Help Instruction File:

Hydrogen Peroxide 

Module Overview

Provided by the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), the Pennsylvania Department 

of Protection (PADEP), the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) and the West Virginia Department of Environmental 

Protection (WVDEP).
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Hydrogen Peroxide Module Overview

Table of Contents

1.0 OBJECTIVE 4

2.0 OVERVIEW AND APPLICATION 4

2.1 Physical and Chemical Properties 4

2.2 Benefits/Drawbacks, Equipment and Typical Treatment Configurations 6

2.21 Benefits 6

2.22 Drawbacks 6

2.23 Equipment and Typical Treatment Configurations 7

2.3 Application and Financial Analysis 8

3.0 HYDROGEN PEROXIDE MODULE OVERVIEW 9

3.1 Layout and Workflow 9

3.2 Module Inputs 9

3.2.1 Water Quality and Flow Input 9

3.2.2 Hydrogen Peroxide Information 10

3.2.3 Chemical Consumption 10

3.2.3.1 Stoichiometric 10

3.2.4 Equipment and System Installation 12

3.2.4.1 Storage Tank Size, Type, and Secondary Containment 12

3.2.4.2 Dosing System 13

3.2.4.3 Storage Building 13

3.2.4.4 Exterior Concrete Pad for POLY Tank 13

3.2.4.5 Clean Water Tank 13

3.2.4.6 Eye Wash Station & Safety Shower Cost 13

3.2.4.7 Electric Heating System (Building) 14

3.2.5 Other Capital Items 14

3.2.6 Other Annual Items 14

3.3 Module Outputs 14

3.3.1 Sizing Summary 14

3.3.2 Capital Cost 14

3.3.3 Annual Cost 14

3.3.4 Net Present Value 14

3.3.4.1 Financial Variables 15

3.3.4.2 Cost Categories 15

3.3.4.3 Rationale for Recapitalization Recommendations 17

3.4 Assumptions of Design Sizing and Costs 18
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4.0 REFERENCES 18

5.0 FIGURES 20

Figure 1. Eh – pH diagram illustrating the contrasting approaches of pH adjustment treatment strategy 

(lime or other alkali chemical addition) vs. an Eh adjustment treatment approach (peroxide or another 

oxidizing chemical). The blue areas of the diagram indicate stability fields where the dominate form of 

iron is dissolved. The tan areas of the diagram indicate Eh and pH conditions where iron is precipitated 

from solution. 20

Figure 2: Solubility of transition metal hydroxides. 21

Figure 3. Stainless Steel Storage Tank for Hydrogen Peroxide with steel secondary containment. Note the 

ventilation fan in the upper portion of the photo. In the event of a leak ventilation fans will greatly assist 

in removing peroxide vapors from the building atmosphere. 22

Figure 4. Photo of the construction of a concrete block storage building with stainless steel tank located in 

the building. 23

Figure 5. Photo of a Storage Building that would house the hydrogen peroxide tank, dosing skid, eye 

wash station & safety shower. 24

Figure 6. Double-walled POLY Tank and associated two-pump Dosing Skid. Storage Tank is placed on 

exterior concrete pad within concrete block structure. 25

Figure 7. Photo of POLY double-walled hydrogen peroxide tank with level indicator in red circle. 26

Figure 8. Picture of stainless-steel and polyethylene tubing associated with Dosing Skid. Note pumps and 

piping are mounted inside the secondary containment structure. 27

Figure 9. Photo illustrating the stainless-steel tubing used for hydrogen peroxide. Note the system has 

automated leak detection and the lower portion of the cabinet has a spill containment compartment. 28

Figure 10. Photo of a two-pump hydrogen peroxide dosing skid and associated polyethylene tubing. Note 

theses peristaltic pumps have automated leak detection systems that will stop the pump in the event of a 

tubing failure. 29

Figure 11. Photo of a two-pump hydrogen peroxide dosing skid and associated stainless-steel tubing. 

Note the presence of organic matter (leaves) in the vicinity of the diaphragm pumps. This is a situation 

should be avoided and immediate correct action is needed as a leak of peroxide will result in combustion 

of any exposed organic material. 30

Figure 12. Photo of the hydrogen peroxide dispensing (red arrow) into the mine drainage water. 90 

gallons per day of 50% peroxide is being utilized to treat this 4500 gallon per minute abandoned 

underground mine discharge. 31

Figure 13. Photo of an Eye Wash Station and Safety Shower within a Storage Building. 32
3 
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1.0 Objective

The objectives of this overview are to: (1) Provide an understanding of the application of Hydrogen 

Peroxide in mine drainage treatment and (2) Provide an overview of the Hydrogen Peroxide Module to 

guide users in developing an estimate of the cost to construct, operate, and maintain Hydrogen Peroxide

treatment systems. The module can also be applied to reverse cost model existing system to establish and 

evaluate future financial and investment decisions. The information is presented in two sections, 

Overview and Application and Hydrogen Peroxide Module Overview. 

2.0 Overview and Application

A basic understanding of the chemical and physical properties, the application, and equipment 

requirements of a Hydrogen Peroxide treatment system area required to develop a treatment strategy using 

the AMDTreat software. These topics are discussed below before discussing the Hydrogen Peroxide

module interface and functionality to provide the necessary context. The Overview and Application 

section is organized into three parts: (1) Physical and Chemical Properties and (2) Benefits/Drawbacks, 

Equipment and Typical Treatment Configurations, and (3) Application and Financial Analysis. 

2.1 Physical and Chemical Properties

Commercial strength concentrations (> 3 % solution strength) of Hydrogen Peroxide are classified as a

hazardous substance (oxidizer, corrosive, and irritant) by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health 

Administration). Some of the hazards consist of (1) strong oxidizer, (2) cause fires or explosions, (3) 

cause severe skin burns, (4) serious eye damage/eye irritation, and (5) respiratory irritation/acute oral 

toxicity. Hydrogen peroxide is a danger in both liquid and vapor form. It should be noted that even when

utilizing 50% peroxide in areas where summertime temperatures routinely exceed 90°F that storage 

facilities may be required to have external cooling systems to prevent catastrophic rapid decomposition of 

the chemical. A decomposition reaction of hydrogen peroxide is a highly exothermic and self-sustaining 

reaction that can result in devastating damage. Rapid decomposition of peroxide in storage tanks can 

result from incompatible materials and chemicals inadvertently introduced to storage facilities as well. 

