INFLUENCE OF THE ONEIDA #3 MINE TUNNEL DRAINAGE ON LITTLE TOMHICKEN CREEK BEFORE AND AFTER THE REPAIR OF AN AMD PASSIVE TREATMENT SYSTEM

Drainage from the Oneida #3 mine tunnel, in the Eastern Middle Anthracite Field of eastern Pennsylvania, discharges into Little Tomhicken Creek near Hazleton, PA. The second largest discharge in the Catawissa Creek Watershed, this discharge has historically had high concentrations of dissolved aluminum, low pH and low alkalinity. A passive limestone treatment system, installed December 2009, was rendered inoperable during a massive rain event (March 2011), when erosion caused all flow to bypass the system. On 3 June 2011, we executed a field study of the system, now reverted back to pre-treatment stage. Samples were collected in Little Tomhicken Creek (14 sites), the tunnel (1 site), and the system (5 sites). Sampling from the tunnel was limited by the presence of construction workers rebuilding the entrance to the system. We returned on July 11 to check the efficacy of the repaired treatment system, collecting samples from the tunnel (2 sites), Little Tomhicken Creek (9 sites), and the system (5 sites). DO, pH and specific conductance were measured in situ. Large (4L) samples were collected at each site and the following analyses performed: turbidity, acidity and alkalinity. In addition, subsamples were preserved for later ion and metal analyses in the laboratory. Judging by the chemistry of the outflow, the treatment system is performing as designed, raising the pH and the alkalinity of the mine drainage to the value in the creek upstream of the drainage. We hope to soon determine the efficacy of the system in treating the problematical dissolved aluminum values in the drainage, now that our new ICP-OES is operational.