THE ENVIRONMENTAL-EFFECTS OF WASTE-WATER EMANATION FROM SULFUR MINING ON WATER-RESOURCES

Mishraq sulphur mine is situated in the northern part of Iraq about 40 km south of Mosul. The Frasch process is adopted to produce raw sulphur by injection of hot and compressed air. Hot water is channelled through the ground layers, causing the escape of mining hot - water carrying large quantities of sulphides, BOD, and suspended solids to ground water within the area as well as to Tigris river. Three types of waste water are produced from the purification processes. Waste water released from debitumenization unit after treatment of raw sulphur with sulphuric acid, waste water released from filtration units after treatment with tonsil and the leachate of solid waste produced from both processes. These waste waters are highly acidic containing large quantities of suspended and dissolved organic solids. The first two waste waters are discharged to a large pool prior to disposal to Tigris river. However, the seepage of leachate from the disposal site carries pollutants to the ground water.