Research and Demonstration Projects in
the Abatement of Acid Mine Drainage
JOHN J. BUSCAVAGE, Assistant Chief
Mine Drainage Section
Division of Sanitary Engineering
Pennsylvania Department of Health
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
INTRODUCTION
Coal mining has been carried out in Pennsylvania for more than 150 years.
In this period of time, some thirteen billion tons of anthracite and bituminous coal
were removed from beneath the surface of this state. Removal of this coal left
approximately 2,000 miles of streams impaired by the acid and iron in mine
drainage. These streams are of little or no value for industrial or public consumption, unless expensive treatment is undertaken prior to use of the water.
Since these streams are void of normal aquatic life their recreational value is also
limited. Many of the areas in which mining has been carried on havebecome
economically depressed. Recent passage of the "Appalachia Bill' in the U. S.
Congress is evidence of this fact.
With coal being the foundation for the state's economy, the mine drainage
pollution problem was overlooked for many years. However, in 1945 the Pennsylvania state legislature amended the state's Clean Streams Law to include mine
drainage which had previously been exempted. The legislature vested the authority of carrying out this law in the state's sanitary water board. This was the first
such control of mine drainage in the United States.
Soon after passage of mine drainage control legislation, the Board recognized
the need for research in the control and abatement of mine drainage. From 1946
to 1953 the Board spent approximately $300,000 for research grants.
This research was accomplished mainly by the Mellon Institute of Industrial
Research, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The research projects included: the study of
the effect of coal mine drainage and other industrial wastes upon the normal
chemical, bacteriological and other biological processes by which a stream may
free itself of pollution; the formation and occurrence of acids in coal mines and
other coal workings and wastes, with the development of procedures for reducing
or preventing acid generation; and pilot plant treatment of coal mine drainage to
neutralize the acid.
The knowledge gained through this research and regulation of mining practices has resulted in a strong mine drainage control program.
Today, there are approximately twenty mine drainage research and/or
demonstration projects being carried out in Pennsylvania (See Figure 1). The following is a brief description of the important aspects of most of these projects.
MONONGAHELA RIVER MINE DRAINAGE REMEDIAL PROJECT
In December 1963, the U. S. Public Health Service called a conference on
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