Coal slurry
Encyclopedia
Coal slurry consists of solid and liquid waste
and is a by-product
of the coal mining
and preparation processes. It is a fine coal refuse and water. Mining generates enormous amounts of solid waste
in the form of rocks and dirt. This refuse is used to dam
the opening of a hollow between adjacent mountains.
After the dam is built, the void behind it is typically filled with millions of gallons of waste slurry
from a coal preparation plant
. This impounded liquid waste can sometimes total billions of gallons in a single facility.
High-profile disasters associated with these slurry impoundments have called into question their safety. In February 1972, three dams holding a mixture of coal slurry and water in Logan County, West Virginia
failed in succession: 130000000 gallons (492,103.6 m³) of toxic water were released in the Buffalo Creek Flood
. Out of a population of 5,000 people, 125 people were killed, 1,121 were injured, and over 4,000 were left homeless. The flood caused 50 million dollars in damages. Despite evidence of negligence, the Pittston Coal Company, which owned the compromised dam, called the event an "Act of God
." In 2002, a 900 feet (274.3 m) high, 2000 feet (609.6 m) long valley fill in Lyburn, West Virginia
failed and slid into a sediment pond at the toe of the fill, generating a large wave of water and sediment that destroyed several cars and houses.
. Other chemicals found in the slurry and sludge include the following:
Waste
Waste is unwanted or useless materials. In biology, waste is any of the many unwanted substances or toxins that are expelled from living organisms, metabolic waste; such as urea, sweat or feces. Litter is waste which has been disposed of improperly...
and is a by-product
By-product
A by-product is a secondary product derived from a manufacturing process or chemical reaction. It is not the primary product or service being produced.A by-product can be useful and marketable or it can be considered waste....
of the coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
and preparation processes. It is a fine coal refuse and water. Mining generates enormous amounts of solid waste
Industrial waste
Industrial waste is a type of waste produced by industrial activity, such as that of factories, mills and mines. It has existed since the outset of the industrial revolution....
in the form of rocks and dirt. This refuse is used to dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
the opening of a hollow between adjacent mountains.
After the dam is built, the void behind it is typically filled with millions of gallons of waste slurry
Blackwater (coal)
Blackwater is the pollution produced from coal preparation.It contains copious amounts of hazardous substances, including carcinogenic compounds and heavy metals. Blackwater is permanently impounded in toxic waste facilities, as it cannot be processed into a form that can be returned to the...
from a coal preparation plant
Coal preparation plant
A coal preparation plant is a facility that washes coal of soil and rock, preparing it for transport to market. A CPP may also be called a "coal handling and preparation plant" , "prep plant," "tipple," or "wash plant"....
. This impounded liquid waste can sometimes total billions of gallons in a single facility.
High-profile disasters associated with these slurry impoundments have called into question their safety. In February 1972, three dams holding a mixture of coal slurry and water in Logan County, West Virginia
Logan County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 37,710 people, 14,880 households, and 10,936 families residing in the county. The population density was 83 people per square mile . There were 16,807 housing units at an average density of 37 per square mile...
failed in succession: 130000000 gallons (492,103.6 m³) of toxic water were released in the Buffalo Creek Flood
Buffalo Creek Flood
The Buffalo Creek Flood was a disaster that occurred on February 26, 1972, when the Pittston Coal Company's coal slurry impoundment dam #3, located on a hillside in Logan County, West Virginia, USA, burst four days after having been declared 'satisfactory' by a federal mine inspector.The resulting...
. Out of a population of 5,000 people, 125 people were killed, 1,121 were injured, and over 4,000 were left homeless. The flood caused 50 million dollars in damages. Despite evidence of negligence, the Pittston Coal Company, which owned the compromised dam, called the event an "Act of God
Act of God
Act of God is a legal term for events outside of human control, such as sudden floods or other natural disasters, for which no one can be held responsible.- Contract law :...
