Ben Mack | West Virginia University (original) (raw)

Papers by Ben Mack

Journal American Society of Mining and Reclamation, 2007

Journal of Environmental Quality, 2010

Acidity of water from abandoned underground mines decreases over time, and the rate of decrease c... more Acidity of water from abandoned underground mines decreases over time, and the rate of decrease can help formulate remediation approaches and treatment system designs. The objective of this study was to determine an overall acidity decay rate for above‐drainage underground mines in northern West Virginia from a large data set of mines that were closed 50 to 70 yr ago. Water quality data were obtained from 30 Upper Freeport and 7 Pittsburgh coal seam mines in 1968, 1980, 2000, and 2006, and acidity decay curves were calculated. The mean decay constant, k, for Upper Freeport mines was 2.73 × 10−2 yr−1, with a 95% confidence interval of ± 0.0052, whereas the k value for Pittsburgh mines was not significantly different at 4.26 × 10−2 yr−1 ± 0.017. Acidity from the T&T mine, which was closed 12 yr ago, showed a k value of 11.25 × 10−2 yr−1 This higher decay rate was likely due to initial flushing of accumulated metal salts on reaction surfaces in the mine, rapid changes in mine hydrology...

Journal American Society of Mining and Reclamation, 2012

Mine Water and the Environment, 2014

High flows during spring runoff and snowmelt can increase the concentrations of contaminants in t... more High flows during spring runoff and snowmelt can increase the concentrations of contaminants in the discharge or dilute them. In the Appalachian region, March tends to be a time of high flows from underground mines, May has moderate flow rates, and July has low flows. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of flow rate on water quality from five acid-producing, abovedrainage underground mines in West Virginia. We measured flow rates and acidity twice a week for 3 weeks in March, May, and July 2007. As expected, flow rates in March (average of five sites) were significantly higher at 32 L s-1 than flows in May and July at 18 and 6 L s-1. Flows during weeks within months were not significantly different. Acidity concentrations for March and May (high and moderate flow months) were significantly lower at 342 and 400 mg L-1 (as CaCO 3) than those in July at 524 mg L-1 (as CaCO 3). Similar to flow, acidity concentrations during weeks within the same month were not significantly different. In general, this data supported the 'dilution' concept, where higher flow rates resulted in lower acidity concentrations from above-drainage underground mine discharges.

The objective of this research was to determine the changes in acidity, sulfate, iron, aluminum, ... more The objective of this research was to determine the changes in acidity, sulfate, iron, aluminum, and calcium concentrations over time in above-drainage, underground mines. Water analyses were compiled from four sampling dates for two coal seams. Results for all sites showed declines in all parameters. Acidity decreases from the 40 sites were compared to three acidity decay curves. The data most closely matched the 5 percent decay curve. Acidity values from a different mine most closely matched the 10 percent decay curve during its first 12 years after closure. None of the five parameters showed significant relationships with either decade of mine closure or coal seam. Five sites were more intensively sampled during March, May, and July 2007 to determine how flow and acidity changed over differing time periods. Flows were found to vary significantly between months. However, flow differences were not significant within the same month. Acidity followed a similar trend. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my professors and colleagues that helped me along my research path. My adviser, Jeff Skousen, was an invaluable source of information and support during the research and writing processes. His door was always open whenever I had a question. Louis McDonald and Dorothy Vesper provided very helpful information about the chemistry/geochemistry of AMD, as well as help with data presentation and analysis. I would also like to thank Desta Fekedulegn for his help with the statistical part of the data analysis. His explanations of the statistical analyses performed were easy to understand and made the task of writing the discussion of the data much easier. Ken Stewart of the NRCCE Lab and Joan Wright of the Division of Plant and Soil Sciences aided in the analysis of water samples. Lastly, I would like to thank my family. Their encouragement and love has supported me through the entire process of graduate school. The completion of this degree would not have been possible without them. iv

Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects

Journal American Society of Mining and Reclamation

The Roaring Creek watershed in central West Virginia was known to be impacted by historic coal mi... more The Roaring Creek watershed in central West Virginia was known to be impacted by historic coal mining. However, the current degree of the environmental degradation within the watershed was not known. A partnership between the National Mine Land Reclamation Center (NMLRC), the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection-Division of Water and Waste Management (WVDEP-DWWM), and Trout Unlimited (TU) was formed to assess the impacts of nonpoint-source pollution in the Roaring Creek watershed. Water chemistry, water quantity, and benthic data were gathered four times between 2009 and 2010. The results of this data show that almost all of the mining impacts within the watershed were found in one tributary called Kittle Hollow. Due to these findings, Kittle Hollow was targeted for further sampling. Multiple mine drainage sources were sampled in order to prioritize them for passive treatment. This collected data will be used to develop a watershed-based plan, which will represent the end of the assessment process. Currently, the plan is being written and the remediation projects are in the design phase. Once these projects are completed, they are expected to remove 80% of the metal and acid loads from each mine discharge. The ultimate goal of the watershed assessment process is to improve the quality of the existing trout fishery in Roaring Creek as well as extend the territory in which trout can thrive. It is anticipated that the reclamation of Kittle Hollow will allow the entire Roaring Creek watershed to function as a successful fishery.

