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<p>Fly ash and AMD samples were characterised by standard analytical methods for selection of the test materials. Active treatment by means of mixing fly ash with AMD in beakers and a large tank at pre-determined ratios have shown that fly ash is capable of neutralising AMD and increasing the pH beyond neutral values, which optimises the removal of heavy metals and ions. The trend was: the more fly ash added the quicker was the reaction time and higher the pH values achieved. Iron was reduced by as much 99 % in beaker scale experiments via Fe(OH)3 precipitation at pH values &gt / 4.0. A 99 % decrease in aluminium concentration was observed which was attributed to the precipitation of primarily gibbsite and various other mineral phases at pH values &gt / 5.5. As the pH increases, sulphate is adsorbed via Fe(OH)3 and gypsum precipitation at elevated pH. Sulphate attenuation with fly ash was excellent, achieving 98 % attenuation with beaker scale experiments and 1:1 fly ash:AMD ratio. Sulphate attenuation with fly ash was comparable to membrane and ion exchange systems and exceeded the performance of limestone treatment. Except for the larger volumes of fly ash needed to neutralise the AMD, fly ash proved to be a feasible and cost efficient alternative to limestone treatment. Fly ash produced competing results to limestone concerning acidity removal and sulphate attenuation. The comparison highlighted the advantages of utilising fly ash in comparison to limestone and demonstrated its cost effectiveness. The results of this study have shown that fly ash could be successfully applied for the neutralisation of acid mine drainage (AMD) and effectively attenuate the sulphate load in the treated water. The critical parameters to this technology are the variations of chemical composition and mineralogy of fly ash, which could influence the pH, contact time of the neutralisation reaction, and the same is true if the AMD quality varies.</p>

Subsurface solutional pathways make limestone terrains sensitive to changes in soil properties that regulate flows to the epikarst. This study examines biogeomorphic factors responsible for changed water movements and erosion in fluviokarst slopes deforested 200 years ago along the Kentucky River, Kentucky. In this project, infiltration and water content data from forest and fescue grass soil profiles were analyzed within a detailed overview of system factors regulating hillslope hydrology. Results show that grass has growth and rooting characteristics that tend to create a larger volume of lateral water movement in upper soil layers than occurs under forests. This sets up the current emergent pattern of erosion in which water perches at grass slope bases and overwhelms pre-existing epikarst drainage. Tree roots are able to cause solution at multiple discrete points of entry into fractures and bedding planes, increasing storage capacity and releasing sediment over time. Grass roots do not enter bedrock, and their rooting depth limits diffuse vertical preferential flow in root channels to above one meter. In the areas dense clay soils, flow under grass is conducted sideways either through the regolith or at the bedrock surface. Rapid flow along rock faces in hillslope benches likely moves fines via subsurface routes from the hillslope shoulders, causing the exposure of flat outcrops under grass. Lower growing season evapotranspiration also promotes higher grass summer flow volumes. Gullying occurs at sensitive points where cutters pass from the uphill grassed area into the forest, or where flow across the bedrock surface crosses grass/forest boundaries oriented vertical to the slope. At these locations, loss of the protective grass root mat, coupled with instigation of tree root preferential flow in saturated soils, causes soil pipes to develop. Fluviokarst land management decisions should be based on site-specific slope, soil depth, and epkarst drainage conditions, since zones sensitive to erosion are formed by spatial and temporal conjunctions of a large number of lithologic, karst, soil, climate, and vegetation factors. This study shows that it is the composite of differing influences created by forest and grass that make forests critical for soil retention in high-energy limestone terrains.

Paleochannels are a major cause of roof failure in underground coal mines in southeastern Kentucky. Models that predict the location and geometry of paleochannels are essential to assist in mine planning and development. Data from approximately 506 coal exploration drill holes were subjected to second-order trend-surface analysis to identify stacking or offsetting relationships between sandstone bodies in adjacent stratigraphic intervals. The stacking of sandstone bodies within adjacent intervals suggests the presence of synsedimentary faulting. This model suggests that continued movement along the faults created topographic lows attracted paleodrainages and accommodated thick accumulations of sandstone in approximately the same areas through time. Trend-surface residuals analysis successfully located areas of potential synsedimentary faulting within the study area. An additional 7,189 elevation data points for the top of the Newman Limestone, interpreted from oil and gas records, were utilized to locate sub-Pennsylvanian System faults within the study area. The correlation between faults associated with the coal measures identified using second-order trend-surface analysis and faults affecting the Newman Limestone suggests Pennsylvanian synsedimentary faults were preceded by older Paleozoic fault movement. The greater availability of oil and gas subsurface data makes this relationship an important tool for predicting locations of fault-controlled coal measure paleochannels.

