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-S- <br />i~ <br />1 <br />r <br />1 <br />_• <br /> <br />• <br />~_ <br /> <br />source of all the pollutants mentioned above. Fertilization of <br />reclaimed areas could contribute nitrates to the ground Boater. <br />Irrigation of reclaimed areas could force movement of potential <br />pollutants in the overburden used as fill. <br />A surface coal mine located in the same geologic strata was <br />studied by Skogerboe, et al (1979). In that report the folloer- i <br />ink conclusions were made:- l) the~^rDact~f m: nP ~o~; i a,-a_r,a~P__ <br />on the surface water is reflected by larger quantities of dis- <br />solved solids and common ions; 2) the mine has no detectable <br />impact on the surface water in terms of increasing concentrations <br />of A1, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, or Zn; 3) increases in stream <br />concentrations of Mn and Se due to mine inflow can be inferred; <br />4) higher concentrations of As, Fe, Mn, Se and Zn are found in <br />waters draining mine spoils; S) the concentration of these <br />elements varies with spoil age, Mn and Zn are higher in older <br />spoils and As, Fe, and Se are higher in newer spoils; and <br />6) chemical equilibria calculations indicate that alkaline pre- <br />cipitations can maintaixr loco concentrations of A1, Cd, Cu, Fe, <br />Pb and Zn; these equations applied to the generally alkaline <br />characteristics of western stream and aquifers imol_v that this <br />precipitation equilibria limits soluble heavy metal concentra- <br />tions in ground water. The work of Skogerboe, et al thus <br />indicates that the solubility of heavy metals in the ground and <br />surface water at this similar mine will be limited by the nat- <br />ural alkalinity of the aquifers. Also, the major constituants <br />that may be a problem to the Colooryo P1ine are dissolved solids, <br />common ions (calcium and sulfate), and Se from mine spoils. <br />Leonard Rice Consulting Water Engineers, Inc. <br />