Powell River Project

Soil Weathering

The current research emphasis for this program concerns processes known as “soil weathering.” Most minesoils are constructed from overburden materials, essentially rocks that were formed from sediments at the bottoms of water bodies hundreds of millions of years ago. The mining process fractures these rock materials, which have not been subjected to the environmental processes that occur on the earth’s surface, into small pieces and places them on the surface where they react with oxygen from the atmosphere, water, and acids and other compounds that circulate in the environment; and they are affected by biological processes as growing plants become established. The result of these forces is a process of change in chemical and physical properties with time, a process that is known as “soil weathering.”

Dr. Daniels research seeks to gain a better understanding of weathering processes, and especially how those processes influence the success reclamation and environmental protection operations conducted by coal mines. One result of weathering processes is that, with time, the overburden materials come to be more like soils and less like the raw rocks from which the originated. This change in properties can affect quality of the soil materials as a plant-growth medium, especially its suitability for sensitive species such as the native hardwood forest species that are currently emphasized by the coal industry’s reclamation practices in Virginia. Another current concern of direct relevance to Dr. Daniels’ research is the water quality of streams that drain reclaimed mine areas. As the spoil materials weather, they release mineral constituents as salts to the environmental waters that move through them. This release affects the quality of groundwaters and of surface water streams draining the area. Substances released to mine drainage waters by weathering processes include constituents that are common as elements of the earth’s crust and environmental waters worldwide – elements such as calcium, magnesium, sodium and sulfate, the primary components of the water quality measure known as “total dissolved solids” – and elements that occur at very low concentrations but nonetheless are of significant environmental concern, such as selenium.

A major focus of Dr. Daniels research is to determine how various spoil materials differ in their rates of weathering and dissolved salt release to mine drainage waters.

Soil Construction and Development 

Under the leadership of Lee Daniels (Department of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences), and Dan Amos in during the Powell River Project's early years, the Powell River Project a national leader research addressing minesoil construction and development.

Soil Compaction

Dan and Lee prepared soil maps of the area that has since become the Powell River Project Education Center between 1980 and 1982. They observed a wide range of the soils' biological productivities on the reclaimed mine areas. Analysis demonstrated clearly that the primary factors limiting soil productivity in most areas were physical - soil compaction. When mine soils are are compacted by heavy machinery, they become so dense that root growth cannot take place and water movement is hindered.

Mine Soil Construction and Productivity: The Controlled Overburden Placement Experiment

In 1981, Dan Amos and Lee Daniels worked with a mining operator working at the Education Center, Ring Brothers, to construct the controlled overburden placement experiment. This activity used sandstones and siltstones from the active mining operation to construct uncompacted research plots of known spoil composition. Some plots were constructed of pure sandstone spoils, others of siltstone spoils, and still others of mixtures between the. In addition, some plots constructed of a sandstone/siltstone mix also received various surface treatments:a six-inch depth of topsoil; sawdust; and sewage sludge at several different rates. Working with Jim  Burger (Department of Forestry), they established two different types of vegetation on each plot: grasses suitable for grazing (tall fescue), and pines.

Experimental results showed that sandstone spoils, and sandstone/siltstone mixes, are capable of supporting greater vegetative growth than pure siltstone spoils, due to differences in moisture infiltration and retention and chemical characteristics. he high-pH, high-soluble- salt rooting environment of the siltstone spoils had a very negative effect on the pines. Biosolid soil amendments had a favorable effect on tall fescue productivity, but not the pines.

The controlled overburden placement experiment remains in place on the Powell River Project Education Center site, where it is the oldest continuously-monitored, replicated reclamation research site in the country. Controlled Overburden Placement research was co-sponsored by U.S. Office of Surface Mining.

Minesoil Mapping

In 1998, Dr. Daniels and colleagues began a new phase of research in close cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), which had just begun a multiple-year effort to prepare updated soil surveys for Virginia's coal counties, and Virginia Soil Survey. Using their own experience and the results of completed research, the investigators began developing soil interpretation and mapping protocols for mined landscapes. They continued this work by mapping minesoils at the Powell River Project Research and Education Center, working closely with NRCS to aid appliction of these soil mapping concepts in ongoing soil surveys in Buchanan, Wise, and Dickenson Counties. The researchers found that existing soil series concepts for minesoil mapping, which were developed in northern West Virginia, were not always descriptive of soil series in Virginia's mined areas, and they have recommended new soil series for use in mined areas to NRCS.

Results of this process include soil surveys for Virginia's coalfields, currently under development, that more accurately represent the land use potentials of the reclaimed mine areas that occur commonly throughout Virginia's coalfields.