Kentucky’s Upper Green River Basin has received significant attention due to the area’s high biodiversity and spectacular karst development. While carbonate bedrock is present throughout the watershed, it is more extensive and homogenous along the river between Greensburg and Munfordville than upstream from Greensburg where the geology is more heterogeneous. This research quantitatively evaluated how lithological differences between the two catchment areas impact hydrochemistry and inorganic carbon cycling. This first required correcting catchment boundaries on previous US Geological Survey Hydrologic Unit Maps to account for areas where the boundaries cross sinkhole plains. Basin boundaries using existing Kentucky Division of Water dye trace data differed from the earlier versions by as much as three kilometers. The river at the downstream site is more strongly influenced by carbonate mineral dissolution, reflected in higher specific conductance (SpC) and pH. The SpC at Munfordville ranges from 0.9 to 4.8 times that at Greensburg, averaging 2.0 times higher. Although rainfall is impacted by sulfuric acid from coal burning, river pH is buffered at both sites. The pH is higher at Munfordville 91% of the time, by an average of 0.28 units. Diurnal, photosynthetic pH variations are damped out downstream suggesting interactions between geologic and biological influences on river chemistry. River temperature differences between the two sites are at least 4oC higher at Greensburg under warm season conditions, but there is a clear trend of temperature differences diminishing as the river cools through the fall and winter. This results from a relatively stable temperature at Munfordville, impacted by large spring inputs of groundwater within the karst region downstream. Although weak statistical relationships between SpC and HCO3 - create uncertainties in high resolution carbon flux calculations, measurement of these fluxes is more highly impacted by discharge variations than concentration variations, which resulted in average daily atmospheric flux estimates within 34% between the two basins using weekly concentration data (3.3x108 vs. 2.2x108 gkm-2 d-1, where km2 is the outcrop area of carbonate rocks), and within only 12% using 15-minute concentration data from regressions (2.6x108 vs. 2.3x108 gkm-2 d-1) for Greensburg and Munfordville, respectively.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, Riverside, 2009. / Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references. Issued in print and online. Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations.

Thesis (M.S.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Geosciences. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Orientador: Carlos Alexandre Costa Crusciol / Banca: Rogério Peres Soratto / Banca: Juliano Corulli Correa / Resumo: O Brasil é destaque internacional na produção de cana-de-açúcar, sendo o Estado de São Paulo responsável por 68% da produção de cana com aproximadamente 3,7 milhões de ha. (FNP, 2008). A aplicação de calcário em superfície, sem incorporação, tem-se mostrado viável em sistema de plantio direto para diversas culturas. Porém, para a cultura da cana-de-açúcar, sem queima prévia, ainda não se tem um estudo detalhado. Como no sistema de produção de cana crua também é mantida a palha sobre o solo, é possível obter os mesmos benefícios ou até melhores em razão da grande quantidade de palha e do sistema radicular da cana. Outra alavanca tecnológica e ecologicamente correta é o uso de silicato de cálcio como corretivo de solo. Nesse contexto, o objetivo do trabalho foi verificar os efeitos promovidos no solo e na produção de colmos de cana pela aplicação de doses de calcário, silicato de cálcio e gesso em soqueira de cana crua. Instalou-se quatro experimentos no ano agrícola de 2002/03, num Latossolo vermelho-amarelo arenoso. O delineamento experimental foi de blocos casualizados, com quatro repetições. Experimento (I): Os tratamentos constituíram um fatorial 4 x2, em esquema de parcela subdividida, sendo as parcelas compostas de quatro doses de calcário (0, 900, 1800 e 3600 kg ha-1) e as subparcelas por duas doses de gesso (0 e 1700 kg ha-1). Experimento (II): As parcelas foram constituídas por quatro doses de silicato (0, 850, 1700 e 3400 kg ha-1) e as subparcelas por duas doses de gesso (0 e 1700 kg ha-1) em esquema de parcela subdividida. Experimento (III): As parcelas foram compostas por dois corretivos (calcário e silicato) e as subparcelas por quatro níveis de corretivos (0; 0,5; 1,0 e 2,0 vezes a necessidade de calagem). Experimento (IV): Composto por seis tratamentos- 1) testemunha; 2) gesso agrícola; 3) calcário; 4) silicato; 5) mistura... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Sugarcane production in Brazil is the biggest in the world. There are two main producing regions: Northeast and Center-South. Sao Paulo State is responsible for 68% of cane production with approximately 3.7 milion ha. Surface liming without incorporation is considered feasible in no-tillage system for several crops. However, as to sugarcane a comprehensive study has not been made so far. Another technological eco-friendly tool is the use of slag as a soil acidity corrective material. This research aimed at comparing the effects in the soil and cane production brought by the application of limestone, calcium silicate and gypsum in green sugarcane ratton. Four experiment was carried out on Latosol in 2002/2003. A randomized complete block design, in split-plot scheme, and four replications was used. Experiment (I): The plots were composed by four dolomite limestone levels (0, 900, 1800 e 3600 kg ha-1) and the subplot were composed by without and with phosphogypsum application (0 e 1700 kg ha-1). Experiment (II): The plots were composed by four calcium silicate levels (0, 850, 1700 e 3400 kg ha-1) and the subplot were composed by without and with phosphogypsum application (0 e 1700 kg ha-1). Experiment (III): The plot were composed by two soil acidity corrective (limestone and calcium silicate) and the subplot composed by four levels. Experiment (IV): Composed by six treatment: 1) check; 2) phosphogypsum; 3) limestone; 4) calcium silicate; 5) limestone + phosphogypsum; 6) calcium silicate + phosphogypsum. Evaluated cane yields and soil chemical characteristics at 0-0,05; 0,05-0,10; 0,10-0,20; 0,20-0,40; 0,40-0,60 m depth. Limestone and Calcium silicate promoted acidity reduction and increasing on Ca and Mg content of soil profile. / Mestre