Iron, copper and other transition metals, organic materials and incompatible chemicals such as sodium 

hydroxide (NaOH) and other alkali reagents must never come in contact with stored quantities of 

hydrogen peroxide. In Pennsylvania, seven hydrogen peroxide systems were constructed without external 

cooling systems; however, external cooling systems should be considered and consultation should be 

done with appropriate contractor to ensure appropriate safety protocols are in place. Please watch the 

peroxide safety training video listed in the references section below. Therefore, precautions must be 

considered and taken when utilizing hydrogen peroxide for mine drainage treatment. 

Hydrogen Peroxide has a chemical formula of H2O2 and is manufactured via an auto oxidation process. 

The main steps of the process consist of: (A) hydrogenation of an anthraquinone [C14H8O2], (B) oxidation 

of the resulting anthraquinol, (C) extraction of hydrogen peroxide solution, then (D) purification and 

concentration of hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen Peroxide exists as a water-based solution and solution 

strengths are commonly specified as % by weight (mass of H2O2/mass solution). Attention to both 

solution strength and specification (by wt., by vol., by wt./vol) is necessary when purchasing and

conducting price comparisons. 
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Hydrogen Peroxide is commercially produced and distributed in solution strengths ranging from 27% to 

70% solution. Railroad tanker cars transport Hydrogen Peroxide as a 50% to 70+% solution and 

distributers dilute the solution to customer specifications. Therefore, for a number of reasons, a 50% 

solution is almost always the most cost effective due to the high percentage of active ingredient and the 

lack of a dilution step.

This help file and AMDTreat peroxide module does not comprehensively address the overall site 

safety precautions that must be considered when designing, operating or maintaining a hydrogen 

peroxide treatment system. System designers and operators must consult with qualified and 

knowledgeable chemical and equipment providers in order to adequately address site and 

personnel safety concerns. 

The common solution strengths used in mine drainage treatment are 35% and 50% (w/w). In general, 

there is not a concern for hydrogen peroxide regarding their freezing or boiling points; for example, the 

50% solution has a freezing point of -52°C (-62°F) (Table 1). The module has an option to include a 

heating system; however, the purpose of this system is to prevent the water for the eye wash and safety 

shower from freezing, although a heated building would also help stabilize the viscosity of the peroxide 

solution as well. Table 1 provides characteristics of the common solution strengths. 

Solution Strength 

(wt/wt)

Solution Density 

(lbs/gal)

lbs H2O2/gal 

solution

Freezing Point 

35% 9.45 3.31 -34°C (-29°F)

50% 9.98 4.99 -52°C (-62°F)

Table 1: Specifications for common Hydrogen Peroxide Solution Strengths.

Ferrous Iron is the primary multi-valent contaminate in flooded underground coal mines in the eastern 

U.S., although a few underground mines require Manganese treatment. Historically, operators have used 

lime addition to adjust pH to increase to precipitate Fe(OH)2 to achieve effluent standards (Figure 1). 

However, if mine drainage is net alkaline hydrogen peroxide can be used to oxidize ferrous iron and will 

drastically reduce chemical and operational costs, especially in instances of highly carbonated mine 

drainage. A plant in Pennsylvania reduced annual operational costs by $250,000 after switching to 

Peroxide. The cost savings stemmed from a decrease in annual chemical cost (H2O2 vs. Ca(OH)2), sludge 

disposal (Peroxide creates only Fe(OH)3 sludge, Hydrated Lime creates Fe(OH)3, CaCO3, plus other 

nuisance precipitates), and electrical costs (turning off 60 HP blowers used to pneumatically mix 

Hydrated Lime w/ mine water). It needs to be noted that Hydrogen Peroxide with not oxidize Manganese 

and its use should be restricted to net alkaline water where Ferrous Iron is the sole contaminate. 

As indicated in Figure 1, a treatment strategy that utilizes peroxide (or another oxidizer) will increase the 

Eh and cause the oxidation of ferrous iron and the precipitation of Fe(OH)3. Utilizing a treatment strategy 

focused on increasing Eh, instead of pH, avoids costly nuisance reactions such as calcite formation and 

the deprotonation of H2CO3 and reduces sludge production (see Decarbonation Help Files for additional 

information). In addition, the capital and operational/maintenance costs are much less for Hydrogen 

Peroxide than alki chemicals, such as, Hydrated Lime. 

Rapid oxidation caused by Peroxide will result in a very small and highly charged Fe(OH)3 floc that can 

be more difficult to settle compared to using alkali chemicals. Field trials should be conducted to identify 
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and address any sedimentation issues. Seven treatment plants in Pennsylvania, ranging from 1,000 to 

7,000 gpm, were converted from Hydrated Lime to Hydrogen Peroxide and all but one experienced 

settling issues. Most of the issues were due to a lack of produced solids after peroxide conversion but 

some of the issues were probably due to the surface charge on the Fe(OH)3 floc from lack of pH 

adjustment. Five plants use clarifiers and the other two use ponds for sedimentation. After coverting to 

Peroxide most plants required both increased polymer dose and sludge recirculation rates to achieve 

clarity similar to Hydrated Lime treatment. Settling tests of the Fe(OH)3 floc from peroxide treatment 

dosed with between 0.5 and 1.0 ppm of anionic polymer achieved settling rates that ranged from 2 to 8

gpm/ft2

. Optimized peroxide treatment using anionic polymer and sludge recirculation to increase 

produced solids concentration (~ 2,000 mg/L) achieved effluent iron concentrations of less than 0.2 mg/L 

in a clarifier designed at a settling rate of 0.5 gpm/ ft2

.

2.2 Benefits/Drawbacks, Equipment and Typical Treatment 

Configurations

This section summarizes some of the benefits, drawbacks, equipment, and treatment configurations of 

hydrogen peroxide with mine drainage treatment sites. 

