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

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

OSTI ID:6081504

Henning, R J; Bogner, J E; Henricks, J D; Vocke, R W

As part of a program to examine the ability of existing control technologies to meet proposed federal guidelines for the quality of aqueous effluents from coal mines intensive studies of water, coal, and overburden chemistry were conducted at three surface mines in Pennsylvania from April 1976 through October 1977. Each of the three mines produced different coals of the Pennsylvanian-age Allgeheny Formation: PA-1, the Kittanning Coals; PA-2, the Upper Freeport Coal; and PA-3, the Upper and Lower Clarion Coals. Water sampling locations at each mine were chosen to include untreated pit water, the final effluent discharged to the receiving stream, and points in the receiving stream above and below the effluent discharge. Overburden analysis at the three mines indicated a net excess of neutralizers at PA-1 and PA-2 and a net deficiency of neutralizers at PA-3. At PA-1, effluent from the last pond showed reduced conductivity and alkalinity and lower levels of TSS, Fe, Mn, Mg, Ca, Al, Zn, Sr, Hg, Pb, Cd, and Co when compared to the alkali-treated effluent in the first pond. PA-2, which did not use an alkali treatment, was characterized by increases in concentrations of effluent-suspended solids as the mine drainage was pumped from the pit to a series of poorly defined settling ponds. Final effluent at PA-2 generally complied with federal standards for iron and pH but not for total suspended solids and manganese. At PA-3, alkali treatment and effluent retention in settling ponds were sporadic and generally ineffective in producing a final effluent that complied with federal standards.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 6081504
• Report Number(s): ANL/EES-TM-217; ON: DE83011914
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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