Disposal of fluidized bed combustion ash in an underground mine to control acid mine drainage and subsidence. Quarterly report, March 1--May 31, 1998

This project will evaluate the technical, economic and environmental feasibility of filling abandoned underground mine voids with alkaline, advanced coal combustion wastes (Fluidized Bed Combustion, FBC, ash). Success will be measured in terms of technical feasibility of the approach, cost, environmental benefits (acid mine drainage and subsidence control) and environmental impacts (noxious ion release). Phase 1 of the project was completed in September 1995 and was concerned with the development of the grout and a series of predictive models. These models were verified through the Phase 2 field phase and will be further verified in the large scale field demonstration of Phase 3. The verification will allow the results to be packaged in such a way that the technology can be easily adapted to different site conditions. Phase 2 was successfully completed with 1,000 cubic yards of grout being injected into Anker Energy`s Fairfax mine. The grout flowed over 600 feet from a single injection borehole. The grout achieved a compressive strength of over 1,000 psi (twice the level that is needed to guarantee subsidence control). Phase 3 is to take 26 months and will be a full scale test at Anker`s eleven acre Longridge mine site