Authors: W. Lee Daniels, Associate Professor, and Barry Stewart and Dennis Dove, Graduate Research Assistants, Department of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech
Publication Number 460-131, June 1996
Table 1. Median values for some physical and chemical properties of coarse coal refuse from southwest Virginia; samples were taken from five active piles and 22 abandoned piles.
| Parameter | Median Value |
|---|---|
| Physical Properties, Whole Refuse | |
| % material > 2 mm diameter | 60 % |
| Fine earth fraction: % material < 2mm diameter | 40 % |
| Physical Properties, Fine Earth Fraction: | |
| % sand sized (2 - 0.05 mm) | 60 % |
| % silt sized (0.05 - 0.002 mm) | 22 % |
| % clay sized (<0.002 mm) | 15 % |
| soil textural class | sandy loam |
| Chemical Properties, Whole Refuse: | |
| Plant available water | .8 % |
| pH | 4.16 |
| EC | 0.04 S m-1 |
| Cation Exchange Capacity | 3.65 cmolckg-1 |
| Available P | 7.6 ppm |
| Potential Acidity (Acid Base Accounting) | 10.2 tons CaCO3per 1000 tons refuse |
| Potential Acidity (H2O2) | 27.8 tons CaCO3per 1000 tons refuse |