Comparing Waters Receiving Acid Mine Drainage,
Acid Rain and Peat Drainage

Acid mine drainage Acid deposition Peat drainage
Acid source oxidation of pyrite atmospheric sulfurous
and nitrous oxides
polyuronic acids in cell walls of mosses
Forms of acid H2SO4 H2SO4 and HNO3

COOH groups from polysaccharides

pH range 1.5 - 3.0 4.0 - 5.7 3.2 - 6.0

Acidity (ppm)

110 - 64,000 2.0 - 4.2 0.5 - 0.8
Conductivity (µmhos) 600 - 30,000 <50 <100

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