The impact of coal mining on water quality in Claybank creek, northern Missouri, USA
Abandoned and unreclaimed shaft and strip mines are the source of sediments and selected, solute ionic species polluting the North Fork of Claybank Creek in north-central Missouri. Coal was mined by shaft and strip techniques in this drainage basin from the 1860's to the 1950's. Coal has been removed from under approximately 1167 hectares of the basin and an additional 114 hectares have been surface mined. The lower Pennsylvanian Bevier-Wheeler coal has a high sulfur content and is bituminous. The dominant sulfur form is pyritic, and the oxidation of the pyrite in the abandoned shaft mines and associated spoil piles and in the strip mine spoil results in acidic discharges from the mining sites to the stream system. Water samples were collected monthly for one year at twelve locations in the drainage basin and from two control streams in the region. Spatial separation of shaft and strip mines within the basin and variable water quality in the stream suggest a relationship between the technique of mining and the intensity of pollution in different portions of the stream. The relationship could not be statistically identified through interpretation of bivariate, multiple, and stepwise regressions.
- Research Organization:
- Wisconsin Univ., Milwaukee, WI (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 5279506
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
ABANDONED SHAFTS
ACID MINE DRAINAGE
ABANDONED SITES
WATER POLLUTION
COAL MINING
MISSOURI
SULFUR CONTENT
SURFACE MINING
UNDERGROUND MINING
FEDERAL REGION VII
MINE SHAFTS
MINING
NORTH AMERICA
POLLUTION
SHAFT EXCAVATIONS
USA
010900* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Environmental Aspects
294001 - Energy Planning & Policy- Coal
290300 - Energy Planning & Policy- Environment
Health
& Safety