Regional aquifer characterization for deep-basin lignite mining, Sabine Uplift Area, Northeast Texas

Conference · Tue Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1983 · Coal Technol. (Houston); (United States)

OSTI ID:5879226

Fogg, G E; Ambrose, M L; Kaiser, W R; Macpherson, G L

Lignite deeper than 200 ft (61 m) constitutes about 60 percent of the total lignite resources in Texas. Projections indicate that meeting future demand will require mining this deep-basin lignite. However, because the principal lignite host, the Eocene Wilcox Group, is also a major fresh-water aquifer, deep-basin lignite development by surface mining or underground gasification poses unanswered questions concerning hydrogeologic feasibility and environmental impacts. A regional framework is needed to evaluate these questions and to maximize lignite recovery in a way that minimizes environmental impacts. An integrated geologic/hydrologic analysis delineates characteristics of the Wilcox Group in the Sabine Uplift region of East Texas that are pertinent to (1) feasibility of deep mining and gasification, (2) mine-permit preparation and evaluation, (3) exploration and site selection, and (4) prediction of lignite quality. Subsurface mapping of maximum-and major-sand isoliths shows occurrence and geometry of hydrologically significant Wilcox sands that would pose the greatest obstacle to dewatering and depressurization.

• Research Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Bureau of Economic Geology
• OSTI ID: 5879226
• Report Number(s): CONF-831112-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Coal Technol. (Houston); (United States) Journal Volume: 6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
011000* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
AQUIFERS
BROWN COAL
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
COAL
COAL DEPOSITS
COAL MINES
ELECTRIC LOGGING
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FEDERAL REGION VI
FLUID MECHANICS
FORECASTING
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GROUND WATER
HYDRODYNAMICS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROLOGY
LIGNITE
MAPPING
MATERIALS
MECHANICS
MINERAL RESOURCES
MINES
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PROSPECTING
REMOVAL
RESISTIVITY LOGGING
RESOURCES
SITE SELECTION
TEXAS
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
USA
WATER
WATER REMOVAL
WELL LOGGING