Acid Rock Drainage is a common environmental process that releases toxic metals, such as cadmium (Cd2+), and lots of acidity (i.e. H+) into streams and rivers. One strategy to remediate acid mine drainage is to fill the streams with carbonate rocks like limestone or calcite (e.g. CaCO3). This neutralizes the acid, AND it is also often possible to make the toxic metals precipitate out of solution if they will form their own carbonate mineral (such as CdCO3).
CaCO3 (s) <-> Ca2+ (aq) + CO3 2- (aq) Ksp =10^-8.4
CdCO3 (s) <-> Cd2+ (aq) + CO3 2- (aq) Ksp = 10^-12.2
Review the Ksp for calcite (CaCO3) above. Assuming there are no other sources of carbonate or metals other than the dissolution of this mineral, what is the solubility of calcite in g/L? Show your calculation (you will need to figure out moles/L that will dissolve into water to start, then determine g/L).