Attachment I-9
Jarrell’s Branch Coal Company
Board Camp Mine
A.
Stratigraphic and lithologic descriptions of the area to be affected by
mining:
The proposed mining operations will affect the Coalburg 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 its 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.
The Coalburg Sandstone occurs near the tops of the hills. In the northern part of
Sherman District, and on up Coal River, this sandstone forms high projecting cliffs
60 to 75 feet in thickness. The sandstone in the area of Jarrell’s Branch of Hopkins
Fork is massive, 110 feet thick, medium coarse and buffish gray in color.
Underlying the Coalburg Sandstone from 0 to 10 feet is the Coalburg coal seam,
named for a small town of that name on the Kanawha River in Kanawha County.
This bed contains much splint coal as well as alternate layers of soft coal and one or
more partings of shale. Frequently, the layers of shale will thicken into several feet
of rock material.
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Jarrell’s Branch Coal Company
Board Camp Mine
From 0 to 20 feet under the Coalburg Coal, and separated from the same by layers
of impure fire clay and sandy shales, there often occurs a thin bed of coal that has
been named the Lower Coalburg Coal from its proximity to the Coalburg seam,
being a split from the latter.
Underneath the Little Coalburg Coal, there occurs another sandstone that has been
named the Lower Coalburg Sandstone. This bed is from 20 to 40 feet in thickness
and forms rugged cliffs. It is medium coarse grained, buffish-gray and very hard.
B.
Hydrogeologic seeting 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:
According to a survey of local water wells, and the Hydrologic Data for the
Coal River Basin, West Virginia most wells are set into either the soil mass
(fully cased or dug wells), or into the upper Kanawha Formation which is
over 400 feet below the mine area. The only known exception is the Prenter
Water Supply Well, which is a former gas well. The well was drilled to a
total depth of 2200 feet and extends into the Pocahontas Formation. The
static water level is artesian flow, if not pumped. The pump is set at 126 feet
from the surface. The depth of casing is unknown. Known sandstone units
that are penetrated are the Lower Winfrede, Upper Chilton. Dug wells
within the area extend 15 to 30 feet below the surface, and according to the
driller’s log for Boone County in the Hydrologic Data survey 19 feet of
surficial material were encountered. Depth to water levels range from 0 to
10 feet below the surface which likely means that the water source is being
derived from the soil mass and not the Kanawha Formation. Water
fluctuations within the soil mass can vary by 4 feet from the wet seasons
(March, April) to the dry seasons (September, October). The greatest
amounts of surficial materials will most likely occur along the river and
stream valleys with water movement flowing toward the streams and rivers.
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/ Drainage Map for strike and dip. Also see Attachment I-9.C,
Lansat Linear Features of West Virginia.
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Jarrell’s Branch Coal Company
Board Camp Mine
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. The Coalburg seam has been extensively mined in this
area for many years, with the discharges falling well within the guidelines of
the Rules and Regulations. As outlined in Paragraph H of this attachment,
no discharge is anticipated from this mining operation. Should a discharge
occur it 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.
As presented on the Acid Base Accounting information included in
Attachment I-11, Coreholes B-379C, B-380C, B-381C and B-382C were
analyzed for both ABA and Selenium. Also any strata showing high
selenium values had the lecheate test performed and all strata showed <.50
mg/l. The lecheate results are reported on the analyses sheet as Column
Selenium.
As shown on the Acid Base Accounting information included in attachment
I-11, the roof material of the Coalburg Coal Seam has a total sulfur content
of 0.11, an average paste pH of 7.77 and an excess CaCO3. Total Selenium
for borehole B-379C, B-380C, B-381C and B-382C is <0.5 ug/l with
TCLP/Column Selenium being <0.5mg/L
Most strata shown for the ABA analysis to be greater than 5.00 is less than
1.0 foot thick except Corehole B-380C which shows a 1.02 foot shale unit
located directly below the Coalburg A seam, with a deficiency of -12.7.
This 1.2 feet of shale will be segregated and permanently stored within the
swell percentage of the face up spoil. The swell percentage of the face up
spoil is to remain in the storage area after mining. This material will be
special handled by placing it away from water ways and enveloping it within
four feet of non-toxic material.
All the ABA and Selenium data as show on Section A-A, Corehole B380C, will be disturbed by the mine face up.
Attachment I-9 continued
Jarrell’s Branch Coal Company
Board Camp Mine
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 were identified by the driller’s 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 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 the area has a
limited amount of undermining and overmining.
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.
The proposed mine in the Coalburg seam, in this area is located near the top
of the mountain. The area has also been undermined in the Dorothy seam.
The Dorothy seam is approximately 80 feet below the Coalburg seam The
Dorothy seam was dry during mining and the portal and punchouts have no
history of discharging.
However, as the mining plan, has proposed down dip punchouts, for
Attachment I-9 continued
Jarrell’s Branch Coal Company
Board Camp Mine
ventilation purposes. Water samples of a mine discharges from the Coalburg
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.