The objective of this research was to determine the changes in acidity, sulfate, iron, aluminum, ... more The objective of this research was to determine the changes in acidity, sulfate, iron, aluminum, and calcium concentrations over time in above-drainage, underground mines. Water analyses were compiled from four sampling dates for two coal seams. Results for all sites showed declines in all parameters. Acidity decreases from the 40 sites were compared to three acidity decay curves. The data most closely matched the 5 percent decay curve. Acidity values from a different mine most closely matched the 10 percent decay curve during its first 12 years after closure. None of the five parameters showed significant relationships with either decade of mine closure or coal seam. Five sites were more intensively sampled during March, May, and July 2007 to determine how flow and acidity changed over differing time periods. Flows were found to vary significantly between months. However, flow differences were not significant within the same month. Acidity followed a similar trend. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my professors and colleagues that helped me along my research path. My adviser, Jeff Skousen, was an invaluable source of information and support during the research and writing processes. His door was always open whenever I had a question. Louis McDonald and Dorothy Vesper provided very helpful information about the chemistry/geochemistry of AMD, as well as help with data presentation and analysis. I would also like to thank Desta Fekedulegn for his help with the statistical part of the data analysis. His explanations of the statistical analyses performed were easy to understand and made the task of writing the discussion of the data much easier. Ken Stewart of the NRCCE Lab and Joan Wright of the Division of Plant and Soil Sciences aided in the analysis of water samples. Lastly, I would like to thank my family. Their encouragement and love has supported me through the entire process of graduate school. The completion of this degree would not have been possible without them. iv

High flows during spring runoff and snowmelt can increase the concentrations of contaminants in t... more High flows during spring runoff and snowmelt can increase the concentrations of contaminants in the discharge or dilute them. In the Appalachian region, March tends to be a time of high flows from underground mines, May has moderate flow rates, and July has low flows. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of flow rate on water quality from five acid-producing, above-drainage underground mines in West Virginia. We measured flow rates and acidity twice a week for 3 weeks in March, May, and July 2007. As expected, flow rates in March (average of five sites) were significantly higher at 32 L s-1 than flows in May and July at 18 and 6 L s-1. Flows during weeks within months were not significantly different. Acidity concentrations for March and May (high and moderate flow months) were significantly lower at 342 and 400 mg L-1 (as CaCO 3) than those in July at 524 mg L-1 (as CaCO 3). Similar to flow, acidity concentrations during weeks within the same month were not significantly different. In general, this data supported the 'dilution' concept, where higher flow rates resulted in lower acidity concentrations from above-drainage underground mine discharges.

ICARD: Lexington, American …, Jan 1, 2006

asmr.us

Steel slag is a highly alkaline substance that is a byproduct of the steel-making process. 6 This... more Steel slag is a highly alkaline substance that is a byproduct of the steel-making process. 6 This substance has been used in many different applications, including the remediation of mine 7 drainage. However, some research has shown that large concentrations of possibly toxic metals 8 may leach from the steel slag matrix when it is used in this capacity. 9 10 The National Mine Land Reclamation Center (NMLRC) has used steel slag in three Acid Mine 11 Drainage (AMD) remediation projects. These three projects are named the McCarty Highwall 12 site, the DeAntoni site, and the Muzzleloader Club site. Two of the three projects used steel slag 13 in similar capacities. The DeAntoni site and the Muzzleloader Club site used steel slag in direct 14 contact with fresh water, while the slag used at McCarty Highwall site was directly contacted by 15 acidic water. Although project longevity between the three projects varied, leaching potential of 16 toxic metals did not seem to be affected by the type of water the steel slag was used in. 17 18 None of the three projects showed large concentrations of any of the TCLP metals in their 19 respective effluent waters. The antimony (Sb) concentration from the McCarty Highwall project 20 was the only parameter that was above the EPA's drinking water standards from all three 21 projects. The concentration of Sb was 0.009 mg/L and the EPA drinking water standard is 0.006 22 mg/l. This was likely not a significant difference because the concentrations are very close to 23 one another. Due to a lack of TCLP metals found in effluent waters for these projects, steel slag 24 is recommended as a viable alkaline source for the treatment of AMD. 25 26 Additional

