In the Shadow of Sludge: The Legacy of Coal Waste In AppalachiaMain MenuIntroductionWhat Are Coal Impoundments?What are the risks?The History of Coal Impoundments in the U.S.Coal Impoundment MapNeighborhoods Near Coal ImpoundmentsCoal Impoundment ResourcesPierce Greenberg060cf3453f2e3b1b41150863f2d213578ccea2d4
Tailings Dam Model
12017-05-18T14:30:42-07:00Pierce Greenberg060cf3453f2e3b1b41150863f2d213578ccea2d4183813Technical depiction of tailings dam in Wall Street Journal.plain2017-05-18T14:32:00-07:00Pierce Greenberg060cf3453f2e3b1b41150863f2d213578ccea2d4
This page is referenced by:
12017-05-12T15:12:50-07:00What Are Coal Impoundments?17plain2017-06-01T11:06:01-07:00Coal impoundments are large facilities that can hold millions of gallons of waste created from coal mining. Prior to being shipped for production, coal undergoes a "washing" process that separates out the impurities such as silt, dust, fine particles of coal, and water. This creates a sludge-like waste product—referred to by some as "slurry"—that is pumped into a large, earthen dam called an impoundment.
The Wall Street Journal reported in 2016 that mine waste dams are some of the largest man-made structures on Earth. The graphic below, which accompanied the article, illustrates the basic engineering of these facilities. There are some regional variations in how coal impoundments are constructed. For example, coal impoundments on flatter landscapes—such as those in Wyoming—look more like large pits. But impoundments in the mountainous region of Appalachia mostly take the form depicted above.
As of 2013, there were 601 coal-related impoundments in the U.S., according to data provided by the Mine Safety and Health Administration.
