Geology Commons^™

More Than Energy: Coal As A Mineral Resource, University Of North Dakota. Energy And Environmental Research Center

EERC Brochures and Fact Sheets

Brochure on Carbon Ore, Rare Earth, and Critical Minerals (CORE-CM) Initiative, an Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) project. Explores the benefits of utilizing lignite coal from the Williston Basin.

Core-Cm Williston Basin Carbon Ore, Rare Earth, And Critical Minerals, University Of North Dakota. Energy And Environmental Research Center

EERC Brochures and Fact Sheets

Fact sheet on the Carbon Ore, Rare Earth and Critical Minerals (CORE-CM) Initiative, an Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) project. Includes information on the importance of critical minerals and utilizing lignite from the Williston Basin.

Core-Cm Williston Basin Carbon Ore, Rare Earth, And Critical Minerals, University Of North Dakota. Energy And Environmental Research Center

EERC Brochures and Fact Sheets

Fact sheet on the Carbon Ore, Rare Earth and Critical Minerals (CORE-CM) Initiative, an Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) project. Includes information on the importance of critical minerals and utilizing lignite from the Williston Basin.

Answers In The East: An Examination Of China's Renewable Energy And Its Application To Central Appalachia, Lillian Hamm

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

While much of China’s electrification has depended on coal, recent decades illustrate the country is heavily investing in and implementing renewable energy as a power source. Even China’s coal-rich provinces, like the northeastern province of Shanxi, have been making the transition to renewable energy. The central Appalachian states comprised of eastern Kentucky, West Virginia, western Virginia, and northeastern Tennessee share many characteristics with China’s Shanxi province including economic resources, climate, and geography. Yet, central Appalachia has not been able to easily transition to renewable energy. However, there are various cultural, political, and technological differences between the two regions to explain …

The Future Environmental And Health Impacts Of Coal, Robert B. Finkelman, Amy L. Wolfe, Michael S. Hendryx

Faculty, Staff, and Affiliated Publications--KGS

In the United States, coal consumption in the last 12 years has declined from 1,045,140 million short tons in 2007 to 539,420 million short tons in 2019, a decrease of almost 50%. During that period the number of electric power coal generators has declined from 1,470 to 738 accounting for 21% of capacity. An even more dramatic decrease in coal use has occurred in Western Europe. This significant reduction in coal use and the concomitant closure of coal mines and coal-burning power plants will result in substantially cleaner air, reductions in respiratory problems such as asthma, less heart disease, fewer …

Rare Earth-Bearing Particles In Fly Ash Carbons: Examples From The Combustion Of Eastern Kentucky Coals, James C. Hower, John G. Groppo Jr.

Center for Applied Energy Research Faculty and Staff Publications

Graphitic carbons from the combustion of bituminous coals and, perhaps, other coal ranks, tend to capture iron and a number of hazardous elements, including As, Hg, and Se. Rare earth elements in fly ashes occur in minerals, such as monazite, xenotime, and davidite. They also occur in sub-nm particles, probably in a mineral form, within the Al–Si glass on the investigated fly ashes. Just as graphitic carbons can capture Fe and hazardous elements, the carbons surrounding the fly ash glass and magnetic particles captures or encapsulates a broad suite of rare earth elements.

North Dakota Carbonsafe - Permanent Co2 Storage In Central North Dakota, University Of North Dakota. Energy And Environmental Research Center

EERC Brochures and Fact Sheets

Fact sheet on North Dakota CarbonSAFE project. An Environmental & Energy Research Center (EERC)-led project, under the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) CarbonSafe Initiative, it seeks to safely deploy safe and permanent CO₂ storage in North Dakota.

Review Of Curbing Catastrophe: Natural Hazards And Risk Reduction In The Modern World, Kira H. Hamman

Numeracy

Timothy H. Dixon. 2017. Curbing Catastrophe: Natural Hazards and Risk Reduction in the Modern World. (New York, NY: Cambridge University Press) 300 pp. ISBN 978-1108113663.

