Exploring acid mine drainage treatment through adsorption: a bibliometric analysis

Discharge of acidic wastewater from mining activities (acid mine drainage (AMD)) is a major global environmental and public health issue. Although several approaches, including chemical precipitation and membrane technology, have been developed to treat AMD, adsorption has emerged as the most promising technology due to its cost-effectiveness and efficacy. Despite the wide adoption of adsorption in treating AMD, the evolution of research in this area remains poorly understood. To address this gap, a bibliometric analysis of the most recent literature involving the application of adsorption in AMD remediation was conducted by merging datasets of articles from Scopus (1127) and the Web of Science Core Collection (1422), over the past decade (2013-2022). This analysis revealed a yearly increase of 11% in research publications, primarily contributed by China, the United States, and South Africa. Keyword analysis revealed that natural schwertmannites and their transformations, activated carbon, zeolites, and clay minerals, are the most extensively employed adsorbents for the removal of common metals (arsenic, chromium, iron, manganese, among others). The findings underscore the need for future focuses on recovering rare earth elements, using nanoparticles and modified materials, pursuing low-cost, sustainable solutions, integrating hybrid technologies, pilot-scale studies, exploring circular economic applications of AMD sludges, and inter-continental collaborations. These insights hold significant future implications, serving as a valuable reference to stakeholders in the mining industry.