Coal Ash Beneficial Use in Mine Reclamation and Mine Drainage Remediation in Pennsylvania

Transcription

1 Coal Ash Beneficial Use in Mine Reclamation and Mine Drainage Remediation in Pennsylvania FORWARD... i PREFACE... ii Letters of endorsement from IMCC, ACAA and environmental groups Table of Contents... xix List of Figures... xxvii List of Tables...xxxvi List of Acronyms... xxxx Chapter 1. Overview: Coal Ash Beneficial Use and Mine Land Reclamation INTRODUCTION PENNSYLVANIA S ABANDONED MINE LAND PROBLEM FLUIDIZED BED COMBUSTION (FBC) POWER PLANTS Creation of the FBC Power-Generating Industry Operation of FBC Power Plants Distribution of FBC Plants in Pennsylvania Coal Refuse Consumption by FBC Power Plants in Pennsylvania Ash Production by FBC Plants in Pennsylvania CONVENTIONAL COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS Distribution of Conventional Coal-Fired Power Plants Beneficial Use of Coal Ash from Conventional Coal-Fired Power Plants THE BENEFICIAL USE OF COAL ASH ON PENNSYLVANIA MINE SITES Identification of Beneficial Use Sites Discussed in This Book Regulatory Framework Types of Beneficial Uses Permitted on Mine Sites Summary of Present Permitting Requirements Administrative requirements Pre-testing of ash Monitoring DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS Regulatory Requirements for Waste Management Demonstration Projects The Need for Demonstration Projects CONCLUSION xix

2 Chapter 2. Geology of the Pennsylvania Coal Regions PHYSIOGRAPHY AND TOPOGRAPHY GEOLOGIC STRUCTURE STRATIGRAPHY Pottsville Group Bituminous Allegheny Group Bituminous Conemaugh Group Bituminous Glenshaw formation Casselman formation Monongahela Group Bituminous Dunkard Group Bituminous Pottsville Group Anthracite Llewellyn Formation Anthracite Stratigraphic Observations and Inferences in the Anthracite Coal Fields HYDROGEOLOGY Regional Hydrogeology of the Bituminous Coal Field Regional Hydrogeology of the Anthracite Coal Field Jeddo Tunnel Discharge Anthracite Region Water Quality ANTHRACITE MINING SUMMARY Chapter 3. Engineering Practices of Ash Placement FUNDAMENTALS OF SOIL ENGINEERING COAL ASH AND EARTHEN MATERIALS COAL ASH CLASSIFICATION ENGINEERING TESTING AND EVALUATION Compaction Permeability Slope Stability CONVENTIONAL ASH PLACEMENT STABILIZATION OF FLY ASH WITH LIME OR CEMENT ENGINEERING PROPERTIES/ ANALYSIS OF DATA xx

3 3.8 INNOVATIVE ASH PLACEMENT PROJECTS Chapter 4. Coal Ash Beneficial Use (Conventional Ash Placement) on Anthracite Mine Sites INTRODUCTION MONITORING REQUIREMENTS CASE STUDY SITES Northampton Fuel Supply Company Alden Mine Site Wheelabrator Culm Services, Inc B-D Mining Overall Plant Site & Reading Anthracite Ellengowan Site Susquehanna Coal Company Mt. Carmel Cogeneration Site DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Ground Water Monitoring Summary Factors Influencing Detection of Beneficial or Adverse Effects of Coal Ash Sites Upon Mine Pool Discharge Quality Applicability of a Hydrologic Budget Approach to Beneficial Use of a Coal Ash in Reclamation of Abandoned Surface Mines Conclusions Chapter 5. Coal Ash Beneficial Use on Bituminous Mine Sites INTRODUCTION CASE STUDIES Refuse Pile Reclamation-Ebensburg Power Company Revloc Site Site characterization/ setting Mine operations Monitoring results to date at the Revloc 1 site Monitoring results to date at the Revloc 2 site Conclusions regarding the Revloc site Alkaline Addition to Surface Mine Overburden Laurel Land Development, Inc McDermott Site Site characterization/setting Mine operations Monitoring results to date at the McDermott site Conclusions regarding the McDermott site Reclamation of a Bituminous Coal Bond Forfeiture Site Abel-Dreshman Site Site characterization/setting Mine operations Monitoring results from the Abel-Dreshman site Conclusions regarding the Abel-Dreshman site xxi

4 5.3 CONCLUSIONS Chapter 6. Use of Coal Ash Cement Grouts in Abatement of Abandoned Mine Hazards and Acid Mine Drainage INTRODUCTION HISTORICAL USE OF COAL ASH IN MINE SUBSIDENCE AND MINE FIRE CONTROL Background Mine Subsidence Control in the Northern Anthracite Field Anthracite Mine Fire Control Bituminous Region Mine Subsidence and Mine Fire Control Project USE OF COAL ASH IN CROPFALL REMEDIATION SHARP MOUNTAIN, POTTSVILLE, PA Historic Mining and Local Geology Extent of the Cropfalls Previous Backfilling Attempts Demonstration Project USE OF COAL ASH IN MINE DRAINAGE REMEDIATION Use of FBC Ash to Form an Impermeable Cap McCloskey Surface Mine Site description Low permeability FBC ash cap project concept Coal ash placement capping of site Results Conclusions FBC Ash Grouting of Buried Piles of Pyritic Materials on a Surface Mine Fran Site Site description Geophysical investigation and pre-grouting groundwater quality FBC ash grout injection project concept FBC ash characterization and grouting operations Post-grouting water quality monitoring Chemical interactions between AMD and FBC ash grout Summary CONCLUSIONS xxii

