Geophysical Responses And Their Statistical Relationships With Lithium And Kaolinite Contents For Lithium-Rich Coals In The Yangquan Mining Area,
2026
School of Resources and Geosciences, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
Geophysical Responses And Their Statistical Relationships With Lithium And Kaolinite Contents For Lithium-Rich Coals In The Yangquan Mining Area, Chen Tongjun, Xu Haicheng, Li Wan
Coal Geology & Exploration
Objective China, representing the world's largest consumer of lithium resources, suffers from a limited endowment of conventional lithium resources, rendering it inevitable for China to seek to develop and utilize abundant coal-hosted lithium resources. Through a comparative analysis of coal samples from the lithium-rich No. 8 and the ordinary No. 15 coal seams in the Taiyuan Formation, Yangquan mining area, Shanxi Province, this study explored the statistical relationships between the lithium and kaolinite contents and geophysical responses. Accordingly, the feasibility of the indirect detection of coal-hosted lithium resources using geophysical methods was assessed. Methods First, by testing the lithium content …
Underground Tunnel Drilling Technology And Equipment For Coal Mines In China: A 50-Year Retrospective And Prospects,
2026
CCTEG China Coal Research Institute, Beijing 100013, China; CCTEG Xi’an Research Institute (Group) Co., Ltd., Xi’an 710077, China
Underground Tunnel Drilling Technology And Equipment For Coal Mines In China: A 50-Year Retrospective And Prospects, Tian Hongliang, Li Wangnian, Li Quanxin, Yao Ke, Liu Jianlin, Chang Jianghua
Coal Geology & Exploration
Bcakground Underground tunnel drilling in coal mines represents an indispensable key means for the safe and efficient coal mining, precise disaster prevention and control, and geological transparency of coal mines. This study presents a systematic review of the development history of underground tunnel drilling technology and equipment for coal mines in China over the past 50 years, during which the technology and equipment have evolved from technology introduction to independent innovation and from following to keeping pace with and even to overtaking international counterparts.Advances Initially, this study expatiates on both the important position of coal resources in the national …
Key Techniques And Application Of The Zdy15000ldk High-Power Automatic Directional Drilling Rig,
2026
CCTEG China Coal Research Institute, Beijing 100013, China; CCTEG Xi’an Research Institute (Group) Co., Ltd., Xi’an 710077, China
Key Techniques And Application Of The Zdy15000ldk High-Power Automatic Directional Drilling Rig, Li Quanxin, Zhang Gang, Fang Peng, Xing Wang, Yao Ke, Zhang Rui, Zhang Boyang, Zhao Xuefeng, Shi Yang, Sun Hanyu, Jia Qian
Coal Geology & Exploration
Objective For deep mining of coal mines, conventional directional drilling rigs face challenges including high labor intensity, limited control accuracy, a low intelligence level, and failure to meet the demand for efficient gas drainage. Meanwhile, high-power automatic drilling rigs encounter technical bottlenecks in automation, control accuracy, and process intelligence in this context. To address these issues, this study proposed an integrated and systematic solution—the ZDY15000LDK high-power automatic directional drilling rig. Methods Using a compact structural layout, a drill rod handling system was developed, consisting of a drill rod loading/unloading manipulator with four degrees of freedom and an automatic drill rod …
Stoker-Fired Laboratory Boiler As A Tool For Optimising The Solid Fuel Combustion Process,
2026
Department of Solid Fuels Quality Assessment, Central Mining Institute – National Research Institute (Katowice, Poland)
Stoker-Fired Laboratory Boiler As A Tool For Optimising The Solid Fuel Combustion Process, Przemysław Rompalski, Justyna Guzy-Proc, Mariusz Kieczek
Journal of Sustainable Mining
This paper presents the results of quality testing performed on a stoker-fired laboratory boiler to present the technical potential of the boiler as a tool for optimising the combustion process of prepared solid fuels (granulate, energy blend) in the context of current demands related to the decarbonisation policy. The comprehensive testing of such fuels at a laboratory scale makes it possible to gain deep insights into the quality parameters of the fuel, flue gas and combustion waste, as well as to determine the combustion process parameters before the fuel is introduced for combustion in broader power engineering and household boilers. …
Karstic Cavities Underground Investigation: Gpr And Geotechnical Data Correlation,
2026
Northern Border University, College of Engineering, Civil Engineering Department, Arar, Saudi Arabia
Karstic Cavities Underground Investigation: Gpr And Geotechnical Data Correlation, Mehrez Jamei, Mabrouk Abdelkader, Anwar Ahmed, Yahya Alassaf
Journal of Sustainable Mining
