 The
Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation & Enforcement
presented the 2004 National Excellence in Surface Coal Mine
Reclamation Award to Patriot Mining Company’s Guston Run
Mine for innovative reclamation. The OSM awards program
began in 1986 to publicly recognize outstanding active coal
mine reclamation and to highlight and show recognition for
exemplary reclamation techniques.
The Guston Run Mine is located in Pursglove, West
Virginia. Mining in a coal seam known for acid mine drainage
problems, the Patriot Mining Company incorporated coal ash
from a local power plant to solve the problems. The ash was
spread on the pit floor, mixed in the backfill, and acted as
a sealer and neutralizing agent on the final slopes before
placing topsoil. Along with other excellent reclamation
practices, this procedure has resulted in good water quality
discharges and post-mining land that will remain productive
far into the future.
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