Terry E. Ackman

Using Airborne Thermal Infrared Imagery And Helicopter EM Conductivity To Locate Mine Pools and Discharges In The Kettle Creek Watershed, North Central Pennsylvania

The Kettle Creek watershed contains 50–100-year-old surface and underground coal mines that are a continuing source of acid mine drainage (AMD). To characterize the mining-altered hydrology of this watershed, an airborne reconnaissance was conducted in 2002 using airborne thermal infrared imagery (TIR) and helicopter-mounted electromagnetic (HEM) surveys. TIR uses the temperature differential between surface water and groundwater to locate areas where groundwater emerges at the surface. TIR anomalies located in the survey included seeps and springs, as well as mine discharges. In a follow-up ground investigation, hand-held GPS units were used to locate 103 of the TIR anomalies. Of the sites investigated, 26 correlated with known mine discharges, whereas 27 were previously unknown. Seven known mine discharges previously obscured from TIR imagery were documented. HEM surveys were used to delineate the groundwater table and also to locate mine pools, mine discharges, and groundwater recharge zones. These sur...

FEASIBILITY OF LIME TREATMENT AT THE LEVIATHAN MINE USING THE IN-LINE SYSTEM

The In-Line System (ILS) was used in a pilot-scale water treatment study at the Leviathan Mine in California. The Leviathan Mine is a remote, abandoned, copper/sulfur mine. This study addressed two questions: (1) Can the severely polluted mine drainage at the Leviathan Mine be treated with lime to an acceptable quality? and (2) Can a neutralizing reagent formulation (using various ratios of lime, fly ash, and cement) be designed to improve the physical characteristics of the resulting sludge for disposal purposes? The primary pollutants of concern are arsenic, nickel, aluminum, iron, and sulfate.Pilot-scale studies at the Leviathan Mine show that an in-line system (ILS) can be used to treat the severely polluted pond and adit water to meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Ambient Water Quality for Freshwater Aquatic Life Protection (1-hour acute toxicity) criteria. Lime and lime-based admixtures were used to neutralize the adit and pond waters. The optimal treatment pH range was 6.9–7.9 for adit water, and 6.5–8.0 for pond water. The ILS served as a neutralization and mixing system for treating both water sources, and also as an aeration system for treating the adit water. The ILS effectively oxidized nearly 900 mg/L of Fe+2 within 30 seconds of contact time when treating the adit water. Additional work is needed to evaluate sludge alternatives.The simplicity, portability, flexibility, and economics of the ILS make it a prime candidate for remote treatment operations such as the Leviathan Mine. Furthermore, the ILS can operate by water power with elevational differences of 50 ft or greater. The need for permanent electrical power installation for water treatment can possibly be eliminated by coupling the ILS with a commercially available water-powered lime feed system.

USING AIRBORNE ELECTROMAGNETIC SURVEYS TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL HAZARDS AT COAL WASTE IMPOUNDMENTS: EXAMPLES FROM WEST VIRGINIA

Mine impoundments have in the past been a cause of catastrophic loss of life and destruction of property. To characterize this potential hazard, helicopter-mounted electromagnetic (HEM) surveys of coal waste impoundments were completed to identify fluid saturated zones within coal waste and to delineate the paths of filtrate fluid flow beneath the decant pond, through the embankment, and into adjacent strata or receiving streams. We also attempted to identify flooded mine workings underlying or spatially adjacent to the waste impoundment areas. In this effort, the National Energy Technology Laboratory of the United States Department of Energy (http://www.netl.doe.gov) conducted HEM surveys of 14 coal waste impoundments in southern West Virginia. Five electromagnetic frequencies were used in our surveys (385, 1700, 6536, 28120 and 116300 Hz) and processed using different inversion techniques to determine apparent conductivity depth images (CDI). Follow-up, ground-based resistivity surveys verified the results of the HEM survey. Overall, HEM and ground-based geophysical surveys proved to be effective in delineating the phreatic surface, determining seep locations, locating blockage in engineered drains, imaging areas of unconsolidated slurry, locating areas where process water has invaded adjacent aquifers, potentially depicting the possible location of flooded underground mine workings, locating infiltration zones into the abandoned mines and determining the spatial extent of impoundment impact.

WATER-QUALITY CONDITIONS DURING LOW FLOW IN THE LOWER YOUGHIOGHENY RIVER BASIN, PENNSYLVANIA, OCTOBER 5-7, 1998

In October 1998, a chemical synoptic survey was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, in the Lower Youghiogheny River Basin in Pennsylvania to give a snap-shot of present (1998) water quality during low-flow conditions. Water samples from 38 sites--12 mainstem sites, 22 tributaries, and 4 mine discharges that discharge directly to the Youghiogheny River--were used to identify sources of contaminants from mining operations. Specific conductance, water temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen were measured in the field at each site and concentrations of major ions and trace elements were measured in the laboratory. Unaccounted for gains and losses in streamflow were measured during the study. Unaccounted for losses in streamflow might be attributed to water loss through streambed fractures. Extensive mine tunnels are present in the basin and loss of water to these tunnels seems likely. Unaccounted for gains in streamflow may be from unmeasured tributaries or surface seeps, but most of the gains are suspected to come from artesian flow through fractures in the streambed from underground mine pools. Influent flows of rust-colored water were noted in some river sections. The pH values for all the samples collected during this survey were above 5.8, and most (33 of 38 samples) were above 7.0. Samples from the four mine-discharge sites also had pH values between 6.3 and 6.7. The lowest pH (5.8) was in a tributary, Galley Run. All 38 sampling sites had net alkalinity. The alkalinity load in the Youghiogheny River increased between Connellsville and McKeesport from 35 to 79 tons per day. Above Smithton, the measured alkalinity load in the Lower Youghiogheny River agreed well with the estimated alkalinity load. Below Smithton, measured alkalinity loads in the Lower Youghiogheny River are greater than calculated loads, resulting in unaccounted for gains in alkalinity. These gains are believed to be from seeps in the streambed. Approximately one-third of the load of total alkalinity in the Youghiogheny River at McKeesport is attributed to Sewickley Creek, which contributes 14 tons per day. Sulfate concentrations in the Youghiogheny River steadily increase from 33 milligrams per liter at Connellsville to 77 milligrams per liter near McKeesport. The measured concentrations of sulfate exceeded Pennsylvania water-quality standards at four tributary sites (Galley Run, Hickman Run, Sewickley Creek, and Gillespie Run) and all four mine-discharge sites but not at any main-stem sites. A large increase in sulfate load between West Newton and Sutersville can be attributed almost entirely to the contribution from Sewickley Creek (49 tons per day). Approximately 25 percent of the load measured between Connellsville and McKeesport is unaccounted for. These gains are believed to be from seeps in the streambed from underground mine pools. Similar patterns also were observed for loads of sodium, calcium, and magnesium. Unmeasured inputs from mine rainage are believed to be the source of these loads. Elevated concentrations (above background levels) of chemicals associated with drainage from coal-mining operations were measured in samples from tributaries, especially from Galley Run, Gillespie Run, and Sewickley Creek, and from the mine-discharge sites. The synoptic survey conducted for this study was successful in identifying generalized reaches of the Youghiogheny River where unaccounted for loads of constituents associated with mining activities are entering the river. However, the survey was not able to pinpoint the location of these loads. Remote-sensing techniques, such as thermal infrared imaging by the National Energy Technology Laboratory, could be useful for determining the precise locations of these inputs.