Mining covers a range of activities and potential pollutants. Past sand and gravel mining as supposed to precious metal mining such as gold. Some early gold mining used mercury or arsenic to concentrate the gold, and we’re not careful with their use to avoid contamination. Mercury is very heavy, and can settle deep into channel substrates, often reaching bedrock or constraining surface. The testing type may differ depending on your goals, and knowledge about past mining activities and pollutants used. You may want to know more about range in water quality now, rather than pollutant residues residing in sediment and channel substrate. But if substrates are to be disturbed by renewed activity, you would probably want to know the potential for releasing pollutants disturbed. Besides some exploratory testing if you know or presume specific toxic or hazardous chemicals were involved, you might collect some samples of sediment, channel substrate and biological samples such as fish and aquatic insects. Aquatic insects can be good indicators of water pollution as each genus and species has a rating as to pollutant tolerance, but this can include also low dissolved oxygen and high temperatures. EPT is an aquatic macroinvetebrate index that indicates abundance of mayflies, stoneflies and caddis flies as species that tend to be intolerant of pollution, as compared to other genera or species that tend to be more tolerant of pollution. Sometimes fish species assemblage is also indicative of level of pollution. Water quality, sediment, substrate and biological investigations and sampling can be complex, especially if little is known of the past activity or types of pollutants. Certifying streams for meeting continuing drinking water standards can be challenging if little is known about past levels and types of pollution as questions about pollutant residues and continuing channel activities or disturbance could potentially reintroduce some stored pollutants. One might also look for areas where pollutants are likely to collect and reside, such as a dam, broad low gradient valley section or braided stream section below activity, where sediments and pollutants may accumulate. There have been numerous studies on the fate of pollutants in the environment, so search for those that best apply to your circumstances.

Well,

it depends on the type of exploited minerals and their constituents from quarries and mines.

Sincerely

Please have a look at these useful links.

Article Status of Water Quality Subject to Sand Mining in the Kelant...

https://iahs.info/uploads/dms/14034.22-155-162-314-27-Armientar.pdf

Dear Trisha... The heavy metal pollution is the main problem. Also Cyanide which is used for the extraction of precious metal is important. Generally most inorganic species are expected to be there. The nature of most mining wastewater is acidic so much care must be taken. Regards

Start with a conceptual geochemical model based on the type of ore deposit, how ore was processed and the hydrology/hydrogeology of the area that would be the source of potential contamination. The model should integrate whether metal leaching and/or acid mine drainage is occurring. Base your sampling program on the conceptual model.

Regards

Patrick

Review previous water quality reports. Identifiy the pollutants, their hydrochemistry, composition,behavior, and whatever the information available. In view of this , make a plan. Detail chemical analysis is verymuch require

As noted by others above, in Maryland water draining through both alluvial sand-and-gravel mine spoil and coal mine spoil is acidic, hence the common term "acid mine drainage" (q.v.). The disturbance of the formation, and subsequent exposure to air, allows for the oxidation of pyrite and other sulfur-bearing minerals, whiuch in turn releases sulfuric acid. This is exacerbated by the reduction in particle size of the spoil derived from the indurated formations, as breaking up the rock greatly increases the surface area available for solution - much like breaking up a sugar cube helps it dissolve faster. The acidity can sometimes be quite profound, as low as pH2 , and the acidic leachate from the spoil liberates any metals present in the minerals. Iron, pH, and sulfates are good general indicators of the amount of acid mine drainage present in a surface water, but as the other commentors suggested, running a full suite of inorganic chemicals, initially at least, would allow you to find out what is present in your particular drainage basin, and then you can pick appropriate indicators and run a targeted list (to save money). Good luck!

The pollution of the rivers can be eliminated by reducing the dumping of waste in them and the establishment of strict laws to limit this and the creation of sanitation

Dear Trisha

my thesis is about river water quality and part of my case study route cross from near of mining pollution, when i asked my professor about it, he said i must sampled sulfate, hardness and etc.

-best