Journal American Society of Mining and Reclamation, 2007

Journal of Environmental Quality, 2010

Acidity of water from abandoned underground mines decreases over time, and the rate of decrease c... more Acidity of water from abandoned underground mines decreases over time, and the rate of decrease can help formulate remediation approaches and treatment system designs. The objective of this study was to determine an overall acidity decay rate for above‐drainage underground mines in northern West Virginia from a large data set of mines that were closed 50 to 70 yr ago. Water quality data were obtained from 30 Upper Freeport and 7 Pittsburgh coal seam mines in 1968, 1980, 2000, and 2006, and acidity decay curves were calculated. The mean decay constant, k, for Upper Freeport mines was 2.73 × 10−2 yr−1, with a 95% confidence interval of ± 0.0052, whereas the k value for Pittsburgh mines was not significantly different at 4.26 × 10−2 yr−1 ± 0.017. Acidity from the T&T mine, which was closed 12 yr ago, showed a k value of 11.25 × 10−2 yr−1 This higher decay rate was likely due to initial flushing of accumulated metal salts on reaction surfaces in the mine, rapid changes in mine hydrology...

Journal American Society of Mining and Reclamation, 2012

Mine Water and the Environment, 2014

High flows during spring runoff and snowmelt can increase the concentrations of contaminants in t... more High flows during spring runoff and snowmelt can increase the concentrations of contaminants in the discharge or dilute them. In the Appalachian region, March tends to be a time of high flows from underground mines, May has moderate flow rates, and July has low flows. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of flow rate on water quality from five acid-producing, abovedrainage underground mines in West Virginia. We measured flow rates and acidity twice a week for 3 weeks in March, May, and July 2007. As expected, flow rates in March (average of five sites) were significantly higher at 32 L s-1 than flows in May and July at 18 and 6 L s-1. Flows during weeks within months were not significantly different. Acidity concentrations for March and May (high and moderate flow months) were significantly lower at 342 and 400 mg L-1 (as CaCO 3) than those in July at 524 mg L-1 (as CaCO 3). Similar to flow, acidity concentrations during weeks within the same month were not significantly different. In general, this data supported the 'dilution' concept, where higher flow rates resulted in lower acidity concentrations from above-drainage underground mine discharges.

The objective of this research was to determine the changes in acidity, sulfate, iron, aluminum, ... more The objective of this research was to determine the changes in acidity, sulfate, iron, aluminum, and calcium concentrations over time in above-drainage, underground mines. Water analyses were compiled from four sampling dates for two coal seams. Results for all sites showed declines in all parameters. Acidity decreases from the 40 sites were compared to three acidity decay curves. The data most closely matched the 5 percent decay curve. Acidity values from a different mine most closely matched the 10 percent decay curve during its first 12 years after closure. None of the five parameters showed significant relationships with either decade of mine closure or coal seam. Five sites were more intensively sampled during March, May, and July 2007 to determine how flow and acidity changed over differing time periods. Flows were found to vary significantly between months. However, flow differences were not significant within the same month. Acidity followed a similar trend. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my professors and colleagues that helped me along my research path. My adviser, Jeff Skousen, was an invaluable source of information and support during the research and writing processes. His door was always open whenever I had a question. Louis McDonald and Dorothy Vesper provided very helpful information about the chemistry/geochemistry of AMD, as well as help with data presentation and analysis. I would also like to thank Desta Fekedulegn for his help with the statistical part of the data analysis. His explanations of the statistical analyses performed were easy to understand and made the task of writing the discussion of the data much easier. Ken Stewart of the NRCCE Lab and Joan Wright of the Division of Plant and Soil Sciences aided in the analysis of water samples. Lastly, I would like to thank my family. Their encouragement and love has supported me through the entire process of graduate school. The completion of this degree would not have been possible without them. iv

Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects

Journal American Society of Mining and Reclamation

The Roaring Creek watershed in central West Virginia was known to be impacted by historic coal mi... more The Roaring Creek watershed in central West Virginia was known to be impacted by historic coal mining. However, the current degree of the environmental degradation within the watershed was not known. A partnership between the National Mine Land Reclamation Center (NMLRC), the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection-Division of Water and Waste Management (WVDEP-DWWM), and Trout Unlimited (TU) was formed to assess the impacts of nonpoint-source pollution in the Roaring Creek watershed. Water chemistry, water quantity, and benthic data were gathered four times between 2009 and 2010. The results of this data show that almost all of the mining impacts within the watershed were found in one tributary called Kittle Hollow. Due to these findings, Kittle Hollow was targeted for further sampling. Multiple mine drainage sources were sampled in order to prioritize them for passive treatment. This collected data will be used to develop a watershed-based plan, which will represent the end of the assessment process. Currently, the plan is being written and the remediation projects are in the design phase. Once these projects are completed, they are expected to remove 80% of the metal and acid loads from each mine discharge. The ultimate goal of the watershed assessment process is to improve the quality of the existing trout fishery in Roaring Creek as well as extend the territory in which trout can thrive. It is anticipated that the reclamation of Kittle Hollow will allow the entire Roaring Creek watershed to function as a successful fishery.