This paper focuses on the methodology involving ground penetration radar (GPR) for detecting and localizing random cavities in underground limestone soil, in conjunction with geotechnical data. A GPR survey was conducted alongside field and laboratory geotechnical tests at a field where mining activities are now promoted (Saudi Arabia Northern Borders Province). The paper presents correlations between the instantaneous amplitude of the reflected electromagnetic (EM) waves and rock quantification distributed (RQD), recovery rock parameter (REC), and uniaxial compressive strength (UCS). The GPR investigation proved to be an efficient nondestructive geophysical method for determining: 1) the …
Brine Solidification And Metals Sequestration Using Lignocellulosics,
2026
Lignetics Group
Brine Solidification And Metals Sequestration Using Lignocellulosics, Frank Kvietok
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
Coal ash has historically been used as a convenient, on-site solidification material for brines generated from flue gas desulfurization at power plants. As alternate utilization scenarios are developed for coal ash, lignocellulosic (wood-based) sorbents can serve as a highly efficient substitute for the solidification process. Results will be shared for a variety of different brine types: thermally reduced, thermally reduced and neutralized, and reverse osmosis. In addition to solidification performance, which demonstrated a 3-4x mass of liquid vs mass of sorbent factor, studies were conducted to quantify the strength of binding to the wood-based sorbent for a broad range of …
Practical Guidelines For Pump Testing Of Ccr: Workflow, Design, And Lessons Learned.,
2026
Ramboll
Practical Guidelines For Pump Testing Of Ccr: Workflow, Design, And Lessons Learned., Nathanial Keller, Brian Hennings, Vic Modeer, Katie Moran
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
This session presents a streamlined approach for pump testing of coal combustion residuals (CCR) to maximize hydraulic information with limited well installations, variable pumping rates, and short tests. Pre-test forward modeling identifies well offsets (typically 5–10 ft) and test durations (~2–6 hours) to yield measurable and analyzable drawdown at observation wells despite low pumping rates. Field execution consists of short step-drawdown testing to evaluate well specific capacity and select pumping rates for a constant rate test with one or more observation wells. Test results facilitate analysis of transmissivity and storativity of the CCR. Applied at two Midwestern sites with different …
Simplified Approximate Procedure For Assessing The Implications Of Updated Usgs Seismic Hazard Models On Seismic Stability Assessments Of Ccr Impoundment Facilities,
2026
Tennessee Valley Authority
Simplified Approximate Procedure For Assessing The Implications Of Updated Usgs Seismic Hazard Models On Seismic Stability Assessments Of Ccr Impoundment Facilities, Nick Mcclung, Matt Bishop, Adrian Pena-Iguaran, Seda Gokyer-Erbis
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
Selection of appropriate seismic design ground motions remains a key challenge for seismic stability assessments of coal combustion residual (CCR) impoundment facilities, particularly where regulatory guidance does not specify a required hazard model. This paper examines the implications of using Uniform Hazard Spectra (UHS) derived from the 2014 versus the 2018 U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Seismic Hazard Model (NSHM) for seismic amplification and stability evaluations of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Widows Creek Fossil (WCF) Plant CCR Management Units. The 2018 NSHM incorporates updated understanding of seismicity in the central and eastern United States and generally predicts higher ground …
Integrating Advanced Geochemical Workflows With Modern Statistical Tools To Improve The Decision-Making Process At Ccr Sites, A Case Study,
2026
Haley and Aldrich
Integrating Advanced Geochemical Workflows With Modern Statistical Tools To Improve The Decision-Making Process At Ccr Sites, A Case Study, Glenna Thomas
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
While statistical assessment provides the foundation for CCR compliance reporting, incorporating a holistic geochemical framework transforms statistics from a compliance requirement into a powerful predictive tool. Strategic geochemical insight established the basis of understanding needed to support successful statistical approaches and to ensure that statistical outcomes reflect actual groundwater behavior. Whether it is trend analysis, delineating source mechanism, or updating geochemical conceptual site models (GCMs), geochemical context provides the technical foundations for statistical outputs and methods. A continuously refined GCSM enhances the ability to anticipate how groundwater chemistry should evolve, improving interpretation and predictive capability. This allows practitioners to understand …
Before The Limit Hits: Lessons From A Proactive Construction Air Monitoring Program,
