Illinois State Geological Survey Annual Report July 1990 - June 1991 Illinois Department of Energy and Natural Resources State Geological Survey Division Annual Report to the Board of Natural Resources and Conservation June 1990 to July 1991 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign http://archive.org/details/annualreporttob9091illi CONTENTS 1990-1991 HIGHLIGHTS AND SUMMARY 1 MINERAL RESOURCES 17 Illinois Mineral Industry in 1989 and 1990 17 Coal 17 Coal Database Management 19 Coal Mining Geology 20 Coal Resources 20 Coal Characterization 21 Coal Cleaning: Physical and Microbial 22 Coal Cleaning: Chemical and Thermal 24 Coal Combustion 24 Fuels and Chemicals from Coal 25 Liquids and Gases from Coal 26 Technical Support Services 27 Coal Analysis Laboratory Services 27 Technology Transfer and Information Services 28 Oil and Gas 29 Oil and Gas Program for Illinois 29 Oil and Gas Statistics 29 Improved Oil Recovery Methods and Concepts 30 New Exploration Methods and Concepts 34 Hydrocarbon Generation and Migration Studies 35 Oil and Gas Database Management 35 Technology Transfer and Information Services 35 Other Energy Sources 36 Groundwater Resources 37 Groundwater Assessment 37 Technical Assistance 38 Technology Transfer and Information Services 39 Industrial Minerals 39 Mineral Resource Assessments 40 Limestone and Dolomite Resources 43 Silica and Industrial Sand 43 Clay Mineralogy and Clay Resources 44 Fluorspar and Metal Resources 44 Beneficiation/Processing 44 Technology Transfer and Information Services 44 Mineral Economics 45 Applied Economic Research 45 Technology Transfer and Information Services 45 ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY AND GEOCHEMISTRY 49 Environmental Studies and Assessment 49 Special Siting Studies 49 Environmental Impact Studies 50 Geology for Planning 50 County Regional Studies 50 Lake Michigan Coast and Basin Studies 51 Lake Michigan Database Development 52 Coastal Erosion Studies 52 Lake History Studies 52 Wetlands, Rivers, and Interior Lakes 53 Groundwater Protection 54 Technical Assistance 55 Pesticides in Groundwater 55 Groundwater Assessments 57 Waste Management 58 Landfill Siting 58 Hazardous Wastes 59 Low-Level Radioactive Wastes 59 Coal Wastes 60 Technology Transfer and Information Services 60 Earth Hazards and Geotechnical Studies 61 Radon 61 Landslides 61 Earthquakes 61 Mine Subsidence 62 Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Support Studies 63 Technology Transfer and Information Services 63 GENERAL AND BASIC RESEARCH 67 Geologic and Topographic Mapping and Remote Sensing 67 Geologic Mapping 67 Topographic Mapping 71 Remote Sensing 71 Crustal Studies 71 Potential Field Data 72 Basin Analysis 72 Framework Studies 72 Structural Geology and Tectonic History 73 Stratigraphy 73 Paleoenvironmental Studies 75 Synthesis 75 Technology Transfer and Information Services 77 Quaternary Investigations 77 Framework Studies 77 Quaternary Environments and Processes 78 Technology Transfer and Information Services 78 Basic and Fundamental Hydrogeologic Investigations 80 Hydrogeology Processes 80 Hydrogeology Research Laboratory Studies 81 Field Laboratory Studies 81 Paleontology/Palynology Investigations 81 Paleontology Studies 82 Palynology Studies 82 Technology Transfer and Information Services 83 Geochemical Investigations 84 Coal Geochemistry 84 Shale Geochemistry 84 Mineralogic Investigations 84 Research Studies 85 XRD Laboratory Improvement for Mineral Analysis 85 Technology Transfer and Information Services 86 Computer Research 86 Programming and Data Entry Research 86 Computer Systems 86 Technology Transfer and Information Services 87 Scientific Support Services 87 Quality Assurance/Quality Control 87 Analytical Chemistry Services 88 Isotopic Geochemistry Services 88 Inter-Survey Geotechnical Laboratory 89 Computer Services 89 Database Enhancement 89 2 TECHNICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 93 Technical and Administrative Services Branch Office 93 Business and Financial Services 93 Grants and Contracts 94 Human Resource Office 94 Library/Map Room and Public Information 95 Information Office 95 Mail Room 95 Library/Map Room 96 Earth Science Information Center 97 Duplicating Services 97 Public Liaison 97 Publications, Graphics, and Photography 98 Technical Design, Operations, and Maintenance 102 Woodworking Shop 104 Machine and Metal-Working Shop 104 Electronics Shop 104 Drill Rig 104 Automotive Section 104 Applied Research Laboratory Shop 105 Educational Extension 105 Geological Science Field Trips 105 Teacher Workshops 105 Displays 1 05 Geological Records and Samples Library 106 Geological Records Unit 106 Geological Samples Library 108 FY 1991 Capital Projects 109 HONORS AND AWARDS 1 1 ACTIVITY MEASURES 115 FINANCIAL REPORT 118 Printed by authority of the