An overview of the western maryland coal combustion by-products/acid mine drainage initiative,part I of II

摘要

The Western Maryland Coal Combustion By-Products (CCB)/Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) Initiative (the Initiative) is a public-private partnership exploring the use of CCBs to eliminate AMD from Maryland's abandoned coal mines.This dynamic partnership will sponsor a series of large scale experiments and demonstrations addressing the engineering problems that characterize the beneficial application of CCBs to prevent acid formation on a scale that is consistent with the large quantity of these materials that will be produced by power plants in or near western Maryland.The initial demonstration is the filling and sealing of a small hand dug mine (the Frazee Mine) under approximately ninety feet of overburden on Winding Ridge near Friendsville,Maryland The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Rower Plant Research Program (PPRP)'s partners in this initial demonstration include three coal companies,a power plant operator,an environmental consulting company,and the Maryland Department of the Environment Bureau of Mines (MDE). In addition,personnel of the former U.S.Bureau of Mines,now with the U.S.Department of Energy (DOE),have made a substantial contribution to the Winding Ridge Project.A second demonstration being planned for the Kempton mine complex will involve a partnership of PPRP with at least West Virginia interests,the Mettiki Coal Corporation,Buffalo Coal Company,and MDE.Subsequent demonstrations will focus on reducing the cost of materials handling and mine injection and solving the engineering problems characteristic of filling abandoned mines in Maryland.Partners are welcome to participate in one or more demonstrations at whatever level is consistent with their interests and resources.The Initiative is the flagship activity in Maryland's overall Ash Utilization Program,the goal of which is to promote beneficial use of all coal combustion by-products(see Figure 1). My presentation is Part I of Maryland's three part presentation at this conference.Parts II and III by my co-authors present details regarding the Winding Ridge Project.This part of our presentation is and overview of Maryland's vision that AMD can be eliminated from the inventory of environmental issues the State must address.