The Relationship Between Flow Paths and Water Quality in Mine Water Oxidation Ponds in South Korea

Tests were carried out at passive mine water treatment sites in South Korea to determine how flow and pH affected other water quality parameters. Computational flow analysis and tracer tests revealed that the water took surprisingly direct flow routes in the oxidation ponds, while other areas remained stagnant. Furthermore, ferrous iron concentration, dissolved oxygen, pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, turbidity, and water depth were all directly affected by the flow patterns due to the relationship between retention time and iron precipitation.