The objective of this research was to determine the changes in acidity, sulfate, iron, aluminum, ... more The objective of this research was to determine the changes in acidity, sulfate, iron, aluminum, and calcium concentrations over time in above-drainage, underground mines. Water analyses were compiled from four sampling dates for two coal seams. Results for all sites showed declines in all parameters. Acidity decreases from the 40 sites were compared to three acidity decay curves. The data most closely matched the 5 percent decay curve. Acidity values from a different mine most closely matched the 10 percent decay curve during its first 12 years after closure. None of the five parameters showed significant relationships with either decade of mine closure or coal seam. Five sites were more intensively sampled during March, May, and July 2007 to determine how flow and acidity changed over differing time periods. Flows were found to vary significantly between months. However, flow differences were not significant within the same month. Acidity followed a similar trend. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my professors and colleagues that helped me along my research path. My adviser, Jeff Skousen, was an invaluable source of information and support during the research and writing processes. His door was always open whenever I had a question. Louis McDonald and Dorothy Vesper provided very helpful information about the chemistry/geochemistry of AMD, as well as help with data presentation and analysis. I would also like to thank Desta Fekedulegn for his help with the statistical part of the data analysis. His explanations of the statistical analyses performed were easy to understand and made the task of writing the discussion of the data much easier. Ken Stewart of the NRCCE Lab and Joan Wright of the Division of Plant and Soil Sciences aided in the analysis of water samples. Lastly, I would like to thank my family. Their encouragement and love has supported me through the entire process of graduate school. The completion of this degree would not have been possible without them. iv

High flows during spring runoff and snowmelt can increase the concentrations of contaminants in t... more High flows during spring runoff and snowmelt can increase the concentrations of contaminants in the discharge or dilute them. In the Appalachian region, March tends to be a time of high flows from underground mines, May has moderate flow rates, and July has low flows. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of flow rate on water quality from five acid-producing, above-drainage underground mines in West Virginia. We measured flow rates and acidity twice a week for 3 weeks in March, May, and July 2007. As expected, flow rates in March (average of five sites) were significantly higher at 32 L s-1 than flows in May and July at 18 and 6 L s-1. Flows during weeks within months were not significantly different. Acidity concentrations for March and May (high and moderate flow months) were significantly lower at 342 and 400 mg L-1 (as CaCO 3) than those in July at 524 mg L-1 (as CaCO 3). Similar to flow, acidity concentrations during weeks within the same month were not significantly different. In general, this data supported the 'dilution' concept, where higher flow rates resulted in lower acidity concentrations from above-drainage underground mine discharges.

ICARD: Lexington, American …, Jan 1, 2006

asmr.us

Steel slag is a highly alkaline substance that is a byproduct of the steel-making process. 6 This... more Steel slag is a highly alkaline substance that is a byproduct of the steel-making process. 6 This substance has been used in many different applications, including the remediation of mine 7 drainage. However, some research has shown that large concentrations of possibly toxic metals 8 may leach from the steel slag matrix when it is used in this capacity. 9 10 The National Mine Land Reclamation Center (NMLRC) has used steel slag in three Acid Mine 11 Drainage (AMD) remediation projects. These three projects are named the McCarty Highwall 12 site, the DeAntoni site, and the Muzzleloader Club site. Two of the three projects used steel slag 13 in similar capacities. The DeAntoni site and the Muzzleloader Club site used steel slag in direct 14 contact with fresh water, while the slag used at McCarty Highwall site was directly contacted by 15 acidic water. Although project longevity between the three projects varied, leaching potential of 16 toxic metals did not seem to be affected by the type of water the steel slag was used in. 17 18 None of the three projects showed large concentrations of any of the TCLP metals in their 19 respective effluent waters. The antimony (Sb) concentration from the McCarty Highwall project 20 was the only parameter that was above the EPA's drinking water standards from all three 21 projects. The concentration of Sb was 0.009 mg/L and the EPA drinking water standard is 0.006 22 mg/l. This was likely not a significant difference because the concentrations are very close to 23 one another. Due to a lack of TCLP metals found in effluent waters for these projects, steel slag 24 is recommended as a viable alkaline source for the treatment of AMD. 25 26 Additional