Summary

In summary: uncompacted, chemically favorable mine soils proved to be capable of higher levels of biological productivity than the thin native "topsoils" typically present on mountainsides prior to mining. In order to achieve high levels of mine soil productivity, it is critical that overburden materials with favorable physical and chemical properties for plant growth be used to construct the land surface. Small amounts of native topsoil can be used to provide native seeds and organic matter, and to aid seed establishment. Compaction of mine soils - which typically occurs when heavy equipment is operated on an area after it has been reclaimed - will have a negative effect on post-mining soil productivity.

Also See: Revegetation

Soil Weathering

Z.W. Orndorff, W. Lee Daniels and Mike Beck. 2008. Long-Term Mine Soil Weathering and Treatment Effects: Do Topsoil Substitutes Really Mimic Natural Soils? P. 46-53, in: 2008 Powell River Project Research and Education Program Reports.

H.G. Clayton, A.F. Wick, W.L. Daniels. 2009. Microbial Biomass in Reclaimed Soils Following Coal Mining in Virginia. p. 227-236, in: 26th: National Meeting of the American Society of Mining and Reclamation.

A.F. Wick, W.L. Daniels. 2009. Physical Protection of Organic Matter in Reclaimed Coal Mine Soils of SW Virginia. p. 1564-1582, in: 26th: National Meeting of the American Society of Mining and Reclamation.

Other Mine Soil Construction and Development Publications

Evanylo. G., A.O. Abaye, C. Dundas. C. Zipper, R. Lemus, B. Sukkariyah, J. Rockett. 2005. Herbaceous vegetation productivity, persistence, and metals uptake on a biosolids-amended mine soil. Journal of Environmental Quality 34:1811-1819.

Haering, K.C., W. Daniels, and J. Galbraith. 2005. Mapping and classification of southwest Virginia mine soils. Soil Science Society of America Journal 69:463-475.

Haering, K.C., W. Daniels, and J. Galbraith. 2004. The influence of overburden weathering and mining method on Appalachian mine soil morphology and properties. Soil Science Society of America Journal 68: 1315-1325.

Galbraith, J. 2004. Proposed changes to Soil Taxonomy that may affect mine soil classification. p. 706-719. In: R. I. Barnhisel (ed.). Proceedings, 21st Meeting, American Society for Mining and Reclamation, and 25th West Virginia Surface Mine Drainage Task Force Symposium.

Daniels, W.L., K.C. Haering, J. Galbraith, J. Thomas. 2004. Mine soil classification and mapping issues on pre- and post-SMCRA Applachian coal mined lands. p. 421-449. In: R. I. Barnhisel (ed.). Proceedings,, 21st Meeting, American Society for Mining and Reclamation, and 25th West Virginia Surface Mine Drainage Task Force Symposium.

Daniels, W.L., K.C. Haering, J. Galbraith. 2004. Mine soil morphology and properties in pre- and post-SMCRA coal mined landscapes in southwest Virginia. p. 450-477. In: R. I. Barnhisel (ed.). Proceedings,, 21st Meeting, American Society for Mining and Reclamation, and 25th West Virginia Surface Mine Drainage Task Force Symposium.

Haering, K., W.L. Daniels, J. Galbraith, and P. Donovan. 2003.Properties and Land Use Potentials of  Surface Mined Landscapes in the Virginia Coalfields. In: 2003 Powell River Project Research and Education Program Reports.

Haering, K.C., W.L. Daniels, and S.E. Feagley. 2000. Reclaiming mined lands with biosolids, manures, and papermill sludges. Chapter 24, in: R. Barnhisle, W.L. Daniels, and R. Darmody (eds).  Reclamation of Drastically Lands. American Society of Agronomy. Madison, WI.

Daniels, W.L., and C.E. Zipper. 1997. Creation and Management of Productive Mine Soils . Virginia Cooperative Extension publication 460-121.

Daniels, W.L., and K.C. Haering. 1994. Use of sewage sludge for land reclamation in the central Appalachians. Chapter 16, in: Sewage Sludge: Land Utilization and the Environment. American Society of Agronomy. Madison, Wisconsin. 

Li, Rensheng, and W.L. Daniels. 1994. Nitrogen accumulation and form over time in young mine soils. Journal of Environmental Quality 23: 166-172.

Haering, K. C., W. L. Daniels, and J. A. Roberts. 1993. Changes in Mine Soil Properties Resulting from Overburden Weathering. Journal of Environmental Quality 22:194-200.

Haering, Kathryn C., and W.L. Daniels. 1991. Development of New Technologies for the Utilization of Municipal Sewage Sludge on Surface Mined Lands. Final Report, submitted to Enviro-Gro Technologies and Virginia Center for Innovative Technology. October, 1991.

Li, Rensheng. 1991. Nitrogen Cycling in Young Mine Soils in Southwest Virginia. Ph.D. Dissertation. Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences.

