IJSRSET1622433 | Received : 01 May 2016 | Accepted : 05 May 2016 | March-April 2016 [(2)2: 1297-1301] © 2016 IJSRSET | Volume 2 | Issue 2 | Print ISSN : 2395-1990 | Online ISSN : 2394-4099 Themed Section: Engineering and Technology 1297 ACID Mine Drainage : A Case Study of An Indian Coal Mine Apurva Vyawahre 1 , Srijana Rai 2 1 B.Tech Civil, Visvesvarya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India 2 Coal India Ltd., B.Tech Civil, Visvesvarya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India ABSTRACT Water is essential to life on our planet. A prerequisite of sustainable development must be to ensure uncontaminated streams, rivers, lakes and oceans. We often take the presence of clean water for granted, forgetting its importance and assuming that it is always available. Unfortunately, the law and technology to protect this vital resource remains far from perfect. Increasingly, human activities threaten the water sources on which we all depend. Mining is one such activity. In fact, water has been called "mining's most common casualty." This paper discusses one of the major negative impacts that the mining industry has on water i.e. Acid Mine Drainage (AMD), the chemistry of AMD, its environmental effects and impacts and a brief discussion about various treatment methods. Further a case study from India of an Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) has been used to describe three of the treatment methods in details and the results of this ETP. Finally concluding with suggestions to improve the existing plant and overall AMD Treatment in Indian Mines. Keywords: Acid Mine Drainage, Coal Mines, Effluent Treatment Plant. I. INTRODUCTION Coal mining has severe impacts on the environment that go well beyond the problem of production of CO 2 generally associated with the use of coal. Mining deeply affects air, water and land resources. Due to mining, dust and methane, sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ), oxides of nitrogen, CO and other gases are spread in the air, thus affecting water and land resources, as well as human health. These are consequences of underground mining and, even more, of opencast operations. Another source of damage related to mining is fires in the mines, which are frequent and have severe consequences not only for the environment and the safety of the workers, but also for the production itself. The impact of mining and associated activities on water resources is also difficult. Mining requires large amounts of water, diminishing the quantity available for other purposes. Furthermore, both underground and opencast mining disturbs aquifers and water table. The main pollutants associated with mining are suspended solids, dissolved salts, acidity and iron compounds. One of the major problems related to coal mining and water pollution is Acid Mine Drainage (AMD), the outflow of acidic water from coal mines. Overburden is rocks that must be removed, so the ore can be mined and processed to obtain the metal for commercial purposes. Many metals occur in nature in the sulfide minerals form. When the ore mined and rock covers that contain sulfides are exposed to the open air, then water, oxygen and bacteria reacts to produce solution of sulfuric acid. The acidic water can dissolve metals contained in the cover rocks and cause adverse environmental impacts to the water bodies if not managed properly. This process is known as acid mine drainage. Acid mine drainage is formed from rocks that contain minerals mine sulfide and oxygen through contact with air and water. Acid mine drainage are characterized by lower pH, increasing levels of sulphate, shed and bring the heavy metal content. Indications of acid mine drainage in coal mining area is the appearance of the precipitate or yellow-orange in mine water flow, the sulfur odor, and acidity of the soil.