Perspectives on Iowa Coal Richard N
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Energy and Mineral Resources Research Institute Reports 6-1976 Perspectives on Iowa Coal Richard N. Stolp Frederick P. Deluca Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/emrri_reports Part of the Oil, Gas, and Energy Commons Recommended Citation Stolp, Richard N. and Deluca, Frederick P., "Perspectives on Iowa Coal" (1976). Energy and Mineral Resources Research Institute Reports. 1. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/emrri_reports/1 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Energy and Mineral Resources Research Institute Reports by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ~ ./ ';, . / ) / / I · ~ \ . .' ''<""' . ',~ r~ n stolp PERSPECTIVES ON IOWA COAL R.N. Stolp and F.P.DeLuca June 1976 ENERGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES RESEARCH INSTITUTE R. S. Hansen, Director Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 50011 Preface This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by the Iowa Coal Project and conducted in the Energy and Mineral Resources Research Institute at Iowa State University. Financial support for the research was provided by an appropriation from the Iowa Legislature in June 1974. Additional copies of this report may be purchased from: National Technical Information Service U.S. Department of Commerce P. 0. Box 1553 Springfield, VA 22161 Price: Microfiche $2.25 Printed copy $4.50 Acknowledgement The authors gratefully acknowledge the help and cooperation of many in dividuals who contributed to the development of this manual. Although ade quate acknowledgement cannot be made to all who participated, we do wish to mention those who made special contributions. Thanks to Dean Daniel J. Zaffarano for his continued support from the very beginning of this project. Special thanks to Professors Lyle V. A. Sendlein and John Lemish, project technical consultants, for their sugges tions and guidance. The numerous comments that resulted from a thorough reading of the manuscript by Professor Robert S. Hansen and Mr. Ray W. Fisher were very helpful. The editorial skills of Ms. Faith Reilly and Mr. W. Emmett Dreeszen improved significantly the readability of the manual. We thank Mr. Tom Kelly and Mr. Larry Barr for helping to improve the visual appeal and general clarity of the manual through their design of the cover and the production of the graphics throughout the text. The broad scope of this manual would not have been possible without the help and cooperation of the many individuals who were affiliated with the Iowa Coal Project. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ............................... ..... ... LIST OF IMPORT ANT QUESTIONS . ii LIST OF FIGURES . iii LIST OFT ABLES . iv LIST OF PLATES v CHAPTER I. GLOBAL. NATIONAL, AND STATE ENERGY RESOURCES. ............ .... Global Energy . 1 National Energy . 5 Iowa Energy. 9 II. OR:GIN OF IOWA COAL ..... .. ........ ...... ..... 13 Exploration .............. ....... .. ......... ...... 20 Ill. IOWA COAL MINING . ................. 22 IV COMPOSITION AND PROCESSING OF IOWA COALS ........... ... ............. 33 Processing of Iowa Coal ...... ................ 34 V. COAL AND THE ENVIRONMENT ... ................ 44 Environmental Problems Associated with Coal Mines .................................... 44 Environmental Problems Associated with Burning of Coal ................. ......... .... 45 VI. ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CONSIDERATIONS 50 Social Impact of Possible Increased Mining Operations in Iowa .... ................................ 53 VII. SUMMARY ... ..................................... 54 APPENDIX A Stratigraphic Column of Iowa ............ ............. 55 APPENDIX B: EMRRI Coal Research Program ............. ....... ....... 57 LITERATURE CITED ....... ..... ............ .... ....... 59 LITERATURE REVIEWED ........ .... ... ... .......... ...... 63 PERSPECTIVES ON IOWA COAL INTRODUCTION The global and national energy situation has been under stress during the past few years due to crude oil and natural gas shortages. The problems of short supply and high prices probably will not be alleviated in the near future. Nations, including the United States, are finding it necessary to turn to new sources of power. Many of these sources, such as nuclear power and solar energy, cannot meet increased demand within the next ten years. Coal, however, once supplied a major portion of man's energy needs, and may now help to ease the energy situation. Fifty years ago coal mining in Iowa flourished, but today only a few mines remain as a token of former days. Interest in coal, and energy production in general, is spark ing new interest and research in Iowa's energy reserves-Iowa's coal. During 1974 the Iowa Legislature funded an Iowa Coal