2.21 Benefits

The major reason why Hydrogen Peroxide is popular is because of its cost savings, both chemical cost 

and sludge produced. The benefits of using Hydrogen Peroxide as a mine drainage treatment oxidant

include: 

1. 100% soluble and quick reacting (< 20 sec); 

2. Quick reacting and solubility allow for precise dosage and small reaction tanks;

3. Can be effectively mixed using passive mixing, like turbulent flow; 

4. Specifically targets ferrous iron and avoids costly nuisance reactions like calcite ppt.;

5. Low sludge production since it primarily targets ferrous iron in eastern coal mine drainage;

6. Lower Capital and Maintenance costs than Lime Products;

7. Dosing can be performed manually without electricity or using metering pump;

8. Extremely low maintenance with the peroxide pump being the only mechanical part;

9. Relatively small equipment footprint, approximately 600 ft2 storage building.

10. Relatively stable chemical allows for long-term storage in instances of ephemeral or periodic 

treatment;

2.22 Drawbacks

The drawbacks of using Hydrogen Peroxide as a mine drainage treatment chemical include: 

1. Safety concerns with handling; Site safety, security and operator safety are key issues that must 

be considered.

2. Produces a low-density sludge that may be difficult to settle; therefore, requiring the addition of 

polymer and solids recirculation if using clarifiers. Pond clarification may require a polishing 

wetland to remove fine particulates of Fe(OH)3. 

3. Relatively high initial capital cost compared to sodium hydroxide or premanufactured lime slurry 

systems. 

4. Not effective for the treatment of Manganese.
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2.23 Equipment and Typical Treatment Configurations

The Hydrogen Peroxide treatment systems are automated (electrical) systems with safety as the most 

notable factor when considering peroxide at a site. The ideal configuration for hydrogen peroxide consists

of the following: (1) storage building, (2) storage tank with secondary containment, (3) dosing skid/pump, 

(4) feeder line(s), (5) clean water & eye washing station (6) and electric heating system. This setup will 

allow for the safe storage and handling of the hydrogen peroxide. 

Storage Tanks, Secondary Containment, and Storage Building

It is recommended that hydrogen peroxide tank(s) be placed within a storage building with secondary 

containment. In general, the module envisions the user selecting either a stainless-steel tank that includes

a stainless-steel secondary containment (Figure 3) which would be housed in a storage building OR the 

user selecting the POLY tank, not including a storage building, but including the concrete secondary 

containment and exterior concrete pad. However, the module does allow the user to select a storage 

building with the POLY Tank with an option to add a cost for secondary containment. The system layout 

and tank material is largely controlled by site conditions and/or available capital. 

Therefore, the module is setup for user to select between two storage tanks, a stainless-steel tank or 

POLY tank. Totes are not included as an option in the module, due to safety concerns and not being cost 

effective. The 5,600-gal stainless steel tank (Figure 3) and 4,500-gal POLY tank are used to take 

advantage of bulk deliveries and chemical pricing. Based on road weight restrictions, bulk deliveries of 

hydrogen peroxide are approximately 4,000 to 4,200 gallons, depending on the solution strength density. 

The storage tank sizes would permit bulk deliveries while providing reserve capacity. The POLY tank is

comprised of double-walled plastic, such as, polypropylene or polyethylene (Figure 6 & 7). The pricing 

for both the stainless-steel and POLY double-walled tanks are based on previously installed tanks at 

seven sites in Pennsylvania. The default cost of $70,000 for the stainless-steel tank includes the delivery, 

installation, and steel secondary containment of a 5,600-gallon tank. The default cost of $18,500 of a 

POLY tank just includes the tank and delivery and does NOT include secondary containment. The user 

would have to include that option if considering a POLY tank. 

The stainless-steel tank is oriented horizontally and the POLY tank is positioned vertically. A drainage 

valve should be located at the bottom to permit the tank to be fully emptied for inspection and cleaning. 

All tanks need level indicators for supply management (Figure 7 & 12). It is important to note that tanks, 

feeder lines, and fittings cannot be made from aluminum, copper, zinc, galvanized steel, lead, brass, or 

bronze. Feeder line, valves, and fittings having to be constructed of stainless-steel or polypropylene

(Figure 8, 9, & 10). In addition, all valves must be vented as a safety precaution. In addition, all new 

stainless tanks and appurtenances must be passivated with a nitric acid solution prior to the initial fill in 

order to remove manufacturing residues such as oil films and other residual materials, which if present 

could cause a serious adverse reaction with the peroxide (see section 2.1 above). The Passivation process 

also creates an oxidation barrier on the surface of the stainless steel as an added protection against 

corrosion and etching of the stainless steel by the peroxide solution. Poly tanks must also be fully cleaned 

prior to the initial fill with peroxide for the same reason. Provisions for this to occur must be included in 

all systems designs. Contract specifications requiring equipment suppliers to both certify tank

preparations and be present on site during initial tank fill-up will help ensure a safe start-up of the 

equipment. 

The Storage Building option can be for either the stainless-steel tank or POLY tank. The Storage Building 

is a simple concrete block and metal building with concrete foundation and floor that will house the 
8

hydrogen peroxide tank (Figure 4 & 5). The building will not contain insulation, lighting, heating, or any 

other service unless costs are included for these items. The default will be to include a storage building in 

the AMDTreat program. The user can decide to uncheck the storage building option if it’s not in the 

design. The storage building size default (600 ft2

) is based on previous experience. The building size is: 

30-ft length, 20-ft width, 14-ft wall height. The storage building would have a garage roll-up door for 

access and a standard side-door for entry. It is assumed that if a user selects the stainless-steel tank, they 

will also construct a storage building; therefore, the exterior concrete pad option is only for the POLY 

tank. 

Hydrogen Peroxide is corrosive and can etch the tanks at the fill level, if the maintained for an extended 

period. A drainage valve should be located at the bottom to permit the tank to be fully emptied for 

inspection and cleaning. 