In Curbing Catastrophe, Timothy H. Dixon explores commonalities among natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina, the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, and the meltdown at Fukushima. He identifies communication failure between scientists and policy makers as a major culprit in the devastation that results from such events and offers strategies for improving that communication. He includes optional in-depth scientific and quantitative examinations of the events and the resulting devastation, making the book appropriate for use …

Prospecting For Coal Bed Uranium In Kansas Through The Use Of Arcgis And Uranium Proxies, Logan Howell

Master's Theses

The potential implications for the discovery of coal bed uranium in Kansas not only have a significant scientific and human health interest impact, but also a possible future economic one as well. This study sought to look for coal bed uranium within the Cretaceous Dakota Formation located in north-central of Kansas. This study utilized the two coal bed uranium proxies of historic subbituminous coal production and radon, and ArcGIS to produce a field-site selection map. This map was used to pick counties within Kansas to collect samples from. Once samples were collected, they were scanned for radiation using all available …

Murray Energy Corporation V. Mccarthy, Sarah M. Danno

Public Land & Resources Law Review

Holding that the widespread effects of environmental regulation on the coal industry constituted sufficient importance, the Northern District of West Virginia ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to conduct analysis on employment loss and plant reduction resulting from regulatory effects. In admonishing the EPA’s inaction, the court ruled that the Agency had a non-discretionary duty to evaluate employment and plant reduction. Furthermore, the court held that the EPA’s attempt to put forth general reports in place of required evaluations was an invalid attempt to circumvent its statutory duty.

Co2 Sequestration Test In A Deep, Unminable Lignite Seam, University Of North Dakota. Energy And Environmental Research Center

EERC Brochures and Fact Sheets

Fact sheet describing results of a Plains CO₂ Reduction (PCOR) Partnership-implemented test to determine the possibility of storing CO₂ in unminable lignite seams. Discusses testing procedure and purpose, and summarizes key results.

The Mass Flux Of Non-Renewable Energy For Humanity, Edwin Dale Solomon

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The global energy supply relies on non-renewable energy sources, coal, crude oil, and natural gas, along with nuclear power from uranium and these finite resources are located within the upper few kilometers of the Earth’s crust. The total quantity of non-renewable energy resources consumed relative to the total quantity available is an essential question facing humanity. Analyses of energy consumption was conducted for the period 1800 – 2014 using data from the U. S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) and World Energy Production, 1800-1985 to determine the balance between non-renewable energy resources consumed and ultimately recoverable reserves. Annual energy consumption was …

Coal Geology: The Origin Of Coal, John J. Renton, Thomas Repine

Readings and Notes

Coal forms from the tissues of plants with the major contributor being the woody tissues, cellulose and lignin, from trees growing in fresh-water wetlands. Land plants first evolved during the early Devonian and by the end of the period had adapted to most terrestrial environments. Beginning in early Pennsylvanian time, vast portions of the eastern portion of Laurentia were covered with coal-forming swamps and bogs, environments that were to be repeated throughout the remainder of the Paleozoic Era and again in the Jurassic, Cretaceous and Tertiary Periods. It was during these times that the combination of climatic conditions and wetland …

Coal Genesis, John J. Renton, Thomas Repine

Readings and Notes

Most textbooks classify coal as a sedimentary rock even though it does not fit the definition of a sedimentary rock. While a sedimentary rock is a "rock formed from the products of weathering and erosion", coal forms from the remains of land plants. In fact, coal doesn't even fit the definition of a rock. A rock is defined as "mixture of minerals" and minerals are defined as "natural occurring, solid, inorganic substances ..• " Coal is composed largely (􀀴90+%) of organic substances (macerals) which, by definition, are not minerals. If coal must be classified as a rock, because it forms …

Co2 Sequestration Test In A Deep, Unminable Lignite Seam, University Of North Dakota. Energy And Environmental Research Center

EERC Brochures and Fact Sheets

Fact sheet describing results of a Plains CO₂ Reduction (PCOR) Partnership-implemented test to determine the possibility of storing CO₂ in unminable lignite seams. Discusses testing procedure and purpose, and summarizes key results.

A Petrographic Characterization Of The Leatherwood Coal Bed In Eastern Kentucky, Michelle N. Johnston

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

The Eastern Kentucky Coal Field is located in the central portion of the Appalachian Basin. The Pennsylvanian Breathitt Formation in this region is characterized by numerous sequences of bituminous coal-bearing sedimentary rocks. These coals have distinct maceral compositions due to variations in depositional environments. Coal characterization is an important method for determining conditions that influenced peat accumulation and overall depositional settings of mires.

