Acid Rock Drainage, Geochemical and microbial dynamics

Oxidation of sulfidic rock generates acidic metal containing leachate. leached acid rock drainage is detrimental to impacted ecosystems and infrastructure. Research on acid mine drainage primarily focuses on sediments, mine tailings, and leachate streams while the parent rock, which is also a major source of liberated metals and acidity generation, is neglected. Boreal sulfidic waste rock is even less studied. Within this environment, we find that the microbial community is dominated by bacteria rather than archaea like has been found in warmer environments.