Laserfiche WebLink
40 <br />• ANALYSIS OF MINE WATERS <br /> The chemical composition of mine waters has to be known <br /> first to understand the nature of the water, second to comply <br /> with state and federal regulations, and third to maintain <br /> quality control on effluent treatment operations. The usual <br /> opinion is that the chemical analyses have to be done by <br /> outside laboratories, however, this is not the case if a <br /> careful analytical program is established. If a mining <br /> operation can establish such a program, its primary benefit <br /> is a better knowledge of the operation. With that knowledge, <br /> a convincing case can be made to government agencies concern- <br /> ing effluent problems. The testing program suggested below <br />- is not expensive or difficult and the operators of the mine <br />• have control over the program. The chief difficulty with <br /> an analysis program is that someone will have to take care <br /> in being clean, careful and tidy in an environment where <br /> these qualities are hard to practice. The technical basis <br /> for the analysis program is given in this chapter. No <br /> descriptions of the analyses are contained in the Appendix. <br /> THE BASIC TESTS <br />Are there a few basic tests that can answer most questions <br />concerning mine effluents? Wentz (32) looked at this question <br />by applying statistical tests to weigh the correlation between <br />the parameters usually measured in water analyses and mine <br />drainages that didn't meet the drinking water standards. He <br />C,