Mine spoil potentials for water quality and controlled erosion
Analysis of exploratory test cores and rock chip samples has made available information necessary to the development of rational techniques for reclaiming coal mine spoil for useful purposes. By assigning an area a particular future use and analyzing the rock structure in advance of the surface mining, materials can be assembled and placed in the fill to allow the filled strip mine to revegetate and be developed into a useful area. Oxidation of pyrite materials, source of most acidity below 4.0 in mine spoils, can be controlled by: (1) using clay shales for fill; (2) controlling gain size in the fill; and (3) controlling accessibility to exchange of solutes and oxygen. In miniature lysimeters filled with 4 ft of normal, loamy (pH 6.7) soil, no acidity nor iron drained from the bottom from pyrite buried at 6 depths, from 1/2 to 36 inches, during a 24 week test period. Base exchange by the soil neutralized the acid and retained the iron. (Author) (GRA)
- Research Organization:
- West Virginia Univ., Morgantown (USA). Div. of Plant Sciences
- OSTI ID:
- 7299772
- Report Number(s):
- PB-208817
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
SURFACE MINING
WATER POLLUTION
COAL MINING
EROSION
IRON
PH VALUE
PYRITE
WATER QUALITY
CHALCOGENIDES
ELEMENTS
IRON COMPOUNDS
IRON SULFIDES
METALS
MINERALS
MINING
ORES
POLLUTION
PYRITES
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR ORES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
012000* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Mining
010900 - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Environmental Aspects