Dosing Skid

The Dosing Skid that is assumed in the Hydrogen Peroxide module consists of a two-pump system 

(Figure 8 & 9). Two pumps are considered for redundancy purposes, allowing personnel to address and 

operation and maintenance issues that may arise. The tubing, fittings, gaskets, and lines all need to be 

appropriate material (i.e. stainless steel) to prevent the corrosion and potential leaks or spills of the 

hydrogen peroxide. The solution is pumped from the hydrogen peroxide tank, through the pumps, and out 

to the treatment area (i.e. mixing/reaction tank). Figure 12 is a photo of the stainless-steel line and 

peroxide solution being added to the mine drainage in a mixing tank. In addition, vents may be required 

in the pump to ensure proper venting in the pump.

Clean Water Tank, Eye Wash Station & Safety Shower, Building Heating System

Based on safety concerns when dealing with hydrogen peroxide, it is strongly recommended that users 

include the safety items available in this module. If public water supply is not available at the site, the 

cost for installing a clean water tank can be included. It is assumed that the tank will consist of a 500-

gallon plastic tank and includes the excavation, ditching, plumbing, and electric hook-up for the clean 

water tank. An eye-wash station and safety shower are assumed to be installed in the storage building 

(Figure 13) in order to provide an immediate source of water in case of an emergency spill and/or 

exposure to personnel onsite. The building heating system would be to ensure that the water supply and 

piping for the eye wash station and shower do not freeze during the colder winter months. 

2.3 Application and Financial Analysis

Hydrogen Peroxide is typically used to oxidize ferrous iron in net alkaline mine drainage. The hydrogen 

peroxide is used to quickly oxidize the ferrous iron (Fe2+) to ferric iron (Fe3+) in the alkaline mine 

drainage in order for Fe3+ to undergo hydrolysis to form the solid precipitate Fe(OH)3. While many 

people have historically used lime products and a mixing/aeration tank to achieve oxidation and formation 

of Fe(OH)3, hydrogen peroxide can be used in lieu of or in combination with the lime. Hydrogen Peroxide

is typically selected as the oxidation reagent for a site based on:

1. Convenience of use (requires little mixing, fast reacting, etc);

2. Cost effectiveness versus aeration/mixing & lime products.
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3.0 Hydrogen Peroxide Module Overview

3.1 Layout and Workflow

In general, inputs are on the left-hand side of the module and calculated outputs are on the right. The 

module inputs on the left-hand side are arranged into six sections: (1) Water Quality and Flow Input, (2) 

Hydrogen Peroxide Information, (3) Equipment and System Installation, (4) Annual Cost Input, (5) Other 

Capital Items, and (6) Other Annual Items. The workflow for the module is for users to start at the top 

left-hand side. Enter the Typical Flow and Ferrous Iron and AMDTreat calculates the annual ferrous iron

loading. Then select the Hydrogen Peroxide Solution strength, along with the purity and mixing efficiency

and select the method to estimate the hydrogen peroxide consumption (Stoichiometric or Titration). 

AMDTreat uses this information along with the ferrous iron load to estimate the annual H2O2

consumption. Next, users use the Equipment and System Installation heading to select and size treatment 

equipment. The stainless-steel tank or POLY tank options, along with dosing skid, storage and handling, 

and safety items can all be specified. The Annual Input section allows the user to specify chemical unit 

cost, operational periods, and additional items that would be considered annual costs to ensure chemical 

consumption and electrical costs are correctly modeled. Finally, users can specify additional capital and 

annual costs not considered by the module under the Other Capital Items and Other Annual Items

headings. 

Module output is provided on the right-hand side of the module. Module outputs on the right-hand side 

are arranged into four sections: (1) Sizing Summary, (2) Capital Cost, (3) Annual Cost, and (4) Net 

Present Value. The Sizing Summary section provides estimates of solution pricing, dose rate, chemical 

consumption, and storage tank refill frequency for the system. The estimated cost to construct and operate 

the Hydrogen Peroxide treatment system is provided under the Capital Cost and Annual Cost headings. 

Lastly, users can opt to conduct a Net Present Value (NPV) to obtain the total cost to operate and 

maintain a treatment system for a defined time period. 

A general overview of the module input and output sections is presented below, however, users are 

directed to the numerous tool tips located in the module that provide additional detailed information, such 

as definitions of terminology. In most cases, the tool tips are accessed by clicking on the information icon 

( ) in each of the subheadings in the module. 

3.2 Module Inputs

3.2.1 Water Quality and Flow Input: The Water Quality and Flow Input section is where users 

specify the Typical Flow and Ferrous Iron values. These values are used to (1) estimate the annual 

chemical consumption and (2) estimate the size of various equipment, such as, chemical storage 

tanks. 

The definitions for Typical Flow and Ferrous Iron can be found in the tool tip for this section. Click 

on the information icon ( ) on the right side of the Water Quality and Flow subheading. In short, 

Typical Flow is the flow rate “typically” experienced at the site. This flow rate is used to calculate the 

annual chemical consumption so one must take careful consideration to calculate this value. 
10

Ferrous Iron: represents the amount of the dissolved ferrous iron (Fe2+) in water. The user needs to 

make sure that the total Fe is not used as the input parameter. For instance, the water sample would 

have been field filtered, properly preserved, and analyzed by the laboratory. 

3.2.2 Hydrogen Peroxide Information: Users can select from the two common Hydrogen Peroxide

Solution strengths used to treat mine drainage, 35% or 50% by weight. The handling and storage, 

consumption, pricing, refill frequency, etc. will determined which wt% solution the user may select. 

Since hydrogen peroxide is highly reactive, it is assumed 100% of the dosed H2O2 reacts in the mine 

drainage; therefore, mixing efficiency is not a parameter that is considered in the Hydrogen Peroxide 

module. 

3.2.3 Chemical Consumption: The Chemical Consumption section offers users two methods to 

estimate the annual chemical consumption, Stoichiometric and Titration. The user does have the 

option to enter the dollar ($) amount for chemical in the Annual Output section of the module. Please 

note, the chemical consumption output takes into account the Peroxide System Operational 

Time input parameters. However, the Hydrogen Peroxide Dose (ml/min) output does not take 

into account the Operating Time (hr/day, days/yr) input parameters. The Hydrogen Peroxide 

Dose is an output parameter to assist the user on obtaining the chemical dosing rate (based on 

flow input and ferrous iron concentration) to oxidize the ferrous iron using either the 

stoichiometric method or the titration method. 

