 The acidic product of these specific lithotrophs has the potential to drain from the mining area via water run-off and enter the environment.Acid mine drainage drastically alters the acidity (pH values of 2 - 3) and chemistry of groundwater and streams, and may endanger plant and animal populations downstream of mining areas.Activities similar to acid mine drainage, but on a much lower scale, are also found in natural conditions such as the rocky beds of glaciers, in soil and talus, on stone monuments and buildings and in the deep subsurface.