This study focuses on the characterization of the maceral composition of the Middle Pennsylvanian-age Leatherwood coal bed. It utilizes petrographical, palynological, and geochemical analyses to describe specific depositional environments and associated peat accumulation conditions.

Petrographic analyses indicate …

Remaining Resources Of The Springfield Coal, Gerald A. Weisenfluh

Map and Chart--KGS

Historically, the Springfield (W. Ky. No. 9) opal bed has been the leading source of coal production in the Western Kentucky Coal Field. With 2009 production more than 21 million tons and another 8 million tons of idle capacity, it is also the most important resource in the state of Kentucky. The Springfield coal is known for its lateral continuity in terms of both thickness and quality. It is a medium-sulfur product, desirable for power plants with sulfur-reduction capability, and has higher Btu values and lower chlorine contents compared to other Illinois Basin areas north of Kentucky. It is estimated …

The No. 5 Block In Eastern Kentucky: A Critical Re-Examination Of The Petrology With Special Attention To The Origin Of Inertinite Macerals In The Splint Lithotypes, Allison Ranae Richardson

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Microbes, including fungi and bacteria, and insects are responsible for the consumption and subsequent degradation of plant materials into humus. These microbes directly and indirectly affect the physical and chemical characteristics of coal macerals. Efforts to understand and determine the origins of inertinite macerals are largely misrepresented in the literature, conforming to a single origin of fire. This study focuses on the variability of physical and inferred chemical differences observed petrographically between the different inertinite macerals and discusses the multiple pathways plant material may take to form and or degrade these macerals.

Petrographic results show that fungal activity plays a …

Generalized Geologic Map For Land-Use Planning: Knott County, Kentucky, Daniel I. Carey, Steven E. Webb, Bart Davidson

Map and Chart--KGS

This map is not intended to be used for selecting individual sites. Its purpose is to inform land-use planners, government officials, and the public in a general way about geologic bedrock conditions that affect the selection of sites for various purposes. The properties of thick soils may supercede those of the underlying bedrock and should be considered on a site-to-site basis. At any site, it is important to understand the characteristics of both the soils and the underlying rock.

Generalized Geologic Map For Land-Use Planning: Leslie County, Kentucky, Daniel I. Carey, Steven E. Webb, Bart Davidson

Map and Chart--KGS

This map is not intended to be used for selecting individual sites. Its purpose is to inform land-use planners, government officials, and the public in a general way about geologic bedrock conditions that affect the selection of sites for various purposes. The properties of thick soils may supercede those of the underlying bedrock and should be considered on a site-to-site basis. At any site, it is important to understand the characteristics of both the soils and the underlying rock.

Cross Section Of The Upper Elkhorn Coal Zone Between The Mcdowell And Jenkins West Quadrangles, Bradford L. Luckett

Map and Chart--KGS

This cross section shows lithic variation and coal-bed correlations for the interval between the Upper Elkhorn No. 1 and the Upper Elkhorn No. 3 ½ coals in eastern Letcher and southern Floyd Counties. It is one of a series being made to document the characteristics of the Upper Elkhorn coal zone in eastern Kentucky. The data are derived from the KGS coal borehole database, which contains records of exploration core holes supplied by coal companies. Lines on the diagram show general bed correlations and indicate places where mineable coal beds split into two or more thinner benches. The vertical alignment …

Cross Section Of The Upper Elkhorn Coal Zone Between The Evarts And Benham Quadrangles, Bradford L. Luckett

Map and Chart--KGS

This cross section shows lithic variation and coal-bed correlations for the interval between the Upper Elkhorn No. 1 (Harlan) and the Upper Elkhorn No. 3 ½ coals in Harlan County, Ky. It is one of a series being made to document the characteristics of the Upper Elkhorn coal zone in eastern Kentucky. The data are derived from the KGS coal borehole database, which contains records of exploration core holes supplied by coal companies. Lines on the diagram show general bed correlations and indicate places where mineable coal beds split into two or more thinner benches. The vertical alignment of logs …

Cross Section Of The Upper Elkhorn Coal Zone Between The Varney And Lick Creek Quadrangles, Bradford L. Luckett

Map and Chart--KGS

This cross section shows lithic variation and coal-bed correlations for the interval between the Upper Elkhorn No. 1 and the Upper Elkhorn No. 3 ½ coals from southern Martin County to central Pike County. It is one of a series being made to document the characteristics of the Upper Elkhorn coal zone in eastern Kentucky. The data are derived from the KGS coal borehole database, which contains records of exploration core holes supplied by coal companies. Lines on the diagram show general bed correlations and indicate places where mineable coal beds split into two or more thinner benches. The vertical …

Day 3. Wednesday, August 13, 2003: Travel To Grand Junction, University Of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center

Energy Field Tour 2003 (August 11-16)

5 pages (includes color illustration and map).

