Quantifying Iron Concentration in Local and Synthetic Acid Mine Drainage: A New Technique Using Handheld Field Spectrometers

摘要: Pit lakes present a concern for public safety and environmental quality. With continuing advancement of imaging satellites, remote sensing spectroscopy may provide useful tool monitoring pit water quality across vast mining districts. Visible to shortwave infrared has been widely used monitor acid mine drainage (AMD) mineralogy at sites. However, few studies have examined the spectral signatures mine-affected waters open bodies from platform. The motivation this study was identify characteristics AMD in controlled laboratory setting order better interpret imagery. response synthetic local were measured using field spectrometer. Solutions with increasing Fe3+ Fe2+ concentrations mixed mimic chemical properties AMD. Synthetic solutions known Fe compared quantitative assessment. dominated possessed distinct that be diagnostic identification. Specifically, region between 0.35 0.625 µm approximately quantify concentrations. Subtle changes identified spectrometer alone. These findings suggest subtle also qualitatively quantitatively by spectroscopy.