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Acid mine drainage and acid rock drainage processes in the environment of Herrerías Mine (Iberian Pyrite Belt, Huelva-Spain) and impact on the Andevalo Dam

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Environmental Geology

Abstract

The present work describes the process of acid water discharge into the Andévalo Dam (Iberian Pyrite Belt, Huelva-Spain) starting from the interpretation of rainfall data and chemical analyses regarding pH, conductivity, metal and sulphate content in water, from a time series corresponding to the sampling of two confluent channels that discharge water into the referred dam. Statistical data treatment allows us to conclude the existence of acid mine drainage processes in the Chorrito Stream, which are translated into very low pH values and high sulphate and metal concentrations in the water coming from Herrerías Mine. On the other hand, the Higuereta Stream shows, for the same parameters, much lower values that can be interpreted as the channel response to acid rock drainage processes in its drainage basin induced by the rocky outcrops of the Iberian Pyrite Belt.

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Acknowledgement

The present study results are a contribution of the CICYT REN2002-01897/HID project, granted by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Grupo de Recursos y Calidad del Agua, Escuela Politécnica Superior, Universidad de Huelva, 21819 Palos de la Frontera, Huelva

    J. A. Grande, A. Sáinz & M. L. de la Torre

  2. Grupo de Análisis Agroalimentario y Medioambiental, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Huelva, 21007 Campus del Carmen, Huelva, Spain

    R. Beltrán & J.C. Santos

  3. Departamento de Geología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Huelva, 21007 Campus del Carmen, Huelva, Spain

    J. Borrego

Authors
  1. J. A. Grande
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  2. R. Beltrán
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  3. A. Sáinz
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  4. J.C. Santos
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  5. M. L. de la Torre
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  6. J. Borrego
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Correspondence to J. A. Grande.

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Grande, J.A., Beltrán, R., Sáinz, A. et al. Acid mine drainage and acid rock drainage processes in the environment of Herrerías Mine (Iberian Pyrite Belt, Huelva-Spain) and impact on the Andevalo Dam. Env Geol 47, 185–196 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-004-1142-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-004-1142-9

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