Jurisdiction: Abandoned Mine Lands
1998 Completed Projects Archive
Beulah/Zap Phase II AML Project Summary
Project Type: Underground, pressurized grout remote backfilling
AML Priority: #14
Note: Due to financial limitations work was only done in 1998 at one of the Beulah Sites
Location: SW¼,SW¼,SW¼ of Section 12, T144N, R88W, Mercer County, at the junction
of US Highway 200 and ND Highway 49 (Black Diamond Lounge Site)
Acreage: Less than 10 acres
Project Dates: July 27-September 2, 1998
Contractors: Thiem Drilling, Incorporated of Williston (Construction) and Geoserv Inc., of Bismarck
(Material Testing)
Bid Volume: 4750 cubic yards grout
Actual Volume: 6205 cubic yards grout
Bid Price: $269,687.50 (Thiem) and $14,065.00 (Geoserv)
Actual Price: $311,811.50 (Thiem) and $12,202.00 (Geoserv)
This project phase was conducted to complete reclamation work begun in 1997 near a building complex located approximately one mile north of Beulah. This building complex presently includes the Ragtop Maltshop and Café, the Black Diamond Lounge, and the Hook Line and Sinker bait shop and convenience store. The reclamation technique utilized was Pressurized Grout Remote Backfilling. In this technique, a cementitious grout is pumped under pressure through drilled holes into the mine cavities to fill them and reduce the likelihood of collapse.
In 1997, grout was pumped to stabilize collapsing mined workings directly beneath the Black Diamond Lounge, near the Hook Line and Sinker, and beneath portions of the driveway and parking lot. In 1998, grout was pumped into collapsing mined workings beneath the remainder of the driveway, beneath several occupied mobile homes, and beneath the east ditch of Mercer County Road 21. This project phase marks the completion of a large reclamation project. In 1997 and 1998, over 35,000 feet of rotary drilling was conducted and nearly 13,000 cubic yards (approximately 25,000 tons) of grout were pumped to fill collapsing mine workings at this site. In addition, approximately 41,000 tons of slurry was injected at this site during a project conducted in 1983. The total combined costs of the 1983, 1997 and 1998 grouting projects at this site exceed $1.2 million.
Mining History
- The Knife River Coal Mining Company's Underground Mine was an underground room and pillar mine that encompassed an area of well over 1,000 acres immediately north and east of Beulah. It operated between 1915 and 1953. Annual coal production ranged from about 3,000-450,000 tons and total production from this mine was more than 10 million tons. It supported a work force ranging from about 50-300 men.
- More than 50 mines have been located within 20 miles of Beulah and Zap, making it one of the most heavily mined areas in the state.
Background of Reclamation Project
- Some of the earliest Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) Reclamation work was conducted near the Sun Valley Mobile Home Park in Beulah in 1980.
- At least eight major projects and several smaller ones have been conducted at or near Beulah since then at a total cost of approximately $5 million.
- In 1983, a gravity fill remote backfilling reclamation project was conducted near the Manny's Site. In this project, approximately 41,000 tons of slurry consisting of sand, flyash and water was "poured" through drilled holes into the mine workings. Several subsidence events occurred subsequent to this project indicating that the fill in the abandoned mine workings was not adequate in some portions of the site.
- In 1994, a serious subsidence event occurred directly under the Black Diamond Lounge, a part of the Manny's Building Complex. The resultant sinkhole was approximately 20 feet in diameter and 10 feet deep. This broke water lines, damaged air conditioning units and shut off power to the building. The AML Division responded and had the sinkhole repaired immediately under the emergency program. In 1996, a sinkhole surfaced beneath and near an occupied mobile home about 300 feet north of Manny's and this was also repaired under the emergency program.
- Exploratory Drilling was conducted at the three Beulah/Zap sites in 1996-97. We found collapsing underground mined workings at all sites.
- The Beulah/Zap Phase I Project was conducted between July 14 and August 22, 1997.
- AML reclamation projects at this site should reduce the likelihood of death or injuries to property owners and the public and of property damage resulting from collapse of underground mine workings. The projects were conducted with no significant interruption to businesses located at this site.
- This is the driveway (64kb pdf) of the Black Diamond Lounge. Most of the grouting work was done here.
- A shallow subsidence feature (136kb pdf) in the County Road
21 road ditch.
- Drilling (62kb pdf) conducted in the County 21 ditch prior to grout injection in the driveway.
- The material tester is testing the slump of the grout (33kb pdf) (foreground). Note the grout pumping equipment in the background.
- Grout injection near the Mark and Dineen Evanger home (28kb pdf), north of the Black Diamond.
- A "blowout" (48kb pdf) in which pressurized grout burst through the surface.
Custer Phase II
The North Dakota Public Service Commission reclaimed the Phase 2 portion of this abandoned surface coal mine site. This phase of the project involved the backfilling the central portion of the west highwall. Approximately 287,000 cubic yards of spoil was excavated from the adjacent spoil piles to backfill the highwall. After completion of the dirt work operations the site was fertilized, seeded and mulched. The construction cost for the Phase 2 Project was $161,322.69. The Custer Phase 2 Project started on June 16, 1998 and was completed on October 10, 1998. The following are pictures that illustrate pre- and post-mining conditions:
- Custer Phase II picture1 (188kb pdf)
- Custer Phase II picture2 (109kb pdf)
- Custer Phase II picture3 (246kb pdf)
Graf
The North Dakota Public Service Commission reclaimed potentially hazardous portions of the Graf abandoned surface coal mine site. This project involved the backsloping of the west highwall. Approximately 56,000 cubic yards of spoil was excavated. The excavated material was used to backfill the north and south highwalls. After completion of the dirt work operations the site was fertilized, seeded and mulched. The construction cost for the Graf Project was $48,380.00. Reclamation began May 11, 1998 and was completed on June 30, 1998. The following is a:
- pre-reclamation view (118kb pdf)
- post-reclamation view (182kb pdf)
