Workshop on Acid and Metalliferous Drainage

The 9th Australian Acid and Metalliferous Drainage (AMD) workshop was presented by the Sustainable Minerals Institute at The University of Queensland. The workshop, associated short course and site visit, provided excellent opportunities to share with speakers and delegates, unbiased expertise and advocacy with respect to the causes, management and amelioration of the impacts of AMD and Acid Sulfate Soils.

The triennial 8th Australian Acid and Metalliferous Drainage (AMD) Workshop is presented by SMI Knowledge Transfer (SMI KT), a unit within JKTech with cooperation from the Department of Manufacturing, Innovation, Trade, Resources and Energy (DMITRE), Government of South Australia. The workshop and associated short course and site visits will provide excellent opportunities to share with speakers and delegates, unbiased expertise and advocacy with respect to the causes, management and amelioration of the impacts of AMD and Acid Sulphate Soils.

Acid and Metalliferous Drainage (AMD) or ‘Acid Rock Drainage’ (ARD) continues to be the single most important long–term environmental issue for the world-wide mining industry. In spite of considerable amounts of expenditure to remediate sites affected by AMD, progress in waste characterisation, acid drainage treatment and effective long–term management, it is apparent that AMD still presents many challenges for mining companies and opportunities for new research.

Acid and Metalliferous Drainage (AMD) is, and has been, a very signifi cant issue, and therefore represents both a long-term risk and cost, for many sectors of the global mining industry. Acid and Metalliferous Drainage, sometimes referred to as ‘acid mine drainage’ (AMD) or ‘acid rock drainage’ (ARD), frequently occurs in the mining of base metals, coal, and uranium, and may also become a signifi cant issue for the quarrying industry and the land development industry, where acid sulphate soils are exposed to oxygen and water.