Daniels, W.L, and K. Haering. 1990. The feasibility of large-scale sewage sludge/compost utilization on central Appalachian surface mined land. p. 165 - 170, In: Proceedings, 1990 Mining and Reclamation Conference and Exhibition. Charleston, West Virginia. National meeting to the American Society for Surface Mining and Reclamation.

Haering, Kathryn C., W.L. Daniels, J. Torbert, and J. Burger. 1990. The Effects of Controlled Overburden Placement on Topsoil Quality and Bond Release: Phase III. Report submitted to U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, to meet the requirements of Cooperative Agreement HQ51-GR87-10022. 86 pages.

Roberts, J. A., W. L. Daniels, J. C. Bell and J. A. Burger. 1988. Early stages of mine soil genesis as affected by topsoiling and organic amendments. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 52:730-738.

Roberts, J. A., W. L. Daniels, J. C. Bell and J. A. Burger. 1988. Early stages of mine soil genesis in Southwest Virginia spoil lithosequence . Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 52:716-723.

Roberts, J. A., W. L. Daniels, J. C. Bell and D. C. Martens. 1988. Tall fescue production and nutrient status on Southwest Virginia mine soils. Journal of Environmental Quality 17:55-62.

Daniels, W. L., J. A. Burger, Jesse Roberts, and Stuart Moss. 1986. The Effects of  Controlled Overburden Placement on Mine Soil Properties, Revegetation and Growth of Pitch X Loblolly Pine Hybrid Seedlings as Demonstrated on an Abandoned Strip Bench. USDI Office of Surface Mining Technical Library, Washington, D.C. In fulfillment of contract J5140102.

Daniels, W. L. and D. F. Amos. 1985. Generating productive topsoil substitutes from hard rock overburden in the southern Appalachians. Environmental Geochemistry and Health 7:8-15.

Roberts, J. A.. 1986. Mine Soil Genesis and Tall Fescue Nutrient Status as a Function of Overburden Type and Cultural Amendment . M.S. Thesis, Agronomy.

McCart, G. D., W. L. Daniels. 1985. Liming and fertilizing mine soils. Virginia Cooperative Extension publication 460-102.

Daniels, W.L., C.J. Everett and J.A. Roberts. 1984. Factors governing plant uptake of Mn from SW Virginia mine soil materials . p. 421-462. In: Proc. of the 1984 Symposium on Surface Mining Hydrology, Sedimentology and Reclamation, Univ. of Ky., Lexington, KY.

Morse, R. D., K. Demchak, D. D. Wolf, and J. L. Neal. 1984. Importance of phosphorus in revegetation and bond release. Virginia Cooperative Extension publication 460-107.

Daniels, W. L. and D. F. Amos. 1983. Recognition and evaluation of mine soil properties on surface mined benches. Virginia Cooperative Extension publication 460-100.

Daniels, W. L. and D. F. Amos, and G. D. McCart. 1983. Overburden and mine soil properties important to plant growth. Virginia Cooperative Extension publication 460-103.

Daniels, W. L., J. A. Burger an D. F. Amos, 1983. The Effects of Controlled Overburden Placement on Mined Soil Properties and Growth of the Loblolly Pine. U.S.D.I. Office of Surface Mining Technical Library, Washington, D.C., In fulfillment of contract #J5120114. 70p.

Daniels, W. L., J. C. Bell, D. F. Amos, and G. D. McCart. 1983. First year effects of rock type and surface treatments on mine soil properties and plant growth. p. 275-282. In: Proc. of the 1983 Symposium on Surface Mining Hydrology, Sedimentology and Reclamation, Univ. of Ky., Lexington, KY.

Demchak, D. 1983. Phosphorus Availability in Amended Minesoil as Measured by Forage Growth and Soil Tests. M.S. Thesis, Animal Science.

Demchak, D., R. D. Morse, D. D. Wolf, and J. L. Neal. 1983. Phosphorus availability of mine soils as influenced by phosphorus and lime rates and organic residues. p. 423-429. In: National Symposium on Surface Mining Hydrology, Sedimentology and Reclamation, Lexington, KY.

Daniels, W. L. and D. F. Amos. 1982. Chemical characteristics of some SW Virginia minesoils. p. 377-381. In: Proc. 1982 Symposium on Surface Mining Hydrology, Sedimentology and Reclamation, Univ. of Ky., Lexington, KY.

Daniels, W. L. and D. F. Amos. 1981. Mapping, characterization and genesis of mine soils on a reclamation research area in Wise County, Virginia . p. 261-275. In: Proc. 1981 Symposium on Surface Mining Hydrology, Sedimentology and Reclamation, Univ. of Ky., Lexington, KY.

Daniels, W. L. and D. F. Amos. 1981. Minesoil Maps and Legend and Mapping Unit Interpretations of the Powell River Project Reclamation Research Project. Department of Agronomy, VPI & SU, Blacksburg, VA. 43 p.