| The Central Ohio Coal Company has been presented with a special Ohio
Coal Reclamation Award for outstanding environmental improvement during
reclamation of mined land. American Electric Power’s Central Ohio Coal
Company–Muskingum Mine annually produces 1.7 million tons of coal at
the mine, located near Cumberland, Ohio. The Muskingum slurry
impoundment was constructed to dispose of both fine and coarse coal
refuse. Coal refuse is a by-product of the coal preparation washing
process, which is designed to remove impurities from the raw coal. The
slurry impoundment consists of a large embankment constructed of coarse
coal refuse and a large impoundment which is utilized to treat the
slurry discharged from the preparation plant. Fine waste material from
slurry settles out in the impoundment and the clear water is returned to
the preparation plant for reuse in the coal washing process. |
Vegetation is established on the lower face of the embankment. The
sediment collection pond is in the background.
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