Geology topics

Research about Buchanan County, Virginia

Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including Buchanan County, Virginia.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2025

Temporal and spatial comparison of coal mine ventilation methane emissions and mitigation quantified using PRISMA satellite data and on-site measurements

Emission monitoring at the facility level (bottom-up, BU) is key for accurate reporting of coal mine methane (CMM) emissions. Recent advances in aerial and satellite observations (top-down, TD) indicate that these methods have the potential to support CMM emissions monitoring and reporting of, as well as track the effectiveness of, mitigation actions. That said, studies have shown discrepancies between BU and TD estimations. Performing TD monitoring with concurrent BU measurements at the same mines may help address the observed discrepancies and improve quantification methods to narrow the gap between BU and TD data. This paper presents a comparison of concurrent BU-TD methane emission fluxes monitored from two ventilation shafts at a southwestern Virginia, USA, longwall mine to complement the existing body of studies on satellite-based monitoring of coal mines by incorporating continuous ground-based monitoring with concurrent TD monitoring of methane emission fluxes to address the gap and provide valuable insights into temporal emission patterns. The shafts were monitored on multiple dates between 2020 and 2023. BU monitoring was performed at the exhaust fans, while TD quantifications used PRISMA hyperspectral satellite data and two different wind reanalysis datasets (i.e., GEOS-FP and ERA5). This mine also offered a unique opportunity for BU-TD comparisons before and after ventilation air methane (VAM) oxidizer operation, which was installed at one of the shafts in 2022. The results showed that TD-estimated mean fluxes were generally lower than BU data, which were attributed to quantification difficulties associated with the low albedo caused by heavy vegetation and the terrain of the area. However, despite the discrepancies in mean emissions, both the interquartile range and the data range of the distributions generally overlapped, and the estimates correctly showed the emission trends.

Virginia↗

USGS1985

Relation between ground-water quality and mineralogy in the coal-producing Norton Formation of Buchanan County, Virginia

The geochemical processes controlling ground-water chemistry in the coal-producing strata of southwestern Virginia include hydrolysis of silicates, dissolution of carbonates, oxidation of pyrite, cation exchange, and precipitation of secondary minerals, kaolinite and goethite. Core material from the Norton Formation of the Pennsylvania Period is composed of slightly more than one-half sandstone; siltstone and minor amounts of shale, clay, and coal account for the majority of the remainder. Petrographic analyses and x-ray diffraction studies indicate that the sandstone is about 75 percent quartz, 15 percent plagioclase feldspar, 2 percent potassium feldspar, 2 percent muscovite, 4 percent chlorite, and 1 percent siderite. Calcite is present in small amounts and in a few strata as clasts or cement. No limestone strata were identified. The siltstone is about 50 percent quartz, 10 percent plagioclase feldspar, 10 percent mica, 20 percent chlorite, and from 0 to 25 percent siderite. Pyrite is associated with some siltstone and, where present, generally accounts for less than 1 percent. Total sulfur generally constitutes less than 0.1 percent of core samples but about 4 percent in the more pyrite-rich layers. Three reaction models are used to account for the observed water chemistry. The models derive sulfate from pyrite, iron from pyrite and siderite, calcium from plagioclase and calcite, sodium from plagioclase and cation exchange, magnesium from chlorite, and carbon from carbon dioxide, calcite, and siderite. Kaolinite, chalcedony, and goethite are formed authigenically. Carbon-13 data define the relative contributions of carbon sources to models. Comparison of adjacent unmined and mined basins indicates that surface mining significantly increases the weathering reaction of pyrite in contrast to weathering reactions of other minerals. However, in the area studied, reactive pyrite does not appear to be present in sufficient quantities in strata associated with mined coal seams to cause acid mine drainage.

Virginia↗