The Western Maryland Coal Combustion By-Products/Acid Mine Drainage Initiative-The Winding Ridge Demonstration Project

摘要

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources Power Plant Research Program (PPRP) and the Maryland Department of the Environment Bureau of Mines (MDE) have undertaken the Western Maryland Coal Combustion By-Products (CCB)/Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) Initiative, which is a joint effort with private industry to demonstrate the beneficial application of alkaline CCBs to create flowable grouts to prevent the formation of AMD. The Initiative is a key component of Maryland's overall ash utilization program to promote and expand the beneficial use of all CCBS. Ultimately, the Initiative is targeting AMD abatement from significant AMD sources in the State, such as the Kempton Mine and Three Forks Run complexes. The Winding Ridge Project is the Initiative's first demonstration of this technology. The Frazee Mine (a small "kitchen" mine), in Garrett County, Maryland, was selected for the demonstration. The CCB grout mixing and mine injection phase was performed in October and November 1996. This phase demonstrated the engineering feasibility and logistics of using 100 percent CCBs and acid mine water to create a grout, which was injected into the Frazee Mine. Approximately 5,600 cubic yards of CCB grout were injected into the mine under both dry and submerged conditions. Observations from borehole camera logging indicated that the grout was capable of flowing at least 100 feet along the mine pavement. Laboratory tests of hardened grout core samples recovered from the mine showed unconfined compressive strengths of over 1,000 pounds per square inch (psi) (28-day strength tests were over 300 psi) and permeabilities of about 10-7 centimeters per second. These observations indicate that the use of CCBs as a grout for mine sealing is a promising technical option for the large-scale beneficial application of these materials. Currently, postinjection water quality monitoring is being performed to better evaluate the long-term effects on the mine discharge. In addition, future work will evaluate the economic feasibility of this technology.