Environmental-control-technology survey of selected US strip-mining sites: water-quality impacts and overburden chemistry of Tennessee study sites

Technical Report · Wed Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:6024918

Henning, R J; Henricks, J D; Bogner, J E; Sobek, A A; Vinikour, W S

As part of a program to examine the ability of existing control technologies to meet federal guidelines for the quality of aqueous effluents from coal mines, an intensive study of water quality was conducted at two surface coal mines in Tennessee during 1976 and 1977. In general, water quality in receiving streams below each mine is poor due to previous mining and inherent conditions such as poor substrate, low-volume discharges, and naturally low pH. Effluents from both mines appear to contribute acidic water that contains dissolved, potentially toxic metals. At Mine TN-1, treatment of acid drainage by diversion through limestone-riprapped channels and an automatic NaOH feeder did not appear effective in controlling pH, iron, and manganese. Sedimentation ponds at TN-2 do not appear effective in controlling pH, iron, and manganese. However, total suspended solids appear to be adequately controlled by sedimentation ponds at both sites. There is a general lack of neutralizers in the overburden sequence. Overburden from the weathered zone should be segregated and subsequently replaced on the surface after reclamation. The remaining overburden is potentially acid-toxic and should be mixed with limestone and returned to the pit on a layer of crushed limestone. Efforts should be made to limit infiltration into spoils. Water control should be exercised in order to minimize infiltration of oxygen-bearing water into the mine-soil; this will reduce formation of acid seeps at the base of the spoil. At both sites, mining would not significantly increase the magnitude of downstream flooding. Increased impact on the receiving stream.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 6024918
• Report Number(s): ANL/EES-TM-218; ON: DE83014211
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
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CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CARBONATE ROCKS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
COAL
COAL MINING
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FEDERAL REGION IV
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LIQUID WASTES
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MASS TRANSFER
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METALS
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