Section 7. MINING WASTES
TREATMENT OF ACID MINE WATER
DISCHARGING INTO THE TAR CREEK WATERSHED
Marcia H. Bates, Associate Professor
John N. Veenstra, Assistant Professor
John Barber, Research Assistant
Raju Bernard, Graduate Student
Julie Karleskint, Research Assistant
Parweiz Kahn, Graduate Student
Raghupalhi Pakanti, Research Assistant
Michael Tale, Research Assistant
School of Civil Engineering
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078
INTRODUCTION
With the discovery of lead and zinc ores near Lincolnville, Oklahoma around 1901, mining
activities in the three state area of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri were initiated. The most active
area was the Picher Field (Figure 1) which is located in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, and Cherokee
County, Kansas. Mining work in this area required continuous pumping to remove water. Iron
sulfides, which were then subsequently exposed in drift ceilings, were oxidized by exposure to atmospheric oxygen. When mining activities declined and pumping ceased, the water level steadily climbed.
The previously oxidized sulfides dissolved in the presence of the water forming acid mine water which
resulted in the solubilization of zinc, cadmium, and lead. It is estimated that there are over 76,000 acre
feet of acid mine water in the abandoned mines of Picher Field.
Since 1979, the acid mine water has been discharging into the Tar Creek watershed (Figure 2) in
northeastern Oklahoma. The waters of Tar Creek feed the Neosho River which is one of the two
major rivers in the area. The impact of the acid mine drainage on Tar Creek has been severe. The
majority of the biota of the creek has disappeared and red stains from ferric hydroxide precipitates
can be seen on banks and bridge abutments [1]. Sediments are polluted with iron, zinc, lead, and
cadmium. The impact of Tar Creek on the Neosho River, however, has been less severe. Red stains are
again apparent, but except for zinc, no water quality standards have been violated [1].
In October 1981 the Tar Creek area was identified as one of the major hazardous waste sites in the
United States, and as such, it was then eligible to receive Superfund money. Many alternatives for
control or management of the drainage and its subsequent adverse environmental effects have been
investigated. The purpose of this study was to specifically evaluate chemical and biological treatment
technologies for treating the drainage. In addition, initial studies on the use of activated carbon and
ion exchange for metal removal were conducted.
METHODS
Twenty-six sampling sites, as shown in Figure 2, have been established by the Oklahoma Water
Resources Board to monitor stream water quality and mine discharge into the Tar Creek watershed
[1]. The major sites of acid mine drainage into Tar Creek are 4S and 14. Water quality at both sites
has been monitored frequently, and as reported by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board [1], site 4S
is highest in zinc, cadmium, and lead, whereas site 14 has the highest iron concentration.
Treatment Alternatives
The treatment alternatives investigated in this study included chemical precipitation and the use
of activated sludge and rotating biological contactors. Preliminary data was also gathered on the
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