations and other related activities are responsible for the deterioration of environmental components, such as water, air and soil. Mining and associated activities, directly/indirectly, can impact both the quality and quantity of water resources in and around the mining areas. For example, acid mine drainage (AMD) can affect the aquatic ecosystem.
The water crisis is a critical issue in the mining environment worldwide. During mining operations, a huge volume of water is released into the surrounding environment as a byproduct, carrying suspended and dissolved elements. These suspended and dissolved loads may contain both toxic and hazardous elements, which, upon being exposed to other environmental entities, can deteriorate the ecosystem of living and non-living things. Furthermore, the leachate from the mine overburden dump is also responsible for contaminating the mining areas' surface water and groundwater resources. Moreover, mining operations can damage the area's aquifer and reduce the available groundwater supplies. These operations also present social issues, such as putting the population of mining areas under stress due to the water crisis.
Commonly, coal mine water is contaminated with some specific dissolved elements/ parameters (i.e. sulphate, iron, manganese, total dissolved solids, total hardness, aluminum, nickel, and others), (see Picture 1). These contaminants are the most concerning for mining authorities and policymakers. Mining areas have a huge quantity of mine water resources (see Picture 2) which could potentially be used as water supply for society after appropriate treatments.
The mining industries and policymakers can contribute to a suitable environment. The mining sector plays a key role in maintaining energy supplies, the economy, and the livelihood of communities, and it can be integrated into a plan where every product at each step is utilized to minimize waste. Identifying how these metals, ions, and minerals are employed in different industries can open new possibilities for environmental sustainability in some industry segments. As well as being used in industrial sectors, mine water can also be used for domestic and irrigation purposes after the appropriate treatment. It can also help minimize the contamination level of surface and groundwater resources and reduce stress by having more water supply in the area.
Scientific and systematic approaches aimed at benefiting society are necessary for a more sustainable future through better use of mined water.
Ashwani Kumar Tiwari
Assistant professor
Jawaharlal Nehru University
ashwaniktiwari@mail.jnu.ac.in