Abandoned mines and contaminated land

Cwm Rheidol, acid mine discharge, Rheidol Valley , mid Wales

This team investigates the dispersal of toxic heavy metals and metalloids from abandoned metal mines, and contaminated land in general. We aim to develop rapid and robust predictive tools for mapping and characterising contamination and dispersal from past mining. Our research topics include

  • contaminant transport processes through mine waste in the unsaturated zone
  • application of hyperspectral remote sensing to mapping mine wastes
  • long-term performance of mine waste in response to changes in environmental factors
  • catchment-scale impact of diffuse and point-source contamination associated with abandoned mines
  • risk-based methodologies for mine waste facility inventories

This work is carried out through field monitoring, laboratory experiments and numerical transport and geochemical modelling.

Catchment model of Rookhope Burn, Weardale, showing mining related zinc concentration along the reach of the burn.

Contact

Contact Dr Barbara Palumbo-Roe for more information