3.2.3.1 Stoichiometric – This method estimates the hydrogen peroxide dosage and the

hydrogen peroxide consumption by using the user-specified information under the Water 

Quality & Flow Input, Hydrogen Peroxide Information, and Operational Time headings. 

First, the stoichiometric method uses the values from Typical Flow and Ferrous Iron to 

calculate the loading in moles per minute of Fe2+ in equation (1):

Where: 

Fe2+ Loading = Fe2+ in moles/min

Flow = Typical Flow in gal/min

Fe2+ = Ferrous Iron in mg/L

The program then calculates the pounds of H2O2 in one gallon of peroxide solution based on 

the solution density and wt%, prior to calculating the hydrogen peroxide dosage required for 

the ferrous iron load. Whereby, 35% solution would have a density of 9.45 lbs/gal and 50% 

solution would have a density of 9.98 lbs/gal. Equation (2) is an example using the 35% 

hydrogen peroxide solution. 
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After the moles/min of Fe2+ and lbs/gal of H2O2 in the specified peroxide solution is 

determined, the program uses the stoichiometric relationship between Fe2+ and H2O2 to reexpress the load in terms of dosage or ml/min of H2O2. 

Where:

Dose = Dosage in ml/min of H2O2 required to oxidize the ferrous iron load. 

Finally, the program uses the user specified Operational Time to calculate the hydrogen 

peroxide consumption in gallons/day and gallons/year. 

Equations (4) and (5) are used in order to account for the user specified Operational Time to 

determine chemical consumption, hours per day and days per year.

HH2OO2gggggg = DDDDDDDD ∗ 60 �

mmmmmm

hrr � ∗ OO OO ÷ 1000 �

mmmm

LL � ÷ 3.785( LLgggg ) (4)

Where: 

H2O2gpd = H2O2 in gallons per day.

Dose = ml/min of H2O2

OpHrs = User Specified Operational Time (hrs/day) of Hydrogen Peroxide system

In order to calculate the gallons per year of hydrogen peroxide consumption, the gallons per 

day of hydrogen peroxide is multiplied by the user specified days per year the hydrogen 

peroxide system is operated, Equation (5).

HH2OO2gggggg = HH2OO2gggggg ∗ OO OO (5)

Where: 

H2O2gpy = H2O2 in gallons per year.

H2O2gpd = H2O2 in gallons per day.

OpDays = User Specified Operational Time (days/yr) of Hydrogen Peroxide system.

3.2.3.2 Titration - This method estimates the hydrogen peroxide dosage and the hydrogen 

peroxide consumption by using the user-specified information Typical Flow, Titration input 

(gal/gal), and Operational Time headings. First, the titration method uses the values from 

Typical Flow and Titration to calculate the dosage output parameter, equation (1). Please 

note, similar to the Stoichiometric method, the dosage (ml/min) output does not account for 

the Operational Time; however, the chemical consumption calculation does account for user 

specified Operational Time. 

DDDDDDDD = TTTTTT TTTT TT ∗ FFFF FF ∗ 60 �

mmmmmm

hrr � ∗ 24 �

hrrrr

dd aa

� ∗ 3785(

mmmm

gggg ) ÷ 1440(

mmmmmm

dd ) (6)
12

Where: 

Dose = Dosage in ml/min of H2O2 required to oxidize the ferrous iron load.

Titration = User specified titration amount (gallons) to oxidize ferrous iron in one gallon of mine 

water.

Flow = Typical Flow in gal/min

The daily and annual hydrogen peroxide consumption is calculated by accounting for the 

Operational Time, equation (7) and equation (8). 

HH2OO2gggggg = TTTTTT TTTT TT ∗ FFFF FF ∗ 60 �

mmmmmm

hrr � ∗ OO OO (7)

HH2OO2gggggg = HH2OO2gggggg ∗ OO OO (8)

Where: 

H2O2gpd = H2O2 in gallons per day.

Dose = ml/min of H2O2

OpHrs = User Specified Operational Time (hrs/day) of Hydrogen Peroxide system

OpDays = User Specified Operation Time (days/year) of Hydrogen Peroxide system

3.2.4 Equipment and System Installation: This section allows users to design and select a 

Hydrogen Peroxide treatment system setup. The majority of Hydrogen Peroxide treatment systems 

used in mine drainage treatment are fairly simplistic, so users are only faced with making two 

important choices, whether to use a stainless-steel tank with associated storage building or POLY 

tank with secondary concrete containment and exterior concrete pad. In addition, the user can decide 

to include the safety features (i.e. clean water, eye wash station, heating system). 

3.2.4.1 Storage Tank Size, Type, and Secondary Containment: The user is required to select either 

the stainless-steel tank, POLY tank, or the User-Specified Tank & Secondary Containment 

option. The secondary containment is included with the stainless-steel tank option. The user can 

select the checkbox under POLY Tank option to include a concrete secondary containment. If 

this is selected, AMDTreat estimates the volume of concrete used for the secondary containment

by first estimating volume needed for containment (4,500 gallons) with 10% added to the tank 

volume as a safety factor. The POLY tank dimensions, 9.6-ft diameter and 8.5-ft height, are the 

dimension of a previously installed tank at the Monview treatment facility in Pennsylvania

(Figure 2). The formula used to estimate the side length of the square secondary containment 

structure is Volume = Height * Length2

, where Height is 4-feet high, then the equation is

rearranged to solve for Length. Therefore, one of the concrete berm lengths of the secondary 

containment is calculated using the formula:
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Subsequently, and assuming a 4-inch (0.33ft) berm thickness the concrete volume is calculated;

then, multiplied by the unit cost to get the total cost (delivery and installation cost) of the concrete 

secondary containment: 

3.2.4.2 Dosing System: The users can choose to check the box to include the Dosing Skid. The 

default cost for the pump is $5,000 but can be adjusted appropriately. This Dosing Skid consists 

of a two-pump dispensing diaphragm system, valves, and 3/8-inch stainless-steel piping to 

dispense the chemical within 40-ft of the tank. Figure 4 is an example of two-pump system at the 

Lancashire treatment facility in Pennsylvania. The two pumps allow for a backup in case of pump 

maintenance, failure, replacement, mine drainage variable flow, or other issues that arise. 

