In 2013, BMI prepared a Task Implementation Plan accepted by the Department to evaluate the surface and subsurface conditions as well as the progress of the underground mine fire in order to develop a design for the successful construction of a mine fire cutoff trench and extinguishment operation.  This effort included drilling 48 exploratory holes to locate and characterize the extent of the mine fire, installing 43 monitoring wells, deployment of dataloggers to monitor subsurface temperatures and mine pool elevations, quantification of remaining mineral resources to help offset construction costs, working cooperatively with the Department to develop an innovative and cost-effective mine fire control and extinguishment design, and preparing an engineer’s estimate of construction cost that was only 5% higher than the actual construction award amount of $6.9M.  The construction phase of the mine fire control project is underway at the time of proposal submission.

PA DEP, Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation
Task Agreement No. OSM26(7605)102.1
DEP File No. OSM PA(DES-11)102.2
North Union Twp., Fayette Co., PA
Tom Malesky, PE & Richard Beam, PG, Proj. Advisors, Cambria Dist. Office (tmalesky@pa.gov; ribeam@pa.gov;
814-472-1800)
2015 Design Complete
Construction Currently Underway