Status of research for ash utilization at mine sites
- West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, WV (United States). National Mine Land Reclamation Center
There is a natural symbiosis between coal mining and coal ash utilization. Proximity, transportation haulage/back haulage, the need for soil and spoil amendments as well as bulk filling of mine voids all argue for ash utilization in coal mining and reclamation. Each application, however, must be assessed in light of potential environmental contamination issues. This paper addresses the evolution of ash policy from its early treatment as an environmental threat to policies encouraging its beneficial uses. Beneficial ash uses include: soil amendment, bulk fill material and spoil neutralization. Soil amendments include the use of bottom ash for conditioning western sodic spoils and fly ash use to improve the alkalinity and moisture holding capacity of eastern mine spoils. The use of fly ash to bring surface mine spoils up to grade and to fill abandoned underground mines is also discussed. The paper focuses on the role of research in guiding both application technology and policy. Recent ash policies developed by Pennsylvania and West Virginia emphasize beneficial use of coal ash. They are summarized and compared with other states` policies.
- OSTI ID:
- 349075
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-980985--; ISBN 1-890977-15-2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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