3.2.4.3 Storage Building: The user can click the checkbox to include a storage building. The cost 

is either estimated using a price per square foot and the user-specified square footage of the 

building. An error message will be presented if the storage building square footage is not big 

enough for the specified storage tank. The other option is to enter a user-specified storage 

building cost. This cost will be included in the Capital Cost. Please note, the user should ensure 

the building design is sufficient for the size of storage tank. 

3.2.4.4 Exterior Concrete Pad for POLY Tank: The user can select to include an exterior concrete 

pad for the POLY Tank and estimate this cost by specifying the concrete unit cost ($/yds3

) and 

the square footage of the concrete pad. The unit cost should include the delivery and installation 

of the concrete pad. In addition, it is assumed that the concrete pad is 10 inches thick when 

estimating the volume of concrete. The user also has the option to enter an user specified total 

cost for the concrete pad. Please note, the user should ensure the concrete pad design is sufficient 

for the size of storage tank.

3.2.4.5 Clean Water Tank: By default, the Clean Water Tank will be included as part of the 

module. The user can select to not include a clean water tank. The main purpose for clean water is 

to provide a source of water for spill control, eye wash station, and safety shower. This option 

should be considered for locations that do not have public water supply available. The default 

cost of $5,000 is assumed to be for a 500-gallon plastic tank and includes the excavation, 

ditching, plumbing, and electric for a 500-gallon clean water tank.

3.2.4.6 Eye Wash Station & Safety Shower Cost: By default, the Eye Wash Station and Safety 

Shower will be included as part of the Hydrogen Peroxide module. The user can unselect the 

checkbox to not included this item. The default total cost ($1,700) for an eye wash station and 
14

safety shower includes the installation and unit cost. This is based on previously installed system 

at the Lancashire treatment facility (Figure 6). 

3.2.4.7 Electric Heating System (Building): By default, the heating system is included as part of 

the module. The user can select not to include the electric heating system for the storage building 

if appropriate. The heating system purpose is for the water supply (eye wash & safety shower) 

and not allowing it freeze during the colder months. The default cost for the heating system is 

$1,000 and is based on the previously installed heating systems. 

3.2.5 Other Capital Items: The Other Capital Items section allows users to capture the capital cost of 

equipment and other items that are not included in this module. For example, a small number of 

Hydrogen Peroxide treatment systems have electronic surveillance to notify authorities if unauthorized 

persons attempt to interfere with the equipment. Since this is uncommon it was not included the cost 

module, however, users who want to include this capability can input the cost into the Other Capital 

Items section to capture the capital cost. 

3.2.6 Other Annual Items: The Other Annual Items section allows users to capture the capital cost of 

equipment and other items that are not included in this module. For example, users could include the 

annual subscription cost to conduct electronic surveillance on the treatment system in the Other Annual 

Items section. 

3.3 Module Outputs

3.3.1 Sizing Summary: The Sizing Summary section displays important calculated module outputs, 

such as the estimated chemical consumption, storage tank refill frequency, and operational time of the 

Dosing Skid pumps. The storage tank refill frequency provides users with an estimate of how often the 

storage tank will be refilled based on the tank volume and estimated chemical consumption. 

3.3.2 Capital Cost: This section provides the estimated costs for the various user-specified components 

and the total estimated cost to construct the Hydrogen Peroxide system. Users can opt to estimate the 

installation cost by specifying it as a percentage (cost-multiplier) of the capital cost or by entering an 

user-specified cost. 

3.3.3 Annual Cost: The annual cost section provides an estimate of the annual cost to operate and 

maintenance the treatment system. Users can select to have AMDTreat estimate the annual chemical cost 

or specify an annual chemical cost. Specifying an annual chemical cost is often used when AMDTreat’s 

Net Present Value calculations are being used to estimate water treatment liability. The annual 

Maintenance for the treatment system can either be specified by the user or estimated by assuming it is a 

percentage of the capital cost. The latter method assumes the more expensive system are more costly to 

maintain. 

3.3.4 Net Present Value: The Net Present Value (NPV) section determines the cost to operate a 

treatment system component over a specified time period. The NPV calculates the present-day financial 

investment required to generate the income to pay for future operation and equipment/materials

replacement costs. Both Financial Variables and Cost Categories are required to calculate the NPV. 
15

3.3.4.1 Financial Variables - The Term of Analysis, Inflation Rate, and Rate of Return are 

three variables used in the NPV calculations. The default values for these terms are 

shown under the Net Present Value section of each module. Users must access the Net 

Present Value menu at the top of the main user interface to change the default values as 

they would apply to all modules used for an entire treatment system. While NPV is 

determined for each AMDTreat module activated by the user, the goal is to determine a 

total NPV for an entire mine drainage treatment system project (a collection of cost 

estimates for individual modules creates a treatment system project in AMDTreat). 

Therefore, a single value for Term of Analysis, Rate of Return, and Inflation Rate is 

applied to all modules and cannot vary between modules.

• Term of Analysis: The time period used by the NPV calculation to determine the 

financial investment required to pay for all future costs of the treatment system. 

• Inflation Rate: Represents the average price increase of goods and services over 

time. AMDTreat uses the inflation rate to calculate the future cost of the annual 

operation and maintenance (O&M) and recapitalization items. 

• Rate of Return: Describes the expected profit on an investment. 

3.3.4.2 Cost Categories - For each treatment module, AMDTreat provides a list of 

recommended equipment and materials that require recapitalization. In addition, 

AMDTreat provides recommendations (default values) for life cycle and replacement 

percentage. Users can click on the default values for Life Cycle or Replacement 

Percentage and use the +/- buttons to change the default values. In addition, users can 

select Custom Cost and enter a new cost to represent the current cost of the equipment. 

Users can add new recapitalization items or deactivate/delete existing items for 

calculating the NPV. 

