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The Kalp and Melcroft AMD Abatement Projects. Rich Beam P.G. PA DEP Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation 2008 AMR Conference State College, PA August 12, 2008. Kalp & Melcroft.
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The Kalp and Melcroft AMD Abatement Projects Rich Beam P.G. PA DEP Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation 2008 AMR Conference State College, PA August 12, 2008
Kalp & 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) Kalp site was a significant priority 2 health and safety hazard, because of its impact to adjacent homes, properties and public highways 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 drilling to facilitate control of the mine pools and collection of the mine discharges.
Kalp & Melcroft • 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 • Foundation for PA Watersheds • Local Landowners
Kalp & Melcroft Historical Perspective In 1924 Melcroft Coal Company and other mining companies were enjoined and restrained from allowing AMD discharges into the upper Indian Creek Watershed by the 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. The seven-mile system, originally constructed with wooden flumes provided connections to and between existing mine workings.
Kalp Waterfall: AMD Discharge Impacting Nine Miles of Indian Creek The Kalp opening was the mine discharge location prior to project implementation and also the original starting point for the flume system.
Background • Project Included: • Discharge Relocation • Vertical Drilling • Horizontal Borings • Mine Pool Dewatering and Treatment • Mine Pool Stabilization • Mine Pool Monitoring
Background • Issues or Items for Consideration • Availability of accurate mine mapping • Mine pool water quality – stratification • Site geology / hydrogeology • Condition of mine workings
Background • Issues or Items for Consideration (continued) • Hydrologic conditions within the mine • Surface and mineral ownership • Future treatment plans • Receiving Stream Water Quality • Permitting
Mine Pool Dewatering • Issues or Items for Consideration (continued) • Treatment Requirements • Availability of Land for Treatment • Chemical Choices • Sludge Handling • Monitoring • Costs • Safety
Kalp & Melcroft Directional Drilling Drill pad constructed at the downdip cropline Two 8- inch directional borings through the coal seam 60 feet of pressure grouted 12-inch casing per drill hole Exploratory vertical boreholes into the abandoned mine provided target coordinates and served as injection wells for water encountered during Directional Drilling
Kalp & Melcroft Directional Drilling Directional Boreholes Drill Pad
Kalp & 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 Approximately 30 feet of mine pool hydraulic head was 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 system locations.
Kalp & Melcroft Chemical Treatment After completion of drilling activities BAMR released two contracts to dewater and chemically treat the Kalp and Melcroft mine pools. The objectives were to expeditiously address health and safety concerns and to aid in the design and construction of the phase 2 treatment projects.
Kalp & Melcroft Chemical Treatment Kalp site: 80,655,000 gallons of mine pool water treated using 201,012 gallons 20% Caustic Soda Melcroft site: 48,630,000 gallons of mine pool water treatedusing 48,208 gallons 20% Caustic Soda Total Treatment cost at Kalp Site = $209,286.00 Total Treatment Cost at Melcroft Site = $98,961.00
Design Flow 600 GPM InfluentEffluent pH 3.1 6.8 Acid 224 mg/l 0 mg/l Fe 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
Kalp & Melcroft • 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
