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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Hydrogeology of spoil at three abandoned surface mines in Illinois: preliminary results

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5382591

The impact of surface coal mining on the geologic materials and ground water in different geologic settings is under investigation at three abandoned surface mines in Illinois. At a site near Ottawa, the overburden prior to mining consisted largely of pyritic shale; sand was the major component of the overburden and spoil at a mine near Coal City. Clays, lacustrine silts, and some shale and limestone were the predominant premining overburden materials at a mine near Harrisburg. Ground-water elevations at Coal City and Harrisburg are approximately at premining levels, whereas at Ottawa they are near the base of the spoil. Ground-water quality has deteriorated at all three sites, especially at Ottawa and Harrisburg.

Research Organization:
Illinois Inst. of Natural Resources, Champaign (USA). State Geological Survey Div.
OSTI ID:
5382591
Report Number(s):
PB-231664; EGN-98; ON: DE82905294
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English