ATTACHMENT I-9
A.
The proposed site is located in Mingo County, West Virginia on
the ridges which lie between the Right Fork and Steer Hollow
of Gilbert Creek of the Guyandotte River and Sim’s Fork of
Fourpole Creek tributaries of the Tug Fork River.
The
proposed permit lies within the Kanawha Section of the
Appalachian plateau physiographic providence. Local streams
have deeply dissected the plateau into narrow steep sided
valleys separated by sharp hills and ridges. Valleys rarely
exceed 1,000 feet in width with hills rising 500 to 1,200 feet
above valley floors. Geological strata within the proposed
permitted area includes primarily sandstones and shales of the
middle Kanawha group of the Pottsville series. The overburden
sequence is primarily sandstone, sandy or silty shales.
B.
Extensive pre-law mining related disturbance is found
throughout the boundary of proposed mining area. Contour,
auger, and room-and-pillar mining has occurred in the Lower
Alma, Upper Alma, and Upper Cedar Grove coal seams.
C.
A Geo-Hydrologic Map, located in Section I-8 of this
application, showing areas where the proposed mine site will
be located. The enclosed map shows linear features observable
on Landsat images. The primary source of information was taken
from numerous winter and spring Landsat images. These were
investigated at scales of 1:1,000,000; 1:250,000; and
1:87,000. Both false color composites and black-and-white Band
7 (near-infrared) images were used. In some cases, additional
information was obtained from NASA high-altitude color
infrared photography and USGS panchromatic photography.
Stratigraphic correlations in the vicinity of the site
indicate the regional dip of the strata is to the Northwest at
approximately 1 to 2%. Localized variations in structure are
probably due to differential sedimentation and compaction. The
1968 Geologic Map of West Virginia depicts the northeastsoutheast trending Wake Forest Anticline which terminates
north of Mountain View near Deadman Branch. Other prominent
geological features include the Handley Syncline which is
located approximately 3.5 miles to the northwest.
D.
Acid-Base Account data for Core Hole 9T-08 is attached.
Acid-Base Accounting procedures are defined in EPA-600/2-78054, Field and Laboratory Methods Applicable to overburdens
and Mine Soils. From the Acid-Base Account,
ATTACHMENT I-9
potentially toxic material is defined as any rock or earth
material having a net potential deficiency of 5.0 tons of
calcium carbonate equivalent or more per 1,000 tons of
material. Regardless of the Acid-Base Account, materials which
have a pH of less than 4.0 in pulverized rock slurry in
distilled water are defined as acid-toxic. Based upon the
results of the geochemical analyses, there appear to be zones
of CaCO3 deficient materials
For corehole 9T-08 strata
greater than 1.00 foot thick possessing values less than –5.00
tons per 1,000 tons of material was a fractured Gray/Brown
Sandstone 3.57’ thick 20’ above the Upper Cedar Grove seam
with a deficiency of -6.06, weathered shale less than a foot
thick directly above the Upper Cedar Grove seam with a
deficiency of -9.69 above and weathered shale a foot thick
with a net deficiency of -8.78 directly below the Upper Cedar
Grove seam, a fireclay with a thickness of 0.55’ directly
above the Alma A and a Dark Gray underclay with a net
deficiency of -0.56 directly below the Alma A seam, a Dark
Gray Siltstone 3.0’ thick with a deficiency of -0.97 7.0’
above the Alma B seam, a Dark Gray Siltstone 0.95’ thick with
a deficiency of -2.44 that is 3.0’ above the Alma B seam, a
Dark Gray Siltstone 0.7’ thick with a deficiency of -7.25 less
than a foot above the Alma B seam, a Black Shale 0.25’ thick
with a deficiency of -210.63 directly above the Alma B seams,
a Dark Gray Claystone 1.0’ thick with a deficiency of -3.53
directly below the Alma B seams. The roof and floor material
of the Williamson Coal Seam will require special hanling due
to the fact that no ABA and Se testing was performed on this
strata.
