Attachment I-9
Eastern Associated Coal, LLC
Winifrede No. 18 Mine
A.
Stratigraphic and lithologic descriptions of the area to be affected by mining:
The proposed mining operations will affect the Winifrede seam and adjacent
lithologic units of the Kanawha series of the Pennsylvanian Geologic Age.
The Conemaugh Series is characterized by red and green shales and sandy shales
and brown and gray sandstones. The two prominent sands of the series are
descending order are the Mahoning Sandstone and the Freeport Sandstone, which
is the basal unit of the Conemaugh Series. Fossils common to the Conemaugh are
as follows; Asttartella gurleyi, Chonetes granulifer, Crinoids fragments,
Ostracods, Pleurotoruaria, Producttus core, Rhombopora lepidodendroidea, and
Septopora biserialis.
The Allegheny Series is dominated by the East Lynn Sandstone, which overlies
the No. 5 Block Coal Seam which marks the base of the series. The East Lynn
Sandstone was named for it’s extensive massive development near the town of
East Lynn, West Virginia.
Follis fauna and flora present are as follows in the Allegheny Series;
Pseudopecopteris obslusiloba, Mariopteris sillimaum, Sphenopteris Sabida,
Pecoptteris emargimata, Alethopteris serbii, Calamites cistii, Ammularia ramose,
Sphenophylum emarginatum, Sigilloria camptotaenia and carpolithes ellipticus.
The Kanawha series of the Pennsylvanian Age strata contains the following
members tested in this region. In descending order they are: the Homewood
Sandstone, the Stockton-Lewiston, Coalburg, Winifrede, Chilton, Williamson,
Cedar Grove, Alma, Peerless, Campbell Creek, Powellton, Eagle Gilbert and
Douglas Coal horizons.
Underlying the Buffalo Creek Limestone from 0 to 5 feet occurs a massive,
yellowish-gray sandstone. Fine grained below, but generally with a coarse grain
in its upper half. The Upper Winifrede sandstone is named from its occurrence
over the Winifrede Coal bed. It generally has a smooth lower surface unlike most
of the sandstone, which form immediate roofs of coal beds, is very regular and
does not cut into the underlying coal but forms an even roof. The coal does not
adhere or stick to the sandstone, but separates from it as freely as from a slate
roof.
The Upper Winifrede sandstone forms abrupt bluffs and often-massive cliffs from
40 to 75 feet in thickness. In passing up Coal River, the strata dip southeastward
into the Coalburg Syncline.
Attachment I-9
Eastern Associated Coal, LLC
Winifrede No. 18 Mine
Underlying the Upper Winifrede sandstone, from 0 to 10 feet, is one of the most
important coals in the Kanawha Series. It is a multiple bedded, hard, splinty coal
with some layers of block coal which render it very desirable for domestic fuel
and steam purposes.
This bed was named the Winifrede Coal from a mining village of that name on
Fields Creek in Kanawha County, 15 miles south of Charleston, where the coal
was first mined for commercial purposes as early as 1855.
The Winifrede Coal is one of the most important beds in Crook District, being of
commercial thickness and purity in nearly the whole district. In the northern part
of the district, the coal is high on the hills, but dips rapidly through the Coalburg
Syncline.
Underneath the Winifrede Coal, and separated from the same by impure fire clay
and sandy shale from 2 to 5 feet, there occurs a bed of massive, gray sandstone
that has been named the Lower Winifrede. This bed is often split up into several
members of shale and sandstone, and it ranges in thickness from 20 to 40 feet.
This sandstone bed appears to be different in texture and lithological aspects from
sandstone overlying the coal marks the lower portion of the Upper Kanawha
series. This stratum rises above the beds of the streams in the northern part of
Boone County, and is generally massive, forming cliffs along its outcrop.
B.
Hydrogeologic setting including the areal and vertical distribution of all aquifers;
seasonal differences in head; the name(s) of the stratum (or strata) in which the
water is found; and the availability, movement, quality, and quantity of ground
water flow in all aquifer units:
There are no known present users of aquifers within the proposed permit area.
