The legacy of surface mining: Remediation, restoration, reclamation and rehabilitation

Precipitation of rare earth elements from acid mine drainage by CO2 mineralization process

Recent studies have documented adverse effects to biological communities downstream of mountaintop coal mining and valley fills (VF), but few data exist on the longevity of these impacts. We sampled 15 headwater streams with VFs reclaimed 11–33 years prior to 2011 and sampled seven local reference sites that had no VFs. We collected chemical, habitat, and benthic macroinvertebrate data in April 2011; additional chemical samples were collected in September 2011. To assess ecological condition, we compared VF and reference abiotic and biotic data using: (1) ordination to detect multivariate differences, (2) benthic indices (a multimetric index and an observed/expected predictive model) calibrated to state reference conditions to detect impairment, and (3) correlation and regression analysis to detect relationships between biotic and abiotic data. Although VF sites had good instream habitat, nearly 90 % of these streams exhibited biological impairment. VF sites with higher index scores were co-located near unaffected tributaries; we suggest that these tributaries were sources of sensitive taxa as drifting colonists. There were clear losses of expected taxa across most VF sites and two functional feeding groups (% scrapers and %shredders) were significantly altered. Percent VF and forested area were related to biological quality but varied more than individual ions and specific conductance. 
Within the subset of VF sites, other descriptors (e.g., VF age, site distance from VF, the presence of impoundments, % forest) had no detectable relationships with biological condition. Although these VFs were constructed pursuant to permits and regulatory programs that have as their stated goals that (1) mined land be reclaimed and restored to its original use or a use of higher value, and (2) mining does not cause or contribute to violations of water quality standards, we found sustained ecological damage in headwaters streams draining VFs long after reclamation was completed.

Long-Term Impacts on Macroinvertebrates Downstream of Reclaimed Mountaintop Mining Valley Fills in Central Appalachia

Predicting total dissolved solids release from central Appalachian coal mine spoils.

Surface coal mining results in dramatic alterations of the landscape in central Appalachia, leading to a myriad of environmental problems. In this study, we explore the long-term effects of surface coal mining on stream chemistry and endeavor to gain a better understanding of the efficacy of reclamation. We examined 30 sites in the Raccoon Creek watershed in southeastern Ohio, where the majority of surface mine sites are in various stages of reclamation. Our results show that conductivity (r = 0.862; P = 0.000), sulfate (r = 0.619; P = 0.000), and aluminum (r = 0.469; P = 0.009) levels increase linearly as a function of the areal extent of reclaimed mines in each subwatershed, suggesting limited success of reclamation to restore natural stream chemistry. In contrast, pH was not significantly linearly correlated with the areal extent of surface mines. This suggests that local acid mine drainage remediation projects are able to regulate acidity levels in the watershed but not conductivity and certain heavy metal concentrations. Many sites had conductivity levels high enough to impair aquatic biota via ionic and osmoregulatory stress. In sum, surface coal mining appears to have a strong legacy effect on stream chemistry in the Raccoon Creek watershed.

Exploring the legacy effects of surface coal mining on stream chemistry

Surface mining is a common method for extracting coal in the coal fields of eastern Kentucky. Using the Forestry Reclamation Approach (FRA), which emphasizes the use of minimally compacted or loose-dumped spoil as a growth medium for trees, reclamation practitioners are successfully reestablishing forests. Yet, questions remain regarding the effects FRA has on the quality of waters discharged to receiving streams. To examine the effect of FRA on water quality, this study compared waters that were discharged from three types of spoils: predominantly brown, weathered sandstone (BROWN); predominantly gray, unweathered sandstone (GRAY); and an equal mixture of both aforementioned sandstones and shale (MIXED). The water quality parameters pH, EC, Ca, K, Mg, Na, NO-N, NH-N, SO, Cl, TC, suspended sediment concentration (SSC), settleable solids (SS), and turbidity were monitored over a 2-yr period on six 0.4-ha plots (two replications per spoil type). Generally, levels of Cl, SO, Ca, NO-N, NH-N, SS, SSC, and turbidity decreased over time. The pH for all spoils increased from about 7.5 to 8.5. The EC remained relatively level in the BROWN spoil, whereas the GRAY and MIXED spoils had downward trajectories that were approaching 500 μS cm. The value of 500 μS cm has been reported as the apparent threshold at which certain taxa such as Ephemeroptera (e.g., Mayfly) recolonize disturbed headwater streams of eastern Kentucky and adjacent coal-producing Appalachian states.

Water quality characteristics of discharge from reforested loose-dumped mine spoil in eastern Kentucky.

The focus on specific conductivity in the Central Appalachian Coal Fields of the USA has highlighted the need to obtain accurate specific conductivity measurements, particularly in light of the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) guidance that water discharged from mine sites in this region should have specific conductance levels less than 300–500 μS cm−1. Being able to accurately determine the specific conductance levels of mine discharged waters has significant implications for the USEPA as well as mine operators particularly when specific conductance levels approach this designated threshold. Presently, a number of sensors are available on the market for recording specific conductance measurements; however, a detailed study comparing sensor performance under controlled conditions (e.g. temperature and specific conductance levels) has not been performed. This paper compares the performance of four commonly used sensors YSI 6600 V2-4 data sonde, HOBO U-24-001, Solinst Model 3001 LTC Levelogger Jun...

Specific conductivity sensor performance: I. Laboratory evaluation

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Water quality characteristics of discharge from reforested loose-dumped mine spoil in eastern Kentucky.

Specific conductivity sensor performance: I. Laboratory evaluation