2026
CTI and Associates
Before The Limit Hits: Lessons From A Proactive Construction Air Monitoring Program, Brian Egan, Nicholas Golden, Wendy Depp
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
This presentation describes a comprehensive air monitoring program designed to protect workers and nearby neighborhoods during ash pond closure work. The program uses three main components: project (or boundary) monitoring at the site perimeter to track dust near the project boundaries, work area monitoring placed near active construction zones, and personal sampling on individual workers at regular intervals. Together, these approaches provide data on both community impacts and worker exposures, helping the team respond quickly when levels approach action limits. The Teams actions prior to exceedance of regulatory limits has helped prevent exposures. The talk will explain how monitors are …
Monitored Natural Attenuation Evaluation And Additional Characterization Of A Ccr Unit Lithium Groundwater Plume,
2026
Anchor QEA
Monitored Natural Attenuation Evaluation And Additional Characterization Of A Ccr Unit Lithium Groundwater Plume, Matt Barickman, Adam Piestrzeniewicz Pg
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
Monitored Natural Attenuation (MNA) refers to the reliance on natural attenuation processes (within the context of a carefully controlled and monitored site cleanup approach) to meet groundwater protection standards (GPS) for a CCR unit within a reasonable time frame (USEPA, 1999). MNA is being evaluated as an adaptive management strategy for a CCR unit groundwater plume with statistically significant lithium concentrations above GPS, though with little risk of offsite migration. A previous MNA evaluation was performed for the lithium plume following the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) “tiered lines of evidence approach” (USEPA, 2015), which determined that there were …
Establishing Groundwater Monitoring Systems Under The Legacy Rule: A Systematic Approach For Utilities,
2026
Burns & McDonnell Engineering Company, Inc.
Establishing Groundwater Monitoring Systems Under The Legacy Rule: A Systematic Approach For Utilities, Chris Hoglund
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
The USEPA’s Legacy CCR Rule introduces new requirements for establishing groundwater monitoring systems at Legacy Surface Impoundments (LSIs) and Coal Combustion Residual Management Units (CCRMUs). These requirements present unique challenges for electric utilities, particularly at inactive or historically operated facilities where subsurface data are limited and CCR units may have nontraditional configurations such as linear roadways, elongated embankments, or distributed disposal areas. Utilities must also determine how best to apply single-unit or multi-unit monitoring approaches, integrate newly regulated units into existing monitoring networks, and align monitoring system design with planned closure strategies. This presentation outlines a systematic, defensible framework to …
Risk Evaluation Of Linear Coal Combustion Residual Management Unit (Ccrmu) Fills,
2026
Gradient
Risk Evaluation Of Linear Coal Combustion Residual Management Unit (Ccrmu) Fills, Qian Zhang, Andrew Bittner, John Kondziolka, Masoud Arshadi
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
In 2024, the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) established new regulations for coal combustion residual management units (CCRMUs), defined as coal combustion residual (CCR) deposits placed on power plant properties outside of landfills or surface impoundments. US EPA supported the rulemaking with modeling-based risk analyses and established regulatory requirements based on fill size. Linear CCRMU, such as backfill along pipelines or haul roads, have individual segments that may be composed of a small amount of mass below the threshold for regulation, but the cumulative mass over the full linear feature extent may exceed regulatory thresholds. This study applies US …
Application Of Mine Tailings Flow Failure Assessment On Ccr,
2026
Geosyntec Consultants, Inc.
Application Of Mine Tailings Flow Failure Assessment On Ccr, Zachary Fallert
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
A new geotechnical stability analysis method has been implemented for a CCR surface impoundment to aid in design for temporary cut slopes and final closure grades. Conditions have come to light after significant tailings dam failures occurred across the globe, specifically those exhibiting flow failures (i.e. failures in which tailings behave a liquid and flow out of the facility). These failures have come under intense scrutiny as the failures pose significant risk to public safety and the environment and have been observed in CCR. Additionally, static liquefaction has arisen as another potential but less well understood causative mechanism. As the …
Lessons Learned: Commissioning An Fgd Wastewater Treatment System,
2026
Stantec Consulting Services Inc.
