ecology
february 2015
BY Morgan bibee
The Artistic Alchemist
8
In medieval times, alchemists failed
in their attempts to transform base metals into gold.
In modern-day Ohio, however, “alchemists” have taken on a different role to help purify polluted waterways.
Over 3.6 billion tons of coal have been extracted from mines in the state of Ohio since 1800. Even today, Ohio streams are being polluted by runoff, largely due to rainfall, from abandoned mines. The acidic water then pulls heavier metals – such as iron – out of the surrounding rock, and the water turns an orange-colored sheen once this iron oxidizes. This impure water becomes lethal to plants and animals within its proximity.