." In 2002, a 900 feet (274.3 m) high, 2000 feet (609.6 m) long valley fill in Lyburn, West Virginia
Lyburn, West Virginia
Lyburn is an unincorporated mining community in Logan County, West Virginia, United States. Lyburn is also the home of the Bearwallow trailhead for the Hatfield-Mccoy ATV trail.-Mining accident:...
failed and slid into a sediment pond at the toe of the fill, generating a large wave of water and sediment that destroyed several cars and houses.
Composition
Coal slurry contains a large range of constituents, including dissolved minerals that have been leached or washed out of the coal and other rocks. In addition, the slurry contains chemicals added to facilitate the washing or water re-use processes. One of these chemicals is acrylamideAcrylamide
Acrylamide is a chemical compound with the chemical formula C3H5NO. Its IUPAC name is prop-2-enamide. It is a white odourless crystalline solid, soluble in water, ethanol, ether, and chloroform. Acrylamide is incompatible with acids, bases, oxidizing agents, iron, and iron salts...
. Other chemicals found in the slurry and sludge include the following:
- AnilineAnilineAniline, phenylamine or aminobenzene is an organic compound with the formula C6H5NH2. Consisting of a phenyl group attached to an amino group, aniline is the prototypical aromatic amine. Being a precursor to many industrial chemicals, its main use is in the manufacture of precursors to polyurethane...
- AcenaphtheneAcenaphtheneAcenaphthene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon consisting of naphthalene with an ethylene bridge connecting positions 1 and 8. An alternative name, 1,2-dihydroacenaphthylene, emphasizes that it is a hydrogenated form of acenaphthylene...
- AcenaphthyleneAcenaphthyleneAcenaphthylene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon consisting of naphthalene with an ethylene bridge connecting positions 1 and 8. It is a constituent of coal tar. Reduction of the ethylene group gives the related compound acenaphthene. Unlike most polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, it has no...
- AnthraceneAnthraceneAnthracene is a solid polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon consisting of three fused benzene rings. It is a component of coal-tar. Anthracene is used in the production of the red dye alizarin and other dyes...
- BenzidineBenzidineBenzidine, the trivial name for 4,4'-diaminobiphenyl, is the solid organic compound with the formula 2. This aromatic amine is a component of a test for cyanide and also in the production of dyes...
- Benzo(a)anthraceneBenzo(a)anthraceneBenz[a]anthracene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon with the chemical formula C18H12....
- Benzo(a)pyrene
- Benzo(b)fluoranthene
- Benzo(g,h,i)perylene
- Benzo(k)fluoroanthene
- Benzyl alcoholBenzyl alcoholBenzyl alcohol is an organic compound with the formula C6H5CH2OH. The benzyl group is often abbreviated "Bn", thus benzyl alcohol is denoted as BnOH. Benzyl alcohol is a colorless liquid with a mild pleasant aromatic odor. It is a useful solvent due to its polarity, low toxicity, and low vapor...
- Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate
- Bis(2-chloroethoxy)-methane
- Bis(2-chloroethyl)ether
- Bis(2-chloroisopropyl)ether
- Butyl benzyl phthalate
- ChryseneChryseneChrysene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon with the molecular formula that consists of four fused benzene rings. It is a natural constituent of coal tar, from which it was first isolated and characterized...
- Dibenzo(a,h)anthracene
- DibenzofuranDibenzofuranDibenzofuran, is a heterocyclic organic compound with the chemical structure shown at right. It is an aromatic compound that has two benzene rings fused to one furan ring in the middle. All of the numbered carbon atoms have a hydrogen atom bonded to each of them...
- Dibutyl phthalateDibutyl phthalateDibutyl phthalate is a commonly used plasticizer. It is also used as an additive to adhesives or printing inks. It is soluble in various organic solvents, e.g. in alcohol, ether and benzene...
- Diethyl phthalateDiethyl phthalateDiethyl phthalate is a phthalate ester, namely the diethyl ester of phthalic acid. It is a clear substance that is liquid at room temperature and which does not occur in nature. It has a faint, disagreeable odor and can be transferred from the plastics that contain it...
