Conference Agenda

Overview and details of the sessions of this Conference. Please select a date or location to show only sessions at that day or location. Please select a single session for a detailed view (with abstracts and downloads if available). The programme is preliminary and subject to change!

Please note that all times are shown in the time zone of the conference. The current conference time is: 31st Oct 2024, 07:56:53pm EDT

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Session Overview
Session
Mine Water Treatment and Management
Time:
Tuesday, 23/Apr/2024:
8:30am - 9:45am

Session Chair: Robert Lawrence Kleinmann
Location: Salon D


1. First speaker: 8:30-8:55
2. Second speaker: 8:55-9:20
3. Third speaker: 9:20-9:45

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Presentations

Teaching hydrogeology in a mined site: a case study on West Run, Morgantown, WV

Lisa Lohr

West Virginia University, United States of America

West Run is an impaired stream that flows through Morgantown, WV and discharges into the Monongahela River. Direct-point coal mine discharges, non-point mine seeps, agriculture run-off, urban run-off, and road salt pollution are all issues in West Run and its associated watershed. A portion of the watershed is located on West Virginia University (WVU) research farms and is close to the main campus; this area was chosen to use as a case study for students enrolled in Fall 2023 hydrogeology course in the Department of Geology and Geography at WVU.

The students went weekly to the field to build small spatial and temporal data sets by completing tasks that included redevelopment of piezometers, installation of new piezometers, slug tests, 3-point flow problems, stream monitoring, and collection of field data. Students worked in small groups that divided the research area into three distinct zones, then converged data to study the findings through problem sets and field reports. Additionally, GIS maps and Google Earth .kmz files were created to allow for historic spatial analysis of overall landcover/land use to be evaluated.

The students concluded that the main influx of water in the study area is from a discharge pipe from a historic mine. Additional input from underlying flooded mines is upwelling directly into the stream and/or natural stream bank wetlands, further increasing the amount of coal mine discharge entering stream. The natural wetlands in the area have anerobic/slow flow conditions and altering the pH, alkalinity and redox conditions in the subsurface; possibly reducing some of the mining impacts. Extensive urban development and an overall reduction of natural groundcover like grasses and wetlands has occurred over the last 25 years in this watershed region, suggesting that overall surface water flow has been impacted. Students recommended further investigations and remediation of the area.

Using West Run as a classroom case-study has demonstrated that student’s natural curiosities about “real-life” mining impacts and hydrogeology improve overall learning in a class. The data that was collected and analyzed will be shared with other classes and departments within WVU. Also, a poster will be presented by students at the 2024 Pittsburgh Geological Society’s annual student research night.



The Banning/West Newton Coal Logistics coal refuse pile reclamation project, Rostraver Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

Eric Cavazza

Tetra Tech, Inc., United States of America

Tetra Tech was selected by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) in August 2023 to prepare design plans and specifications and to obtain all required permits and authorizations for the Banning/West Newton Coal Logistics (WNCL) Coal Refuse Pile Reclamation Project. The intent of the Project is to eliminate public health and safety hazards associated with the coal refuse pile, including the unstable embankments of the pile and the three slurry impoundments constructed upon it, two of which are permitted as jurisdictional, low-hazard dams.

Tetra Tech completed an alternatives analysis for the Banning/WNCL site in November 2022. The analysis included the evaluation of three reclamation alternatives.

  • The potential for removal of the fine coal refuse (FCR) from the site by trucking the material to a cogeneration facility for use as fuel.
  • Evaluation of several materials to stabilize and reduce the moisture content of the FCR on the site to improve the mechanical stability of the material to allow for incorporation of the material into the final grading plan for the site.
  • Evaluation of the removal of the FCR from the site by slurrying the FCR before pumping it to an adjacent abandoned underground mine for injection through boreholes.

Based on the work completed, Tetra Tech recommended developing a final project design based on Alternative 2, stabilizing the FCR with an imported material and reincorporating the stabilized FCR back into the final site grading plan. This alternative was approved by PADEP and is the basis for the current project design.

The planned approach for reclamation of the Banning/WNCL Coal Refuse Pile is to excavate the FCR and sludge contained in the slurry impoundments and mix it with appropriate amounts of coarse coal refuse (CCR) and an additive (such as Calciment) to dry and stabilize the material. Once stabilized, the admixture will be incorporated back into the pile during grading. The objectives of the project include decertifying the jurisdictional dams on the site; demolishing the remaining mine buildings from the Banning No. 4 mine; regrading the site to stable slopes, revegetating the site, controlling acid mine drainage (AMD) to the extent practicable, and maximizing the surface area at the top of the regraded/reclaimed refuse pile to facilitate the planned future solar development.

This presentation will cover the background of the project, work completed to date, and the current status including the anticipated project construction schedule and estimated project construction cost.



Ongoing case study, Berry Branch selenium pilot treatment system using sulfur modified iron, former Hobet Surface Mine, Lincoln County, WV

R. B {Barry} Doss

ERP Environmental Fund Receivership Estate

The Hobet Mine was one of the largest MTR coal mining operations in WV, operating from 1974 to 2015. Hobet has a history of non-complaint selenium (Se) discharges, particularly on the western/Mud River side of the mine. Upon Patriot Coal’s 2015 bankruptcy, Hobet and other legacy reclamation sites passed to ERP Environmental Fund (ERP), which attempted to reclaim and remediate the sites. ERP became insolvent and ceased operations in late 2019, and was placed into receivership in 2020.

Hobet attempted over the years to remediate Se discharges using methods that included water management, zero valent iron technology, biochemical reactors (BCRs), and underground injection, but with mixed/inconsistent results. These systems were subsequently abandoned, fell into disrepair, became inoperable, and are now economically impracticable to refurbish/operate. The Receivership thus sought new Se treatment technology for potential long-term application at Hobet.

The Berry Branch pilot system utilizes sulfur-modified catalytic zero valent iron (SMI®) as an adsorptive medium to reduce selenite and selenate to elemental Se Adsorption vessels are operated in upflow configuration, with multimedia filtration and pH adjustment on the influent side. System effluent is discharged into abandoned/former BCR cells for aeration and settling of iron residue. The pilot system can be operated up to ~150 gpm and can accept source water from two surface and one deep mine discharges, which have Se concentrations ranging from ~10 to ~100 µg/L.

The pilot system became operational August 2023 and will be operated for ~12-18 months. Primary case study objectives are to: 1) determine optimum empty bed contact time for various influent concentrations; 2) vary influent sources to evaluate performance 3) determine any pre- and post-treatment requirements; and 4) estimate operating cost and capital cost to scale-up system. Preliminary case study results are to be presented for initial 8 month period, between August 2023 and March 2024; with final results available in early 2025.

Although SMI contact times continue to be experimentally varied, over operation to date: influent Se averaged ~24.9 µg/L; pilot system discharge averaged 6.4 µg/L, with 44% of observations <2.5 µg/L; post-settling Se concentration at the NPDES outlet has averaged ~1.3 µg/L; all other parameters (including iron) currently meet applicable NPDES effluent limits.



 
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