Abandoned mine drainage

[6] Abandoned mine drainage typically has high concentrations of metals and total dissolved solids.

[3] It may also have a high water temperature and an altered pH, though the characteristics of abandoned mine drainage depend heavily on the area's geochemistry.

In Pennsylvania's Coal Region, it has an iron concentration of less than 100 milligrams per liter (0.100 oz/cu ft) and a pH of close to 7.

[8] A 2017 United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) report documented "widespread destruction" from mining waste that is released into the environment as a result of dam failures.

[12] The natural gas industry has suggested using abandoned mine drainage water in hydraulic fracturing.

[14] Abandoned mine drainage solids have shown potential in capturing mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants.

[15] The iron oxide generated by treating abandoned mine drainage can be used as a glaze for pottery.