State of Illinois/1991/400 1990-1991 HIGHLIGHTS AND SUMMARY Significant issues facing the State of Illinois continued to receive the attention of the Illinois State Geological Survey: Economic development and jobs—growth of Illinois' mineral extraction and service industries Energy—adequacy of domestic liquid hydrocarbons for transportation and availability of coal resources for energy security Water—access to adequate supplies of groundwater and protection of these supplies from contamination Clean air—reduction of atmospheric emissions from coal combustion Land/wetlands—wise use, relative values, and relative risks Minerals—access to adequate supplies of construction materials to build or rebuild Illinois' infrastructures Facilities and infrastructures—need for information to site new facilities and avoid hazards in the construction of Illinois' infrastructure Agriculture—protection of prime farmlands Public safety and health—identification and minimization of geologic risks from natural and manmade hazards. The Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) continued its role as a scientific and information agency. In addition to responding to thousands of queries in person or over the phone, the ISGS contributed to major publications that focused on the Illinois Basin: the Interior Cratonic Basins published by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, a major work on the Mahomet-Teays Valley published by the Geological Society of America, the first Bulletin published by the ISGS in 16 years, and the publication of 306 maps and reports. MINERAL RESOURCES AND ENGINEERING The total value of minerals production in 1990 was about $2.7 billion. Coal, oil, and industrial minerals all increased in value for the first time in a decade. Coal • Assessing the impact of the Clean Air Act, the ISGS acquired information that seven mines filing contracts with the Federal Energy Regulation Commission (FERC) claimed to have coal with sulfur contents equivalent to 1 .5 to 2.5 lbs SGymillion Btu; thus they are capable of delivering coal that meets the interim standard until January 1 , 2000, when emissions will be limited to 1 .2 lbs SOymillion Btu for all utilities. None met the more stringent 1 .2 lbs SOymillion Btu limit. • A magnetic tape of data on the sulfur contents and heating values of Illinois coals has been obtained from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) of the U.S. Department of Energy. The data cover recent contracts signed between Illinois coal companies and electric utilities. Of the 1 ,320 contracts included in the tape, only one is for coal that meets the most stringent federal clean-air standard of 1 .2 lbs SOg/million Btus, whereas 118 contracts cover coal that meets the less severe standard of 2.5 lbs SOymillion Btus. Both the FERC data noted above and the EIA information support increases in ISGS efforts to develop processes for removal of sulfur from coal and from stack gases after combustion. • Stratigraphic data on coal and coal-related strata from more than 10,000 drill holes were added to the Coal Stratigraphic Information System, thus bringing the total to more than 30,000 stratigraphic descriptions of borings, outcrops, and mine exposures. • A pilot study to evaluate the availability of coal resources in Illinois was based on selected quadrangles. Preliminary results from the first study area, the Middletown Quadrangle north of Springfield, indicate that less than 60 percent of the coal resources are available for mining and possibly less than 25 percent may be recoverable. • The map, "Features Associated with the Springfield Coal Bed in the Illinois Basin," was compiled from data collected by the Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky Geological Surveys. The map illustrates the outcrop of coal, mines, channels, and faults. • The organic-sulfur content of maceral particles proved to be more variable than previously thought. SEM-EDX results to date confirm that the organic sulfur content is enriched in each maceral group where the coal underlies a marine shale. • A project supported by the Center for Research on Sulfur in Coal is investigating the gaseous species of chlorine and sulfur in combustion gases. In preliminary results using Fourier Transform Infrared analysis in conjunction with thermogravimetric analysis, the species COS (carbon oxysulfide) has been identified in combustion gases from one Illinois coal. This species, by reacting with iron to form iron monosulfide, could play an important role in corrosion of utility boilers. • Most of the chlorine found in handpicked, pure vitrain samples occurs in the organic matter, not in the ash-forming materials. It appears that the chlorine is held at nitrogen sites in the organic matter. • Film flotation tests, developed at the University