- Dimethyl phthalateDimethyl phthalateDimethyl phthalate is a phthalate with molecular formula 2. It is the methyl ester of phthalic acid.Dimethyl phthalate is an ectoparasiticide and has many other uses, including in solid rocket propellants, plastics, and insect repellents....
- Dioctylphthalate
- FluorantheneFluorantheneFluoranthene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon consisting of a naphthalene and a benzene unit connected by a five-membered ring. It is a member of the class of PAHs known as non-alternant PAHs because it has rings other than those with six carbon atoms. It is a structural isomer of the...
- FluoreneFluoreneFluorene, or 9H-fluorene, is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. It forms white crystals that exhibit a characteristic, aromatic odor similar to that of naphthalene. It is combustible. It has a violet fluorescence, hence its name. For commercial purposes it is obtained from coal tar...
- HexachlorobenzeneHexachlorobenzeneHexachlorobenzene, or perchlorobenzene, is a chlorocarbon with the molecular formula C6Cl6. It is a fungicide formerly used as a seed treatment, especially on wheat to control the fungal disease bunt...
- HexachloroethaneHexachloroethaneHexachloroethane, also known as perchloroethanes , C2Cl6, is a colorless solid at room temperature which is used by the US Military in smoke compositions, e.g...
- Indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene
- IsophoroneIsophoroneIsophorone is an α,β-Unsaturated cyclic ketone, a colorless to yellowish liquid with characteristic smell, that is used as a solvent and as an intermediate in organic synthesis...
- N-Nitrosodi-n-propylamine
- N-Nitrosodiphenylamine
- NaphthaleneNaphthaleneNaphthalene is an organic compound with formula . It is a white crystalline solid with a characteristic odor that is detectable at concentrations as low as 0.08 ppm by mass. As an aromatic hydrocarbon, naphthalene's structure consists of a fused pair of benzene rings...
- NitrobenzeneNitrobenzeneNitrobenzene is an organic compound with the chemical formula C6H5NO2. It is a water-insoluble pale yellow oil with an almond-like odor. It freezes to give greenish-yellow crystals. It is produced on a large scale as a precursor to aniline. Although occasionally used as a flavoring or perfume...
- PhenanthrenePhenanthrenePhenanthrene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon composed of three fused benzene rings. The name phenanthrene is a composite of phenyl and anthracene. In its pure form, it is found in cigarette smoke and is a known irritant, photosensitizing skin to light...
- PyrenePyrenePyrene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon consisting of four fused benzene rings, resulting in a flat aromatic system. The chemical formula is . This colourless solid is the smallest peri-fused PAH...
- Hexachloro-1,3-butadiene
- Hexachloro-1,3-cyclopentadiene
- 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene is an organic compound used as a solvent, and is one of the best known solvents used to dissolve fullerenes and pentacene. It is a benzene derivative with three chlorine atoms substitutents, in the 1, 2 and 4 positions of the benzene ring.-See...
- 1,2-Dichlorobenzene1,2-Dichlorobenzene1,2-Dichlorobenzene, or orthodichlorobenzene , is an organic compound with the formula C6H4Cl2. This colourless liquid is poorly soluble in water but miscible with most organic solvents...
- 1,3-Dichlorobenzene
- 1,4-Dichlorobenzene1,4-Dichlorobenzene1,4-Dichlorobenzene is an organic compound with the formula C6H4Cl2. This colorless solid has a strong odor. It consists of two chlorine atoms substituted at opposing sites on a benzene ring. p-DCB is used a pesticide and a deodorant, most familiarly in mothballs in which it is a replacement for...
- 2,4-Dinitrotoluene
- 2,6-Dinitrotoluene
- 2-Chloronaphthalene
- 2-Methylnaphthalene
- 2-Nitroaniline2-Nitroaniline2-Nitroaniline, also known as ortho-nitroaniline or o-nitroaniline, is an organic chemical compound that is chemically described as an aniline carrying a nitro functional group in position 2. It is classified as an aromatic amine. At ambient temperature and pressure, 2-nitroaniline is a powdered...
