Abandoned coal mine refuse areas: their reclamation and use

Conference · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1977

OSTI ID:6541781

Zellmer, S. D.; Carter, R. P.

There are over 4,000 abandoned deep coal mine refuse areas in Illinois ranging in size from a few acres to as large as 160 acres. These sites produce quantities of pollutants which affect the environment, have no real land value, and are a scar on the landscape. The Staunton 1 Site Reclamation Demonstration Project addressess these problems. It also is developing and evaluating new cost-effective methods for reclaiming refuse areas of this type. The program involved determining the final land use for the site, development of detailed engineering plans and specifications for the reclamation effort, a prereclamation environmental inventory, and implementation. Post-construction evaluation is now in process to determine the effectiveness of the reclamation effort. Detailed investigations are being conducted to determine surface water quality improvement, the amount of suitable surface cover and amendments required for revegetation, and field evaluation of candidate vegetation species for revegetation. Other research is examining soil microbial populations, soil fauna reactions, and changes in surface material characteristics at the reclamation site. Surveys are being conducted on groundwater quality, effects on the aquatic ecosystem, and wildlife use of the area. An economic evaluation is underway to determine the cost effectiveness of the total effort and of individual reclamation procedures. Preliminary results from the first year's environmental evaluation of various method tested will be described in detail. An economic assessment, including cost effectiveness, of the first year's work is given.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 6541781
• Report Number(s): ANL/LRP-CP--3; CONF-771260--2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010900* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Environmental Aspects
510500 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Site Resource & Use Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ABANDONED SHAFTS
COAL MINES
ECONOMICS
GREAT LAKES REGION
ILLINOIS
LAND RECLAMATION
LAND USE
MINERAL WASTES
MINES
MINING
NORTH AMERICA
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
REVEGETATION
SHAFT EXCAVATIONS
SOLID WASTES
SPOIL BANKS
UNDERGROUND MINING
USA
WASTES