Analysis for Total Selenium was also conducted on corehole 9T08. Results for corehole 9T-08 strata to be disturbed with
this proposed mining operation contained concentrations of
Selenium exceeding the 1mg/kg per foot of strata maximum
contaminant level (MCL). Three stratigraphic units were
identified. The first was identified a Dark Gray Siltstone
1.0’ feet above the Upper Cedar Grove Coal seam with a
thickness 0.51’ with a Se value of 1.0 ppm and a Black Soft
Shale directly above the Upper Cedar Grove seam with a Se
value of 2.14 ppm, a fire clay directly above the Alma A seam
0.55’ thick with a Se value of 1.09 ppm, a Dark Gray Siltstone
2.0’ thick 4.0’ feet above the Alma B seams with a Se value of
1.29 ppm, and a Dark Gray Claystone 1.0’ thick directly below
the Alma B seams with a Se value of 1.39 ppm.
No potentially toxic or acid producing material as listed
above shall be placed in close proximity of a drainage course
ATTACHMENT I-9
or groundwater system. No potential acid and or toxic
material will be placed within the confines of a valley fill.
All pit cleanings and coal partings will be encapsulated as
well. Acidic and/or toxic strata will be specially handled to
avoid contamination of surface and groundwater resources
within and adjacent to the proposed permit area and to
minimize adverse effects on plant growth or land use.
E.
Weathered Strata was not found within the boundaries of this
application.
F.
The coreholes included in the geologic sampling program passed
through strata which was fractured, therefore, these strata
overlie extensive underground mine works which would account
for this. It is not anticipated that the fractured strata that
overlies the proposed mining will have an impact upon the
operation. Broken strata may have to be addressed due to its
potential effects on the hydrologic regime. However, the only
impact from fractured and weathered strata on the site would
be in the high wall area. A potential safety hazard could
exist, caused by broken strata affecting high wall
integrity. If seams of brown and weathered sandstone were
encountered it would indicate previous avenues of
groundwater movement. Steep topography and limited recharge
area promote high runoff rates and minimize infiltration.
The Pond Creek coal seam is the only known aquifer in this
area. The Pond Creek will not be removed during these
mining operations therefore, the affect of the proposed
mining on the hydrologic regime should be minimal.
G. The surface disturbance caused by this operation will have
some impact on the overall hydrology and geology of the
permitted area. Land following mining will be
unconsolidated resulting in some increase of the recharge
capacity within the groundwater in the regraded areas.
However, there should be no adverse impact on the water
quality based upon data enclosed within this application.
As with nearly any operation which disturbs ground surface,
the infiltration rate tends to increase once mining has
occurred and regraded backfilling has been completed.
Geological strata within the proposed permitted area
includes primarily sandstones and shales of the middle
Kanawha group of the Pottsville series. The overburden
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sequence is composed primarily of sandstone and sandy or
silty shales. The geologic column is representative
of the material to be backfilled and regraded. This includes
mostly sandstones and gray and sandy shales. This material is
mostly of durable nature and of a non-toxic variety.
H. Down-dip high-wall and/or auger mining will be performed on
the Alma A and Alma B coal seams. No gravity discharges from
openings are expected due to minimal groundwater sources at
these elevations, the minimal dip of the coal seam, and the
extent of penetration of the mining operations. High-wall mine
entries will be sealed with the most impervious non-acid
producing clay or shale available and then backfilled over by
bench reclamation. Due to minimal groundwater sources at those
elevations, the minimal dip of the coal seam, and the extent
of penetration of the mining operations, the backfill material
will not allow the small amount of static head within the
mining voids to flow. Therefore, no wet seals will be placed
in the highwall and/or auger mining operations voids in order
to prevent acidic or toxic water from discharging from the
above mentioned coal seams in areas where down-dip mining is
conducted.