- 3,3'-Dichlorobenzidine3,3'-Dichlorobenzidine3,3'-Dichlorobenzidine is used in the production of azo dyes and is considered a carcinogen. It contains two benzene rings. This compound has been shown to increase the incidence of tumors in animals. Because it is structurally similar to benzidine, a known carcinogen, it is believed that it may...
- 3-Nitroaniline3-Nitroaniline3-Nitroaniline, also known as 'meta'-nitroaniline and m-nitroaniline, is non-volatile stable solid commonly used as a raw material for dyes. 3-Nitroaniline is an aniline carrying a nitro functional group in position 3...
- 4-Bromophenyl phenyl ether
- 4-Chloroaniline4-Chloroaniline4-Chloroaniline is a organochlorine compound with the formula ClC6H4NH2. This pale yellow solid is one of several known chloroanilines.-Preparation:4-Chloroaniline is not prepared from aniline, which tends to overchlorinate...
- 4-Chlorophenyl phenyl ether
- 4-Nitroaniline 4-Nitroaniline4-Nitroaniline, p-nitroaniline or 1-amino-4-nitrobenzene is an organic compound with the formula C6H6N2O2. It is an organic chemical compound, consisting of a phenyl group attached to an amino group which is para to a nitro group. The chemical structure of p-nitroaniline is shown at the right...
List of slurry disasters
- Buffalo Creek FloodBuffalo Creek FloodThe Buffalo Creek Flood was a disaster that occurred on February 26, 1972, when the Pittston Coal Company's coal slurry impoundment dam #3, located on a hillside in Logan County, West Virginia, USA, burst four days after having been declared 'satisfactory' by a federal mine inspector.The resulting...
- Martin County sludge spillMartin County sludge spillThe Martin County Sludge Spill was an accident that occurred after midnight on October 11, 2000 when the bottom of a coal sludge impoundment owned by Massey Energy in Martin County, Kentucky, USA, broke into an abandoned underground mine below. The slurry came out of the mine openings, sending an...
- Kingston Fossil Plant coal fly ash slurry spillKingston Fossil Plant coal fly ash slurry spillThe TVA Kingston Fossil Plant coal fly ash slurry spill occurred just before 1 a.m. on Monday December 22, 2008, when an ash dike ruptured at an solid waste containment area at the Tennessee Valley Authority's Kingston Fossil Plant in Roane County, Tennessee, USA. of coal fly ash slurry was...
See also
- AberfanAberfanThe Aberfan disaster was a catastrophic collapse of a colliery spoil tip that occurred in the Welsh village of Aberfan on Friday 21 October 1966, killing 116 children and 28 adults.-Mining debris:...
, the town in Wales where Pantglas Junior School was buried in slurry, claiming the lives of 144 people, 116 of whom were children - Martin County sludge spillMartin County sludge spillThe Martin County Sludge Spill was an accident that occurred after midnight on October 11, 2000 when the bottom of a coal sludge impoundment owned by Massey Energy in Martin County, Kentucky, USA, broke into an abandoned underground mine below. The slurry came out of the mine openings, sending an...
- Sludge (film)Sludge (film)Sludge is a 2005 documentary film by Appalshop filmmaker Robert Salyer chronicling the Martin County Sludge Spill that was an accident that occurred after midnight on October 11, 2000 when a coal sludge impoundment in Martin County, Kentucky, broke through an underground mine below, propelling 306...
- The Buffalo Creek Flood: An Act of ManThe Buffalo Creek Flood: An Act of ManThe Buffalo Creek Flood: An Act of Man is a 1975 documentary film produced by Appalshop. The film is about the Buffalo Creek Flood, an incident that occurred on February 26, 1972 when the Pittston Coal Company's coal slurry impoundment dam in Logan County, West Virginia burst four days after...
- Tailings dam