Journal of Environment and Earth Science www.iiste.org ISSN 2224-3216 (Paper) ISSN 2225-0948 (Online) Vol.7, No.11, 2017 90 Preliminary Investigation of Trace Elements in Acid Mine Drainage from Odagbo Coal Mine, Northcentral, Nigeria Abuh Momoh 1 * Emmanuel .P. Rotji 1 Shola .C. Odewumi 2 Mimonitu Opuwari 3 Olusola .J. Ojo 4 Ayodeji Olorunyomi 1 1.Department of Geology, University of Jos, Nigeria 2.Department of Science Laboratory Technology, University of Jos, Nigeria 3.Department of Earth Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa 4.Department of Geology, Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Nigeria Abstract The objective of this study was to assess the concentration of trace elements in acid mine drainage (AMD) from Odagbo coal mine. Composite AMD samples were collected from active and abandoned mining pits and were analysed for lead, nickel, cobalt, chromium, mercury, zinc, arsenic and iron using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). Comparisons were made between the trace elements and environmentally acceptable quality standard (EQS) for heavy metal discharges from mines using student’s t-test. The mean concentrations of these elements were lead (0.10 mg/l), nickel (0.49 mg/l), cobalt (0.88 mg/l), chromium (0.55 mg/l), cadmium (0.19 mg/l), arsenic (0.01 mg/l) and iron (5.80 mg/l). There were significant differences between the means of lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic and EQS for heavy metal discharges from mines (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the means of nickel, chromium, iron and EQS for heavy metal discharges from mines (P > 0.05). Cobalt, iron, nickel and chromium were the dominant trace elements in the AMD. Further studies are required to determine the influence of AMD on surface water and soils around the mine. Keywords: Acid mine drainage, trace elements, coal, mine, sulphide minerals, INTRODUCTION Acid mine drainage is the most significant environmental problem from mining activities. Its effects include; surface and groundwater pollution, degradation of soil quality and aquatic habitats (Davies and Mundalamo, 2010). The geochemical features of these runoffs are very complex. They contain several trace elements, poly alkaline halides and radionuclides (Kaseke et al. 2011). Acid mine drainage from coal mines are highly acidic and some could maintain their acidity even after thirty years of post-mining (Udeyabhanu and Prasad, 2010). The acidity of AMD is very critical on its own, but it equally dissolves metals such as aluminium, calcium and sodium, which then forms part of the runoff. This by-product of the coal industry is handled in several ways by coal producing firms; it could be recycled into groundwater regime, disposed to evaporating ponds or subjected to treatment for use in industry, agriculture or for potable water supply in the community (Keating, 2001). Research had shown that AMD is Pennsylvania’s single greatest source of water pollution, responsible for over 2,400 miles of polluted streams (Cooper and Wagner, 1973). Similar examples of mine drainage are associated with coal mines in Donbas (Russia), Ruhr coalfields (West Germany), in Australia, India and Canada with predominant Short-wall mining. In India the coal mines are facing serious problems due to acid mine drainage, particularly in the lower Gondwana coal of the Barakar Formation, and the Tertiary coal of Assam (Jamal et al., 1991). South Africa has a long history of mining and limited natural water resources, leading to situation where it has a number of significant mine-water related challenges. With over 10,000 km 2 of hydraulically interlinked coal mines and over 300 of interlinked gold mines; associated mine-water challenges are not limited to local mine level but can be regional level too (Motsi, 2010). A study by Naicker et al. (2003) revealed that the groundwater in the mining district of Johannesburg, South Africa was heavily contaminated and acidified as a result of oxidation of pyrite contained in the mine tailings dumps and elevated concentrations of heavy metals. Where the groundwater table is close to the surface, the upper 20 cm of soil profiles were severely contaminated by heavy metals due to capillary rise and evaporation of the groundwater. Water contaminated by AMD, often contains elevated concentrations of metals which could be toxic to aquatic organisms, leaving streams devoid of most living creatures (Kimmel, 1983). In a study of the distribution of fish in Pennsylvania streams affected by acid mine drainage, Cooper and Wagner, (1973) reported that impacted streams are dominated by fewer species organisms. Hence, mine water impacts negatively on the environment by increasing the levels of suspended solids, leading to mobilization of elements such as iron, aluminium, cadmium, cobalt, manganese and zinc and also decreasing pH of the receiving water (Emmanuel 2015). The overall effect of mine water is the deterioration in water quality in many surface water bodies that may negatively impact on the domestic, industrial and agricultural uses (Emmanuel 2015). Odagbo coal deposit is of medium quality (sub-bituminous) with a moisture brought to you by CORE View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk provided by International Institute for Science, Technology and Education (IISTE): E-Journals