Revegetation of Alaskan coal mine spoils. Final report

Technical Report · Wed May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1985

OSTI ID:5192077

Mitchell, W W; Ping, C L; Mitchell, G A; Michaelson, G J; Kaija, K J

Minespoil reclamation studies were commenced in 1980 in three coal fields in Alaska. The studies included plant adaptability trials, fertilizer trails, characterization and classification of soils, and wildlife investigations. This report concerns activities undertaken through the 1984 research season regarding first three areas of study. Studies were conducted in the Nenana coal field at the Usibelli coal mine, in the Matanuska coal field at the abandoned Jonesville mine, and in the undeveloped Beluga coal field. Most of the work was conducted at the Usibelli coal mine, the largest commercial mine currently active in Alaska. The Usibelli mine is located at about 64 N latitude in the continental interior climatic region of Alaska south of Fairbanks. It spans the upper boreal forested to low alpine zones, about 460 to 760 meters elevtion. The Jonesville mine, now idle, is located near 62 N in the boreal forested zone of southcentral Alaska, about 325 meters elevation, in the upper Cook Inlet region. The Beluga coal field extends from the shores of the Cook Inlet on a gradual incline to the ramparts of the Alaska Range, transecting the forested and alpine zones about 61 N. The State of Alaska recently adopted surface coal mine regulations with requirements for mine operators to follow for the permitting process. The Alaska Division of mining is in the process of determining how these regulations are to be implemented. The results of the studies reported on herein have figured prominently in discussions between the Division and mine operators on the implementation of the new regulations. 1 fig., 26 tabs.

• Research Organization: Alaska Univ., Palmer (USA). Alaska Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station
• DOE Contract Number: AT06-79EV10256
• OSTI ID: 5192077
• Report Number(s): DOE/EV/10256-T4; ON: DE86001163
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010900 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Environmental Aspects
012000* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Mining
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES
ALASKA
CLASSIFICATION
COAL MINING
DATA
EROSION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FEDERAL REGION X
FERTILIZERS
GRASS
INFORMATION
LAND RECLAMATION
MINING
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
PERMIT APPLICATIONS
PLANTS
PREFERRED SPECIES
REGULATIONS
REVEGETATION
SHRUBS
SOILS
SPOIL BANKS
SURFACE MINING
TREES
USA