Research Project under the Energy and Mineral Resources Research Institute (EMRRI) at Iowa State University. This project has two primary goals: 1) to establish strip mining methods that allow the land to be returned to productive use at an economical cost, and 2) to establish economical methods of cleaning and burning Iowa coal in conformance with environmental standards. The Iowa Coal Research Project is calling on the expertise of many professional people including environmentalists, engineers, scientists, economists and industrial specialists to achieve its goals. This manual summarizes some of the research that is being conducted during this three year project. A capsule view of the types of re search being done can be obtained by examining the titles of currently funded pro jects listed in Appendix B. It should be noted that estimates for total reserves of oil, natural gas, and coal are constantly being revised . Estimates differ according to the sources, and usually vary from year to year. Estimates within this publication are an attempt to approximate middle of the road figures, and will not meet with approval from all quarters. Although many of the topics associated with energy are quite controversial, no attempt has been made to provide a comprehensive account of all the positive and negative views of each issue. A more general approach has been used with the idea to inform rather than state so-called "right" or "wrong" answers. The purpose of this manual is to help acquaint the public with Iowa's coal produc tion prospects. A list of anticipated questions with page references to answers is in cluded at the end of this introduction to provide a quick reference of answers toques tions dealing with energy and Iowa coal issues. In many cases the answers to the questions will be sufficient for some people, but greater clarity may be obtained by re ading the related material in this manual. Scientific terms have been kept to a minimum to enhance readability. Information of a more detailed nature can be ob tained by reading cited references or other publications listed in the bibliography. This publication is intended to provide information for the interested citizenry of lqwa. It is anticipated that concerned individuals, civic groups, and members at all levels of local and state governments wili find this publication a helpful reference for answering individual questions, and providing a base for seminars and group dis cussions. This publication can also serve as a valuable resource for science and social studies teachers in Iowa's secondary schools. Instructors and students in higher education may also find its contents useful as an example of an interdisciplinary pro ject that threads through science, technology and society. ii LIST OF IMPORTANT QUESTIONS HOW LONG WILL WORLD OIL SUPPLIES LAST? ... .. ............... .. 2 WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF NUCLEAR POWER? . ...... ............. · 4 ARE OTHER ENERGY SOURCES. SUCH AS SOLAR. WIND AND TIDAL. IMPORT ANT ON A GLOBAL SCALE? .... ....... ...... 5 HOW LONG WILL ENERGY RESERVES IN THE UNITED STATES LAST? . .. ... ....... 6 WHAT ARE IOWA'S ENERGY RESOURCES? .... ..... ...... ... .... .. 9 WHAT ARE IOWA'S FUTURE ENERGY ALTERNATIVES? 12 HOW IS COAL FORMED? . .. " ....... ..... 13 WHY IS IOWA COAL DIFFERENT? 19 WHY IS AN EXTENSIVE EXPLORATION PROGRAM NEEDED TO FIND IOWA COAL? ...... ........ ... .................. 20 HOW IS COAL MINED UNDERGROUND? . 23 HOW MANY WORKING COAL MINES DOES IOWA HAVE NOW? . ..... ........ ........ ... ......... 24 HOW DO STRIP MINES OPERATE?... .......... ... 25 WHY STRIP MINE COAL INSTEAD OF DEEP MINING IT?. .. ............... 25 HOW MUCH OF IOWA'S SURFACE COULD BE AFFECTED BY STRIP MINES? ....... ... .. ....... ...... 27 CAN IOWA COAL BE CLEANED TO MEAT ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS ........... 38 HOW DO ACID CONDITIONS (LOW pH) AFFECT PLANTS ON SPOIL BANKS? . ....... 44 WHAT IS BEING DONE TO RECLAIM STRIP MINED LANDS? . ........ 45 CAN IOWA COAL BE MINED ECONOMICALLY? 50 HOW MUCH DOES COAL COST? ...... ........................ - 52 WILL INCREASED MINING BRING IN A LARGE OUT OF STATE LABOR FORCE? ........................... 53 iii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1-1. Petroleum Resources of the World .. ........ .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 1-2. Known World Oil Reserves ... ... .. .. ...... ...... .. ...... 2 1-3. Total Initial Coal Reserves of the World . 3 1-4. Total World Fossil Fuel Energy . ...... ..... .... ...... ... 4 1-5. Energy Consumption by Consumers . .. .... ..... ....... .... 6 1-6. Energy Consumption by Source Showning Projected Imports of Oil and Natural Gas ... .. .. .. ... ..... .. .. ....... ... 7 1-7. Coal Deposits in the United States . .. ....... ......... .... ..... 8 1-8. Present and Planned