SWITCHGRASS POTENTIAL ON RECLAIMED SURFACE MINES FOR BIOFUEL PRODUCTION IN WEST VIRGINIA

Switchgrass yield on reclaimed surface mines for bioenergy production.

The high cost of transportation fuels and the environmental risks associated with acquiring and using nonrenewable energy sources have created a demand for developing renewable bioenergy crops. Switchgrass ( L.), a warm-season perennial grass, is a promising feedstock due to its high biomass production under a wide range of growing conditions and its satisfactory forage quality and chemical com...

The feasibility of switchgrass for biofuel production

Reclaimed Water Use in Biofuel Production

Jatropha curcas L., a toxic species that does not interfere with the food chain, produces biodiesel of better environmental quality than mineral oils. However, in order to cultivate it sustainably, it is necessary to optimize the limited resources used, mainly water and soil. Therefore, in arid areas, it is necessary to cultivate under intensive conditions, irrigate with reclaimed water and cut...

Channel Development on Unreclaimed Surface Mines in the Beaver Creek Watershed, Tucker County, West Virginia

Mining in the early to mid 1900’s has degraded streams within the Beaver Creek watershed in Tucker County, West Virginia. Channels have incised to bedrock and banks suffer from severe erosion. The sediment supply surpasses the stream’s transport capacity, which has resulted in channel alterations. In a preliminary study, the headwater regions of two streams within the Beaver Creek watershed wer...

Acidity decay of above-drainage underground mines in West Virginia.

Acidity of water from abandoned underground mines decreases over time, and the rate of decrease can help formulate remediation approaches and treatment system designs. The objective of this study was to determine an overall acidity decay rate for above-drainage underground mines in northern West Virginia from a large data set of mines that were closed 50 to 70 yr ago. Water quality data were ob...