An example of how the recapitalization variables are used to determine NPV is to 

consider the following hypothetical scenario. Assume a vertical turbine pump has a life

cycle of 50 years but requires the pump motor to be rebuilt every 20 years. Assume the 

present-day cost to purchase the motor is $500,000, and the cost to remove, rebuild, and 

reinstall the pump motor is $20,000. Now assume we want to determine the amount of 

investment required today (NPV) to generate the income to pay for the future cost of 

rebuilding the pump motor over a 50-year Term of Analysis, which is also equal to the 

life cycle of the pump. Assume an Inflation Rate of 5.0% and Rate of Return of 8.1%. 

The goal is to place the money in a relatively secure investment vehicle to generate 8.1% 

annually. The NPV will calculate the size of investment required to generate income for 

future costs. 

There are several ways to model the replacement cost. One way is to replace 4% of the 

present-day cost of the pump (4% of $500,000 = $20,000) with a life cycle of every 20

years. If the Term of Analysis is 50 years, then the entire pump would not require 

recapitalization since the life cycle of the pump is 50 years. However, the motor would 

require two replacements (50 years / 20 years = 2.5 rounded down to 2). 
16

To determine the NPV to recapitalize rebuilding of the motor, AMDTreat calculates the

future cost to rebuild the motor at each life cycle, 20 and 40 years. The program uses the 

Inflation Rate to inflate the present-day default cost to rebuild the motor in 20 and 40 

years from now. While the present-day cost to rebuild the pump motor is $20,000, the 

future cost to rebuild the motor in 20 years at a 5.0% Inflation Rate is $53,065 and 

$140,799 in 40 years (Equation 6). Assuming an 8.1% Rate of Return, the 50-year NPV

for the pump is $17,422. In other words, an initial investment of $17,422 is needed at an 

annual Rate of Return of 8.1% to generate the investment income required for the two 

motor rebuilds over the 50-year life cycle of the pump. 

• Annual Operation and Maintenance Cost: By default, AMDTreat transcribes the annual 

O&M cost from the Annual Cost section to the Net Present Value section. The program 

assumes the module is being used to first estimate the annual cost for a treatment system 

component, so it automatically transcribes the annual cost to the NPV section. If this is 

not the case or the user wants to use some other annual cost, the “Use Custom” box can 

be selected to allow the user input of a different annual cost to utilize in the NPV 

calculation. 

• Recapitalization Cost: Certain treatment system components, especially mechanical and 

water conveyance equipment, require periodic replacement. The recapitalization cost of 

an item is an estimate of the amount of money required to pay for future replacement 

costs for the item. In addition to the Financial Variables described above, three additional 

values are required to calculate the NPV of recapitalization costs, the Present-Day 

Equipment Cost, the Life Cycle, and the Replacement Percentage.

• Default Cost: This represents the current cost to purchase the equipment or material.

• Life Cycle: The time frame between equipment or material replacement is termed as its 

Life Cycle. Some equipment manufacturers provide recommended life cycles for their 

equipment to provide consumers with an estimate of how long the equipment is expected 

to be operational. Some life cycles, such as those used for treatment media (limestone), 

are based on best professional judgement. Some operators prefer to periodically purchase 

and replace equipment before failure to preserve the continuity of operations, while 

others wait until failure to replace an item.

• Replacement Percentage: The Replacement Percentage is an adjustment factor to the 

Default Cost to accommodate situations where the entire piece of equipment or all of the 

material does not require recapitalization. For example, a passive treatment component 

may be designed to contain enough limestone to neutralize the acidity load for 20 years, 

however, the accumulation of metal hydroxide precipitates within the void space of the 

limestone layer may require that 25% of the limestone be replaced every 7 years to 
17

prevent hydraulic failure such as plugging or short-circuiting. For this scenario, the 

initial cost of the limestone making up the limestone layer is discounted by 75% and 

assigned a life cycle of 7 years to determine the amount of money required to cover the 

cost of replacing 25% of the limestone layer every 7 years over the Term of Analysis. 

3.3.4.3 Rationale for Recapitalization Recommendations:

Recapitalization recommendations are based on professional experience of the 

AMDTreat Team and may not apply to all situations. Users are encouraged to customize 

the recapitalization assumptions to their treatment scenario. AMDTeat Team members 

are located in Pennsylvania and West Virginia and have collective experience in design, 

funding, and/or operation/maintenance for over 100 passive treatment systems. The 

AMDTreat Team held discussions on personal experience to develop a list of 

recapitalization recommendations. Users may have different experience and opinions

than those listed. 

By default, AMDTreat includes a list of nine recapitalization items. However, based on 

the items the user selects to include in the module will determine which ones are included 

in the NPV section. Users can delete or modify any of the default Recapitalization items 

by either deselecting the item or by setting the Replacement % to zero. If the item is 

deselected the Total Cost for the item will still be shown but the cost will be subtracted 

from the Net Present Value Cost, shown in the Net Present Value Heading. For example, 

the default value for the lifecycle of a POLY storage tank is 12 years due to degradation 

from ultraviolet light. However, users may opt to increase the Lifecyle if the poly tank 

will be housed in a building. Users are free to fully customize the replacement items, 

including adding new items or deleting default items. 

Storage Tank: The Life Cycle of the Stainless-Steel Tank is assumed to be 50 years but

could last much longer. The AMDTreat team decided on a 50-year life cycle mostly 

because of the unpredictability of events like vandalism and freak accidents that have a 

chance to occur over such a long-time frame. Without budgeting for the possibility of 

these situations, fixed financial instruments used to fund treatment could become 

underfunded and affect treatment longevity. On the other hand, one could assume the 

tank will require some repair from some type of damage in the future and assume any 

holes or compromised areas could be cut, removed, and rewelded with a new sheet of 

stainless steel. It should be noted a fenced stainless-steel Hydrogen Peroxide tank was 

installed in the early 1970s and is still in operation today with minimal repairs. 

The POLY tank default Life Cycle is 12 years. This value was determined after 

discussing tank longevity with chemical distribution companies and tank manufactures.

This shorter Life Cycle is due to the material and the fact that these POLY tanks are 

likely be placed outside and open to the atmosphere, and not in a storage building. 

Ultraviolet light will degrade poly tanks. The user can adjust the Life Cycle of either tank 

if determined and site conditions deem appropriate. 

