Reclamation cost inputs for the resource allocation and mine costing model. Final working paper

Technical Report · Fri Nov 30 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:5396519

The purpose of this study is to improve estimates of surface mining reclamation cost components used as inputs to the Energy Information Administration's Resource Allocation and Mine Costing (RAMC) model. Costs ignored by the RAMC equations and input separately into the model on a regional basis were the focus of this study. Estimates of costs associated with the following reclamation activities were developed: valley fill construction, topsoil handling, runoff and diversion ditch construction and backfilling, sediment pond construction and backfilling, final pit backfilling and highwall reduction, revegetation, and permitting. For each activity, separate estimates were developed by cost component (initial capital, deferred capital, and annual operating), region (central Appalachia, northern Appalachia, the Midwest, and the West), and overburden ratio. For the first five activities, a ''composite mine'' approach was used. Basic engineering data on the quantity of material moved, and the distance over which it is moved, were obtained on a task-by-task basis for regional samples of actual mining operations. Mine permit applications filed with state and federal regulatory agencies were used as the source of these data. On the basis of the collected data, average material quantities and transportation distances were calculated for each region and reclamation task; these averages were used as the composite mine specifications assumed to be representative of the typical earthmoving requirements associated with each task in each region. Revegetation costs were estimated on the basis of published or publicly available data representing either the actual or estimated costs to state governments of revegetating abandoned mine sites. Permitting costs were developed on the basis of estimates of typical regional permitting costs solicited from engineering contractors providing permitting services to the coal industry. 11 tabs.

• Research Organization: Science Applications, Inc., Wayne, PA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-81OR20837
• OSTI ID: 5396519
• Report Number(s): DOE/OR/20837-2; ON: DE85017213
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010800* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Waste Management
010900 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Environmental Aspects
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290100 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Energy Analysis & Modeling
290200 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Economics & Sociology
294001 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Coal
510500 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Site Resource & Use Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES
COAL MINES
COST
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMICS
FORECASTING
LAND RECLAMATION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MINES
MINING
PERMITS
REGIONAL ANALYSIS
REVEGETATION
SURFACE MINING
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES