The Kalp and Melcroft AMD pAbatement Projects

Rich Beam P.G.PA DEP Bureau of Abandoned Mine ReclamationPA DEP Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation

2008 AMR ConferenceState College, PAAugust 12 2008August 12, 2008

Kalp & MelcroftKalp & Melcroft

•The project involved two abandoned underground mine sites with significant water quality and public health and safety problems. Melcroft #1 Mine (Kalp site) and the Melcroft #3 Mine (Melcroft site) Melcroft #1 Mine (Kalp site) and the Melcroft #3 Mine (Melcroft site)

•Kalp site was a significant priority 2 health and safety hazard, because of its impact to adjacent homes, properties and public p j , p p phighways and its potential for a mine pool blowout.

•Melcroft site was inundating a number of basements and damaging homes in the nearby Village of Melcroft

•Remediation efforts at both sites relied on in-seam directional d illi f ili l f h i l d ll i f h drilling to facilitate control of the mine pools and collection of the mine discharges.

K l & M l ftKalp & Melcroft• Problem Areas PA 2767 and PA 0429 • Problem Areas PA 2767 and PA 0429

• Project Start/Completion Dates: July 9, 2005 – October 2007

• PROJECT PARTNERS:• PA-DEP Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation

• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

• Mountain Watershed Association, Inc.

U S D O I Office of Surface Mining• U.S.D.O.I. Office of Surface Mining

• Foundation for PA Watersheds

• Local Landowners• Local Landowners

Kalp & Melcroft Historical PerspectiveKalp & Melcroft Historical Perspective

I 1924 M l ft C l •In 1924 Melcroft Coal Company and other mining companies were enjoined and restrained from allowing AMD restrained from allowing AMD discharges into the upper Indian Creek Watershed by the Fayette County Court of Fayette County Court of Common Pleas.

•The lawsuit was brought against the various coal companies by the Pennsylvania Railroad and several private water companies

•In order to comply with the court, the mining companies constructed a mine drainage “flume” to collect and convey mine drainage. g y g

•The seven-mile system, originally constructed with wooden flumes provided connections to and between existing mine workings.

Kalp Site Aerial View

Kalp Waterfall: AMD DischargeAMD Discharge

Impacting Nine Miles of Indian Creek

The Kalp opening was the mine discharge location prior to projectThe Kalp opening was the mine discharge location prior to project implementation and also the original starting point for the flume system.

K l Di h fl i i t th i t f I di C kKalp Discharge flowing into the main stem of Indian Creek

M l ft Sit A i l ViMelcroft Site Aerial View

Melcroft Mine Pool ImpactsMelcroft Mine Pool Impacts

Melcroft Mine Pool ImpactsMelcroft Mine Pool Impacts

BackgroundBackground

P j t I l d dProject Included:– Discharge RelocationDischarge Relocation– Vertical Drilling– Horizontal Borings– Mine Pool Dewatering and TreatmentMine Pool Dewatering and Treatment– Mine Pool Stabilization– Mine Pool Monitoring

BackgroundBackground

Issues or Items for Consideration– Availability of accurate mine – Availability of accurate mine

mapping– Mine pool water quality –

stratification– Site geology / hydrogeology

C diti f i ki– Condition of mine workings

BackgroundBackground

Issues or Items for Consideration (continued)

Hydrologic conditions within the mine– Hydrologic conditions within the mine– Surface and mineral ownership– Future treatment plans

Receiving Stream Water Quality– Receiving Stream Water Quality– Permitting

Mi P l D t iMine Pool Dewatering

Issues or Items for Consideration (continued)

– Treatment Requirements– Treatment Requirements• Availability of Land for Treatment

Chemical Choices• Chemical Choices• Sludge Handling

M it i• Monitoring• Costs

– Safety

Needed to secure easements from landowners whose property will beNeeded to secure easements from landowners whose property will be

affected by project. There were six in original plan.

K l & M l ft Di ti l D illiKalp & Melcroft Directional Drilling

•Drill pad constructed at the •Drill pad constructed at the downdip cropline

•Two 8- inch directional borings •Two 8- inch directional borings through the coal seam

•60 feet of pressure grouted 12-60 feet of pressure grouted 12inch casing per drill hole

•Exploratory vertical boreholes into the abandoned mine provided target coordinates and served as injection wells for water target coordinates and served as injection wells for water encountered during Directional Drilling

K l & M l ft Di ti l D illiKalp & Melcroft Directional Drilling

Directional Boreholes

Drill PadDrill Pad

Kalp & Melcroft Directional Drilling

K l & M l ft Di ti l D illiKalp & Melcroft Directional Drilling

K l & M l ft Di ti l D illiKalp & Melcroft Directional Drilling

K l & M l ft Di ti l D illiKalp & Melcroft Directional Drilling

K l & M l ft Di ti l D illiKalp & Melcroft Directional Drilling

K l & M l ft Di ti l D illiKalp & Melcroft Directional Drilling

K l & M l ft Di ti l D illiKalp & Melcroft Directional Drilling

Kalp & Melcroft Directional Drilling

K l & M l ft Di ti l D illiKalp & Melcroft Directional Drilling

Kalp & MelcroftKalp & Melcroft

•Directional drilling relocated the current discharges to areas proximal to the proposed (phase 2) treatment systems.