Lessons Learned: Commissioning An Fgd Wastewater Treatment System, Bella Triolet, Mckale Grant, Louis Manigault
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
Stantec recently supported commissioning a flue gas desulfurization (FGD) Wastewater Treatment System in accordance with the 2020 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Effluent Limitations Guidelines (ELG) Rule, which requires that coal fired power plants meet their more stringent requirements by December 31, 2025. With the addition of the 2024 EPA ELG Rule, coal fired power plants will now be expected to move to zero liquid discharge (ZLD) systems or permanently cease coal combustion by 2034. Due to this change, it is likely that coal fired power plants will be looking to design and install ZLD systems within the next decade. While …
Risk Evaluation Of Linear Coal Combustion Residual Management Unit (Ccrmu) Fills,
2026
Gradient
Risk Evaluation Of Linear Coal Combustion Residual Management Unit (Ccrmu) Fills, Qian Zhang, Andrew Bittner, John Kondziolka, Masoud Arshadi
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
In 2024, the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) established new regulations for coal combustion residual management units (CCRMUs), defined as coal combustion residual (CCR) deposits placed on power plant properties outside of landfills or surface impoundments. US EPA supported the rulemaking with modeling-based risk analyses and established regulatory requirements based on fill size. Linear CCRMU, such as backfill along pipelines or haul roads, have individual segments that may be composed of a small amount of mass below the threshold for regulation, but the cumulative mass over the full linear feature extent may exceed regulatory thresholds. This study applies US …
Site Characterization, Design, Permitting, And Construction For Clean Closure Of A Small But Challenging Legacy Ccr Disposal Impoundment,
2026
Tetra Tech EC, Inc.
Site Characterization, Design, Permitting, And Construction For Clean Closure Of A Small But Challenging Legacy Ccr Disposal Impoundment, John Garten, Bob Baker, Lee Lenhart
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
The Lay of Land Area (LOLA) is a 10-acre (40,468 square meters) legacy disposal impoundment containing approximately 55,000 cubic yards (42,000 cubic meters) of sluiced coal combustion residuals (CCRs) produced during startup operations of a former fossil plant. Most of its perimeter is bounded by water, with a river to the north and a cooling water lake to the south. The entire area lies within a 100-year floodplain, is heavily forested, and groundwater is typically encountered within a few feet of the existing ground surface. As part of an overall CCR closure-by-removal and ash beneficiation program, planning, design, permitting, and …
Trimble County Pond Closures,
2026
Tetra Tech EC, Inc.
Trimble County Pond Closures, Steven Turner, Shanti Montgomery
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
The Trimble County Closure Project is a 5-year project to close the 40-acre (161,900 square meters) Gypsum Storage Pond (GSP) through closure-by-removal and the 100-acre (404,700 square meters) Bottom Ash Pond (BAP) through closure-in-place in accordance with coal combustion residual (CCR) Rule. The excavated gypsum from the GSP was “Beneficially Reused” to fill the BAP to the prescribed grade for drainage through a monitored outfall to the adjacent creek. The daily plant produced CCRs of fly ash, bottom ash, and gypsum were also used for four years to supplement the filling of the BAP as well as several onsite soil/rock …
Building Better Partnerships: Design-Build Lessons From The Ash Pond Closure Front Lines,
2026
CTI and Associates
Building Better Partnerships: Design-Build Lessons From The Ash Pond Closure Front Lines, Brian Egan, Nicholas Golden, Mark Edlebeck
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
This presentation shares lessons learned on an ash pond dig-and-haul project delivered by a design-build team with CTI providing engineering and Fisher Contracting delivering construction services. CTI and Fisher Contracting will discuss how they formed their partnership, what makes a good teaming arrangement work, and the challenges that come with working closely together. This team has worked side by side from early design through construction, which has helped cut costs and keep the project on schedule. The talk will show how the partners divide tasks, then adjust roles as needed instead of locking into a fixed plan. In some cases, …
Dewatering System Operations And Modeling Of A Bottom Ash Ccr Surface Impoundment,
2026
WSP
Dewatering System Operations And Modeling Of A Bottom Ash Ccr Surface Impoundment, Craig Schuettpelz, Todd Stong, Ben Sieren
World of Coal Ash Proceedings
Dewatering of coal combustion residual (CCR) surface impoundments is a technically challenging item for sites with CCR units at closure. Generation has ceased at this site where fly ash was mostly sold for beneficial use and bottom ash was sluiced to composite-lined CCR surface impoundments to passively drain prior to landfilling. During site closure and restoration, bottom ash and relatively minor amounts of other permitted waste materials were consolidated into the site’s landfill and bottom ash impoundment. The bottom ash impoundment entered closure 5 years ago with installation of a final cover system and construction of a sump to allow …