Contains references.

Total Thickness Of The Amburgy Coal In Eastern Kentucky, Michael G. Shultz, Jeffery A. Esterle, Ernest E. Thacker

Map and Chart--KGS

This map showing the regional characteristics of the Amburgy coal bed was prepared as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Coal Assessment program, which compiles regional maps and databases that provide a comprehensive assessment of the most important coal beds in the nation. The Amburgy coal zone is composed of a number of distinct coal beds that merge in some areas to form mineable coal bodies. For the purpose of this assessment, the zone has been divided into two beds; the Lower Amburgy (A) and Upper Ambury (B). The lower bed is of greatest economic significance and is the …

Coal Availability In Western Kentucky, Gerald A. Weisenfluh, William M. Andrews Jr., Robert E. Andrews, John K. Hiett

Report of Investigations--KGS

Fourteen quadrangles in five separate areas of the Western Kentucky Coal Field were studied to determine what factors affect the availability of coal for mining. Each study area consisted of at least two adjacent 7.5-minute quadrangles in order to account for the geologic variability across broad distances in western Kentucky, and determine how this variability affects availability. Areas both north and south of the Rough Creek Fault System were selected to measure the effect of different geologic, structural, and overburden settings on coal availability. The study emphasized the coals occurring stratigraphically between the Springfield and the Baker.

About 90 percent …

Overview Of Environmental Regulations That Affect Coal Combustion, Cortland F. Eble

Information Circular--KGS

Environmental regulations have had, and continue to have, an effect on the combustion of coal. These regulations largely affect the electric utility industry, the largest consumer of domestic coal, but they ultimately affect everyone, because we all use electricity, and the cost of compliance is usually passed on to the consumer, resulting in higher electric bills.

Coal Resources Of The Lower Elkhorn Coal Bed In Eastern Kentucky, Ernest E. Thacker, Gerald A. Weisenfluh, William M. Andrews Jr., John K. Hiett

Map and Chart--KGS

This chart is one of a series that shows the regional characteristics of the Lower Elkhorn coal. The maps were prepared as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's Natural Coal Assessment Program, which compiles regional maps and databases that provide a comprehensive assessment of the most important coal beds in the nation. The Lower Elkhorn coal is one of the leading producers in the state of Kentucky and has, in some areas, a reputation as an excellent metallurgical-grade coal. It is known locally as the Pond Creek, Imboden, Path Fork, Blue Gem, Straight Creek, Bruin or Vires coal bed. This …

Coal Resources Of The Fire Clay Coal Zone In Eastern Kentucky, Ernest E. Thacker, Gerald A. Weisenfluh, Jeffery A. Esterle, Stephen F. Greb, John K. Hiett

Map and Chart--KGS

This chart is one of a series that shows the regional characteristics of the Fire Clay coal zone. The maps and charts were prepared as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Coal Assessment Program, which compiles regional maps and databases that provide a comprehensive assessment of the most important coal beds in the nation. Within this coal zone, the Fire Clay coal is the most economically important bed and is one of the leading producers in the state of Kentucky. The Fire Clay coal contains a flint-clay parting that is believed to be of volcanic origin. The widespread occurrence …

Mining Geology Of Coals In Western Kentucky, Stephen F. Greb, David A. Williams

Map and Chart--KGS

Each of the most heavily mined coal seams in the Western Kentucky Coal Field, as indicated by analyses, mine visits, and discussions with mine inspectors and engineers, has its own roof and floor characteristics. Also, because roof rocks above several of the seams are laterally continuous (especially in the Carbondale Formation), roof characteristics related to rock type are often widespread and continuous between mines. This chart discusses the mining geology of three western Kentucky coal beds, highlighted on the stratigraphic column shown in Figure 1.

Additional mining obstacles that can affect all coal beds and roof strata are (1) tectonic …