5 Chapter 7. The Ellengowan and Shen Penn Demonstration Projects OBJECTIVES BACKGROUND FOR THE WESTERN MIDDLE FIELD Local Geology Stratigraphy Structure Coal Mining Subsurface Hydrology THE ELLENGOWAN DEMONSTRATION PROJECT Objectives Description of the Ellengowan Site Ash Characterization Field Observations End-dumped ash Pumped ash slurry Fly Ash Grout Development Ash Strength Recommendations THE SHEN PENN DEMONSTRATION PROJECT Objectives Description of the Shen Penn Site Proposed Ash Placement Chapter 8. The Knickerbocker Demonstration Project OBJECTIVE DESCRIPTION OF THE KNICKERBOCKER SITE Local Geology and Early Mining Operations Mining History ASH PLACEMENT Source of Ash CKD Test Cells RESULTS Ash Properties Density analysis Split-spoon sampling Wet chemical analysis and leaching Moisture loss xxiii

6 X-ray diffraction Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) Fertility analysis Groundwater Monitoring CONCLUSIONS Chapter 9. The Big Gorilla Demonstration Project OBJECTIVES THE SILVERBROOK BASIN Location and Local Geology Mining and Reclamation Regional Acid Mine Drainage Chemistry ASH GENERATION AND PLACEMENT Ash Placement Ash Characterization Initial bulk chemistry Mineralogy Radioassay of NEPCO fly and bottom ash Physical Properties of Emplaced Ash Hydraulic Properties of Emplaced Ash CHEMICAL EVOLUTION OF THE BIG GORILLA MINE LAKE Pre-Placement Chemistry ph, Acidity and Alkalinity Sulfate Iron, Aluminum, and Manganese Toxic Metals Arsenic and selenium Cadmium, mercury, and nickel Barium Chromium Lead Copper CHEMICAL EVOLUTION OF THE SILVERBROOK BASIN Chemistry of the Silverbrook Outfall Monitoring Well Chemistry Test Boring Chemistry Thermodynamic Equilibrium Models CONCLUSIONS xxiv

7 Chapter 10. Soil Additives and Soil Amendments INTRODUCTION NATURE AND PROPERTIES OF MINE SPOILS AND SOILS NATURE AND PROPERTIES OF COAL ASH EFFECTS OF COAL ASH APPLICATIONS ON SOILS AND MINE SPOILS COAL ASH RELATIONSHIPS TO PLANT GROWTH CO-APPLICATION OF CCB AND ORGANIC RESIDUALS PLANT SPECIES RESPONSE TO DIFFERENT SOIL AND MINE SPOIL CONDITIONS MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR LAND APPLICATION OF COAL COMBUSTION BY-PRODUCTS CONCLUSIONS Chapter 11. Interpretation, Applications and Conclusions PURPOSE FOR EVALUATING COAL ASH BENEFICIAL USE IN MINE RECLAMATION KEY FINDINGS AND PRINCIPLES FROM PREVIOUS CHAPTERS ASH FILL INGEGRITY AND STABILITY Mechanical Properties Chemical Integrity Paragenesis of mineralogical assemblage in the ash Longevity of the ash fill Mechanisms of Controlling Heavy Metals Ca(OH) Calcium-silicate-hydrate Ettringite Metal hydroxides IMPACTS OF ASH PLACEMENT ON WATERS Selected properties Acidity Iron Aluminum and sulfate xxv

8 Toxic metals Zone of Influence Water Monitoring IMPACTS AND BENEFITS OF THE CLOSURE PROJECTS The Big Gorilla Demonstration The Knickerbocker Demonstration The Shen Penn Demonstration MINE SITE EVALUATION CRITERIA FOR COAL ASH PLACEMENT CLOSING THOUGHTS References Biographies of Authors Appendices Appendix for Preface: Joint Legislative Committee Report Appendices for Chapter 5: Bituminous Mine Sites 5.A Pre-Permitting Testing Requirements 5.B Water Monitoring Results for the Revloc Sites 5.C Water Monitoring Results for the McDermott Sites 5.D Water Monitoring Results for the Abl-Dreshman Sites Appendices for Chapter 8: The Knickerbocker Site 8.A Semi-annual characterization of the proctor densities of the ash and size distributions 8.B Blow count data normalized to cell 4 8.C Semi-annual fly ash analyses and leach data 8.D Chemical analyses of ash and water samples collected February 2000 (MRL) 8.E PHREEQC thermodynamic equilibrium results from water analyses in the test cells 8.F X-ray diffraction patterns of ash from test cells 8.G Fertility analyses 8.H Water chemistry from surrounding wells Appendices for Chaper 9: The Big Gorilla Site 9.A Air Photographs of Big Gorilla Site 9.B DEP Quarterly Sampling in the Silverbrook Basin 9.C Ash Chemistry Post 1997 xxvi