ABSTRACT
Mine 'waste' contain permanent charge arising from charge imbalances in the clay mineral structures. Factors that need a great deal of consideration in predicting mine 'waste' solution chemistry are thermodynamic solubility of minerals and ionic interactions of constituents in solution. Such geologic 'waste' can also be produced on land disturbed by highway construction, industrial/housing development, airport construction, etc. Mine 'waste' or spoil refers to the heterogeneous mass of geologic material left on the surface of deep mined sites or surface mined sites. The heterogeneous geologic material may be composed of decomposing sandstones, siltstones, limestones, gray or black shale of marine or deltaic origin, and clays. Shale and sandstone are two of the most common geologic material found in the coal mine fields of the United states (US). These fields are separated into two distinct groups, depending on geographic location, the western US coal fields, and the eastern US coal fields.
