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Conclusions
Since 1977 operators of surface coal mines have been required by the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (PL 95-87) to remove, store, and replace the topsoil on surface-mined land. The intent of the law is to return the land as quickly as possible to a condition capable of supporting the productive use that the land was capable of supporting prior to mining or to a higher productive use. On land that falls under the prime farm land category the A and B horizons of the soil must be replaced to a depth of 48 inches or to a depth equal to the depth of a subsurface horizon in the natural soil that inhibits root penetration, whichever is shallower. On other lands only the A horizon must be replaced. If the A horizon is less than 6 inches thick, the A horizon and the consolidated or unconsolidated material immediately below the A horizon to a depth of 6 inches must be replaced.
The regulatory authority in each state (in Kansas the Mined Land Conservation and Reclamation Board) may authorize the use of substitute or supplemental materials, such as selected subsurface soil horizons and overburden layers, that will result in a soil equal to or more suitable for sustaining vegetation than the available topsoil. The determination must be supported by results from chemical and physical analyses of soil and overburden, and shown to be feasible by field demonstrations.
Today, laws and regulations concerning the environment are passed and implemented before adequate background information is obtained from research. With regard to mined-land reclamation, research is needed to determine if, and when, it is appropriate to blend soil horizons with each other or with selected overburden layers to improve the physical and chemical properties of a minesoil, and in so doing to effectively create a soil of greater productive capacity than that which existed prior to mining.
The results of this study, based on wheat yields and comparisons of various chemical and physical properties of a minesoil and a natural soil, show the minesoil, which was not topsoiled, to be quite comparable to the natural soil. The results also suggest that replacing the A and B horizons as present in the natural soil may result in a soil less productive than if these horizons are mixed together or with C horizon and/or other selected overburden. Mixing these materials will result in an increase in the amount of coarse particles in the minesoil, allowing more infiltration and percolation of rainfall, decreasing surface runoff, and hence reducing erosion and sedimentation. Also, since more rainfall enters the minesoil and moves deeper, there is more moisture available for plant growth. This is especially important during drought conditions. The more uniform texture that results from the mixing of horizons produces a deeper rooting zone for plants.
The problems of water quality and land-productivity degradation associated with acid conditions at the sites of coal surface mines can be prevented. Overburden analysis of core samples taken prior to mining can aid in identifying possible toxic and acid-producing strata. These can then be separated out during the excavation process for deep burial during backfilling. with the excess acidity eliminated it would then not be necessary to add large amounts of lime to raise the minesoil pH. However, to successfully establish such vegetation as grasses, it would still be necessary to apply sufficient fertilizer nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
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Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge the following organizations and persons and their contributions to the study: The U.S. Geological Survey for funding the study under U.S.G.S. Grant No. 14-08-0001-G-241; Ronald Hardy, ceramic engineer, formerly with the Kansas Geological Survey, and Carol Zarley, mineral economist with the Kansas Geological Survey, for writing the original proposal and obtaining the grant, and for initial organization of the study; John Mackie, Jr., president of the Clemens Coal Company, for his cooperation and assistance during the study; Donald Fleury, engineer formerly with the Clemens Coal Company, for data and discussion of company drilling records and reclamation efforts; Neal Livingston, geologist formerly with the Kansas Geological Survey, for assistance in sampling coal and compiling geological data; Katherine Keene, hydrologist formerly with the Kansas Geological Survey, for assistance with well drilling and monitoring; Truman Waugh, chemist with the Kansas Geological Survey, for chemical analysis of minesoil auger samples; Gerard James, geochemist with the Kansas Geological Survey, for x-ray fluorescence analysis of rock core C-2; Joseph Hatch and Vernon Swanson of the U.S. Geological Survey for elemental analysis of coal samples; the Coal Analysis Section of the U.S. Department of Energy for proximate and ultimate analyses and determinations of heat of combustion and forms of sulfur; David Whitney of the Kansas State University Soil Testing Laboratory for soil-fertility analysis; the Kansas Department of Health and Environment for water-quality analysis; and Julie Jaeger, secretary/typist with the Kansas Geological Survey, for typing the original manuscript.
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Kansas Geological Survey, Geology
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