The nearest known available source of ground water is from deeps well located in
the communities of Wharton and Twilight. The wells located near Wharton are
located at structure33, 34, 35, 48 and 49. However the water supplies for
structure 48 and 49 were replaced by a previous permit, due to low flow and
contamination The wells located at Twilight are located at structure 63 shared by
64 and 66. Other wells are located at structure 65, 82, 94, 95 and 108. Any wells
used for domestic ground water supply are a minimum of 300 feet lower in
elevation than the seam to be mined. Because the proposed mine is
stratigraphically higher than the aquifer which is used locally as a source for
ground water supplies, no dilution or interruption of local ground or surface water
availability is anticipated. Water is available in both areas from West Virginia
American Water Company.
Attachment I-9
Eastern Associated Coal, LLC
Winifrede No. 18 Mine
C.
Structural geology of the coal seam and strata to be affected by mining both in the
Permit and adjacent areas, including faults, folds, fracture and lineament traces,
and Regional and site specific strike and dip;
A core description for drill holes are listed in Attachment I-10, no faults, fold,
fractures and lineament traces have been identified during exploration. See
Proposal and Drainage Map for strike and dip. Also see Attachment I-9.C, Lansat
Linear Features of West Virginia.
D.
Geochemical character of all strata and coal to be disturbed by mining and the
potential of this strata for generating acid, alkaline, or iron-laden drainage;
Presented as Attachment I-10 are the geologic logs for the core holes used for this
part of the permit application. Location and elevation information was presented
in Attachment I-8. Sulfur forms were presented in Attachment I-1. Acid/Base
accounting information is provided as Attachment I-11. Because of the locations
of the proposed additional openings located down-dip from the portal areas of the
mining operations, a gravity discharge is anticipated. The discharge is estimated
to be 0-2 cfs, and should require no chemical or physical (sediment) treatment
prior to discharge, based upon present and past water qualities on adjacent mining
operations in the same seam, and the results of acid/base accounting of the
overburden to be disturbed.
E.
Depth and degree of weathering of area strata and the effects this weathering has
on the physical and geochemical properties of the overburden proposed for
disturbance;
No fractured strata was identified by the drillers log, and weathering was minimal
and should have no adverse effects on the extraction of coal and/or the hydrologic
regime.
F.
Effects of fracturing and weathering on the extraction of coal and hydrologic
regime;
Fracturing and/or weathering is very minimal and should have no adverse effects
on the extraction of coal and/or the hydrologic regime.
Fractures may increase ground water flow allowing water following the bedding
Attachment I-9
Eastern Associated Coal, LLC
Winifrede No. 18 Mine
planes to pass to the underlying strata. Fractures that are not associated with
pronounced faults product only a small increase in overall porosity of rocks,
therefore, the effect should be insignificant.
G.
Anticipated impacts of all proposed and exiting operations on the geology and
hydrology of the area, including impacts resulting form multiple seam mining and
subsidence;
It is not anticipated that the impact of the proposed operation will have a profound
impact on the geology of the area primarily because extensive amount of prior
mining in the coal seams within the proposed area.
Multiple seam mining has been conducted in the area of the proposed permit
application. The overmining in the area has been in the Dorothy and Coalburg
Seams. Also the seams overlying the Coalburg seam have been surface mined.
Prior underground mining has eliminated all known significant aquifers above the
Winifrede Coal Seam. The majority of mining underlying the area has been in the
Hernshaw, Campbells Creek (2-Gas), Powellton and Eagle Seams. In the
proposed area where pillaring is proposed there is a possibility that the natural
fractures in the main roof will be enhanced and these enhanced fractures will than
transmit a portion of the water contained in the overlying perched aquifers
downward into the void created by mining. However, this is overshadowed by
the mining operation in the underlying seams, which cause any accumulations of
water to be transmitted down to the void created by the mining at the Eagle Seam
level.
H. For underground mining operations (including auger mining) indicate whether or
not there is the potential for gravity discharge(s) and the anticipated quantity and
quality of the discharge(s) from each potential discharge site. For non-gravity
discharge situations, indicate the potential for seepage along the outcrop barrier
and the potential hydraulic head might result in the underground workings.
Indicate if the potential discharge will require chemical treatment.
As the mining plan, has down dip punch outs, there will be a potential for a
gravity discharge. Water samples of a mine discharges from the Winifrede seam
are included in Attachment J-10 of this application and identified on the Water
Sample Map. The quality of this discharge falls within the guideline of the Rules
and Regulations. With this gravity discharge no seepage along the outcrop is
anticipated.