Dosing Skid (Pump): Since their use in our industry is still infrequent and relatively 

recent, the AMDTreat team cannot offer their experience to suggest a Life Cycle. 

However, after conducting some research, we are recommending a Life Cycle of 5 years 
18

before the equipment requires replacement. The hydrogen peroxide will tend to corrode

or wear-out the parts within the pump and may need replaced on frequent basis. 

Storage Building: The Storage Building default Life Cycle is 50 years at 100% 

replacement. Since the simple structure would consist of concrete foundation, concrete 

walls, and metal siding and roof there is potential that the structure could last longer than 

50 years. 

Exterior Concrete Pad: The exterior concrete pad default Life Cycle is 50 years with 

100% Replacement. If the concrete pad begins to crack and/or subside a new pad would 

need to be poured in order to ensure the hydrogen peroxide tank is safe and no issues 

with being level. The exterior concrete pad would very likely be an item at a site with a 

POLY Tank. 

Concrete Secondary Containment: The default Life Cycle is 50 years for the concrete 

secondary containment at 100% replacement. However, the user should probably 

consider if this concrete structure is outside in the elements or maybe (but unlikely) in a 

storage building. This may have an impact on the Life Cycle of the concrete structure. 

Clean Water Tank: The default Life Cycle is 50 years for the Clean Water Tank at 

100% replacement. The user should consider adjusting these defaults depending on tank 

type (i.e. poly) and whether the tank is placed subsurface or above ground. 

Eye Wash Station and Safety Shower: The default Life Cycle is 50 years for the Eye 

Wash Station at 100% replacement. The user should consider adjusting these defaults 

depending if it’s a portable system or part of the safety shower. 

Building Heating System: The default Life Cycle is 15 years for the building heating 

system at 100% replacement.

3.4 Assumptions of Design Sizing and Costs

AMDTreat is a cost estimation model that uses assumptions to provide treatment sizing and both capital 

and annual cost estimates. While there are many assumptions in the program, the assumptions that follow 

are important for the Hydrogen Peroxide module. 

1. The Stoichiometric method used to estimate the annual chemical consumption relies on a 

properly determined value for Typical Flow and Ferrous Iron (Fe2+) (dissolved iron). 

Many people would field filter and preserve the iron sample prior to sending water 

sample for the laboratory analysis. User would not want to use a total iron laboratory 

result in this module to determine chemical consumption. In addition, this module 

assumes the mine water is void of Peroxide consuming species other than Ferrous Iron, 

such as, organic matter or other oxidizable species. 

4.0 References
19

Evonik Corp. Hydrogen Peroxide Safety Training Video https://youtu.be/RlafB5adtlQ.

Means, B.P., Beam, R.L., “Optimization of a High-Density Sludge Mine Drainage Treatment Facility” 

Paper published and presented at the 2014 International Water Conference, San Antonio, TX., November 

17, 2014

Means, B.P., Beam, R.L. “Operational Studies of Hydrogen Peroxide versus Hydrated Lime and Hydrogen 

Peroxide versus Sodium Hydroxide at Selected Pennsylvania Mine Drainage Treatment Sites” presented at 

the NAAMLP Conference, Glade Springs WV, September 2013.

Means, B.P., Beam, R.L., Charlton, D. “Treatment Plant Optimization and Cost Reduction Strategies at 

Selected Bankruptcy Mine Sites in Pennsylvania” Presented at the 37th annual West Virginia Mine Drainage 

Task Force Symposium, March 29-30, 2016, Morgantown WV 

C.A. Cole, Molinski A.E., Reig, 1977, “Peroxide Oxidation of Iron in Coal Mine Drainage” WPCF Journal

July 1977 pp 1616 – 1620
20

5.0 Figures 

Figure 1. Eh – pH diagram illustrating the contrasting approaches of pH 

adjustment treatment strategy (lime or other alkali chemical addition) vs. 

an Eh adjustment treatment approach (peroxide or another oxidizing 

chemical). The blue areas of the diagram indicate stability fields where 

the dominate form of iron is dissolved. The tan areas of the diagram 

indicate Eh and pH conditions where iron is precipitated from solution. 
21

Figure 2: Solubility of transition metal hydroxides.
22

Figure 3. Stainless Steel Storage Tank for Hydrogen Peroxide with steel 

secondary containment. Note the ventilation fan in the upper portion of 

the photo. In the event of a leak ventilation fans will greatly assist in 

removing peroxide vapors from the building atmosphere. 
23

Figure 4. Photo of the construction of a concrete block storage building 

with stainless steel tank located in the building. 
24

Figure 5. Photo of a Storage Building that would house the hydrogen 

peroxide tank, dosing skid, eye wash station & safety shower. 
25

Figure 6. Double-walled POLY Tank and associated two-pump Dosing 

Skid. Storage Tank is placed on exterior concrete pad within concrete 

block structure. 
26

Figure 7. Photo of POLY double-walled hydrogen peroxide tank with 

level indicator in red circle.
27

Figure 8. Picture of stainless-steel and polyethylene tubing associated 

with Dosing Skid. Note pumps and piping are mounted inside the 

secondary containment structure. 
28

Figure 9. Photo illustrating the stainless-steel tubing used for hydrogen 

peroxide. Note the system has automated leak detection and the lower 

portion of the cabinet has a spill containment compartment.
29

Figure 10. Photo of a two-pump hydrogen peroxide dosing skid and 

associated polyethylene tubing. Note theses peristaltic pumps have 

automated leak detection systems that will stop the pump in the event of 

a tubing failure.
30

Figure 11. Photo of a two-pump hydrogen peroxide dosing skid and 

associated stainless-steel tubing. Note the presence of organic matter 

(leaves) in the vicinity of the diaphragm pumps. This is a situation

should be avoided and immediate correct action is needed as a leak of 

peroxide will result in combustion of any exposed organic material.
31

Figure 12. Photo of the hydrogen peroxide dispensing (red arrow) into 

the mine drainage water. 90 gallons per day of 50% peroxide is being 

utilized to treat this 4500 gallon per minute abandoned underground 

mine discharge. 
32 

Figure 13. Photo of an Eye Wash Station and Safety Shower within a 

Storage Building.