•Provided a mechanism to lower mine pool hydraulic head and was a lower cost and minimal disturbance alternative to the construction of overland mine drainage pipelines construction of overland mine drainage pipelines

•Approximately 30 feet of mine pool hydraulic head was gradually and permanently removed at both project sites gradually and permanently removed at both project sites

•Substantially less disturbance to properties, homes and public roads located between the discharge areas and the treatment roads located between the discharge areas and the treatment system locations.

Kalp & Melcroft Chemical TreatmentKalp & Melcroft Chemical Treatment

•After completion of drilling activities BAMR released two contracts to dewater and chemically treat the Kalp and Melcroft mine pools and Melcroft mine pools.

•The objectives were to The objectives were to expeditiously address health and safety concerns and to aid in the design and aid in the design and construction of the phase 2 treatment projects.

Kalp & Melcroft Chemical Treatment

K l & M l ft Ch i l T t tKalp & Melcroft Chemical Treatment

K l & M l ft Ch i l T t tKalp & Melcroft Chemical Treatment

K l & M l ft Ch i l T t tKalp & Melcroft Chemical Treatment

•Kalp site: 80,655,000 gallons of mine pool water treated using 201 012 gallons 20% Caustic Soda201,012 gallons 20% Caustic Soda

•Melcroft site: 48,630,000 gallons f i l t t t d i of mine pool water treated using

48,208 gallons 20% Caustic Soda

•Total Treatment cost at Kalp Site = $209,286.00Total Treatment cost at Kalp Site $209,286.00

•Total Treatment Cost at Melcroft Site = $98,961.00

Mine Pool Drawdown Kalp SiteMine Pool Drawdown Kalp Site

1475

1480

)

1465

1470

atio

n (ft

)

1450

1455

1460

Elev

a

1445

1450

3/1/2006 3/31/2006 5/1/2006 6/1/2006 7/1/2006 8/1/2006 9/1/2006 10/1/2006 11/1/2006

Date

Kalp Site Raw Water QualityKalp Site Raw Water Quality

1000 1480

800

900

1000

1475

1480

Acidity (mg/l) pool elevation

600

700

mg/

l)

1465

1470

vatio

n

400

500

Aci

dity

(m

1460 Pool

Ele

va

100

200

300

1450

1455

03/1/2006 5/31/2006 8/31/2006 12/1/2006 3/3/2007 6/3/2007

Date

1445

Kalp Site Raw Water QualityKalp Site Raw Water Quality

300

350

1475

1480

Iron (mg/l) Aluminum pool elevation

200

250

(mg/

l)

1465

1470

tion

150

200

Con

cent

ratio

n

1460

1465

Pool

Ele

vat

50

100

1450

1455

03/1/2006 4/30/2006 6/30/2006 8/30/2006 10/30/2006 12/30/2006 3/1/2007 5/1/2007 7/1/2007

Date

1445

STARTING TO DIG OUT THE PONDSSTARTING TO DIG OUT THE PONDS

Making Rapid Progress

Wetlands at the Site:Wetlands at the Site: Mitigation—Sure Hope It Grows

Grow—Grow—Grow!!!

Complete!p

Design Flow 600 GPM

Influent Effluent

pH 3.1 6.8

Acid 224 mg/l 0 mg/l

Fe 40.2 mg/l 1.4 mg/lFe 40.2 mg/l 1.4 mg/l

Mn 2.9 mg/l 2.8 mg/l

Al 11.5 mg/l 0.6 mg/l

K l & M l ftKalp & Melcroft• CONSTRUCTION COST (Phase 1):• CONSTRUCTION COST (Phase 1):

• AML Funds - $ 658,248.00

• USDA NRCS Funds - $ 446,480.00

• Total Project Cost - $1,104,728.00

• CONSTRUCTION COST (Phase 2 Kalp system): • AML Funds - $ 1,300,000.00• USDA NRCS Funds - $ 427,000.00

• Total Project Cost - $1,727,000.00

Questions?