Selective Removal of Toxic Heavy Metals for Metal Mine Remediation

Currently, the use of ion exchange resins for mine water remediation remains relatively understudied. While studies such as those presented above have implemented ion exchange processes for metal removal, they have either been used in conjunction with other removal techniques (Feng et al. 2000), or have focussed directly on the removal of a single element by resins with identical functionality (Monteagudo and Ortiz. 2000). There remains an opportunity for the comparative study of resins, each with different functionalities, for the purpose of selective removal of metals from mine drainage. With thorough screening of each resin and robust modelling of adsorption behaviour for select metal ions, it is hoped that work can be produced that will make significant contribution to the literature in the field, and ultimately feed into post-closure management plans for metal mines.