Abstract
Climate change, growth in population and rising
pressures on natural recourses triggered by mining and similar
activities have led to enormous environmental challenges. Acid mine
drainage (AMD) from mining operations in South Africa causes severe
environmental issues in need of drastic and lasting solutions.
Contamination from AMD requires prevention and mitigation
measures to address the various significant impacts on human and
environmental health. This pressing challenge permitted the study to
investigate and analyze the breakthrough curves and permeation
parameters of a subtropical kaolinite clay mineral soil interacted with
AMD towards determining its buffering efficacy as a natural
contaminant barrier for use in sites prone to AMD contamination.
Series of AMD permeation through the soil medium was conducted...