COOK'S RUN PROJECT
Bioreactor for Treatment of Acid Mine Discharge (AMD) on Cook’s Run
Project Background
Cook’s Run is a coldwater stream located in the Sproul State Forest in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, a tributary of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River, near the village of Westport, Pa. It had a native Brook Trout population and was stocked by the Pa. Fish & Boat Commission. A couple of decades ago, Fran Contracting Co. operated a surface coal mining project above Crowley Run, a tributary of Cook’s Run. As a consequence of this action, a highly toxic seepage developed, discharging into Crowley Run. The operator was unable to remedy the discharge. They exhausted their funds and forfeited their bond of $9930.
Cook’s Run Abandoned Mine
Drainage Polluted Discharge
The Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation (BAMR) was able to reduce the
discharge somewhat by drilling into the minesite and pumping in an alkaline
slurry, however a severe discharge continued.
Throughout the Eastern U.S., the most common method of treating AMD has been anoxic limestone drains (ALD) and Successive Alkalinity Producing Systems (SAPS).
Their goal is to add alkalinity, so that iron laden AMD is buffered so that the iron is hydrolyzed and precipitated as a hydroxide. This is called "Yellow Boy" and is settled out in a pond and eventually dredged and placed in a landfill. Occasionally it may be recovered and used as paint pigment.
A problem occurs when the AMD contains significant amounts of Aluminum, (common in many drainage systems). The geochemical conditions in ALD’s & SAPS favor the formation of Gibbsite, [Al(OH)3] which, is a gelatinous solid. The gibbsite sludge tends to fill the void spaces between the limestone rock used in a typical ALD or SAPS as well as clogging the drainage pipes. This becomes a major maintenance problem.
Small amounts of Aluminum in the AMD preclude the use of an ALD. It can be tolerated in minor amounts in a SAPS System Unit, but periodic flushing of the sludge is required to maintain efficiency of the system or it can eventually fail.
Sulfate Reducing Bioreactors
Sulfate reduction has been shown to effectively treat AMD containing dissolved heavy metals including aluminum. The chemical reactions are facilitated by the bacteria, Desulfovibrio, found in mammalian feces.
Knight Pie’sold, an Engineering Company, from Denver, Colorado has been in AMD remediation projects through out the world, utilizing the sulfate reducing bioreactor.
Phase II Small Scale Abandoned
Mine Drainage Bioreactor Treatment Cell
History of the Project
In April of 2000, Joseph Shueck and Michael Klimkos of PADEP approached the Allegheny Mountain Chapter, Trout Unlimited, regarding the Cook’s Run Pollution. They suggested that a Sulfate Reducing Bioreactor might be effective in remediating the AMD and asked the Chapter to consider sponsoring a Phase I investigational operation using five (5) bench-scale test cells to evaluate the use of SRB anaerobic bioreactors at the Fran Site.
In August of 2000, five (5) benchscale containers were placed, with different amounts of cow manure, sawdust, hay and crushed Limestone, at a treatment rate of 9.4 liters each per day. The results were most encouraging. Three of the five bench cells removed over 99% of the influent iron and aluminum! Influent pH averaged 2.2 while the discharge was a pH of 6.0. The cells were then autopsied to ascertain any Gibbsite content, but none was found in any of the five cells.
With these effective results, AMCTU, agreed to sponsor a Phase II test at the Fran Site. This will provide an anaerobic cell with a bottom area of 4,400 square feet and a depth of five (5) feet. It will be filled to a depth of three (3) feet with a mixture of shredded wood, fine-grained limestone, cow manure and hay. This unit will treat one (1) gallon per minute of the contaminated water. This construction is nearing completion.
Dedication Ceremony at Cook’s Run
Abandoned Mine Drainage Project
On July 22, 2002 a dedication ceremony will take place at the site. DEP
Secretary David Hess will be on hand to place the first material at the site.
Representatives from the several funding organizations are expected to attend,
as well as Representatives from DCNR, PA Fish & Boat, Clinton Co.
Conservation District, Kettlecreek Watershed Assn., National TU and Directors of
Allegheny Mountain Chapter TU. John Dawes, President, Western Pa. Watershed
Protection Program, D. Edward Chaplin, Trustee, of the Mengle Foundation, Bruce
Golden, of The Western Coalition for Abandoned Mines.
A Growing Greener application, as well as an application to the Office of Surface Mining (OSM) have been forwarded dependent upon successful completion of Phase II.
AMCTU believes this methodology may provide an important advancement in the evolution of AMD remediation. If so, 3300 miles of decimated streams and 184,000 acres of AMD impacted lands in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania may well benefit.
I will be happy to respond to any questions you may have.
Dr. Colson E. Blakeslee
July 10, 2002