Title: Open Pit Quarry Restoration to Bio-Viable Land

Duration: March 1, 2008 - February 28, 2011

Project Summary Narrative
Open pit quarries potentially represent physical risks to safety of people and stock due to dangerous vertical pit walls or deep water. And also, they can be a possible source of environmental pollution from water accumulation unless properly drained. Other pits become arenas for off-road vehicle use, illegal dumping, trespass, and unauthorized activities like target shooting. Open pits have been restored or reclaimed to different types of environmental matrices depending on their end uses and the location and nature of the pits.

The objective of this study is to investigate the feasibility of coal ash aggregates (CAA)-based restoration of the open pits in Santa Isabel. The site is planned to be used as an agricultural land after restoration. The main goal of this study is to investigate the feasibility of CAA-based refill for the open pits in Santa Isabel. The site is planned to be used as an agricultural land after restoration. Therefore, this study aims to assess the potential risks in relation to contamination of soil and groundwater associated with the use of industrial byproducts CAAs. Another objective is to evaluate bio-viability on the land after restoration. To meet this end, laboratory feasibility tests have extensively been done during the past first project year. Water quality and bio-viability after restoration with CAAs were assessed and the results obtained are to be utilized for the further investigations. Now, further laboratory feasibility tests assessing water quality parameters and bio-viability, and computational modeling are proposed to be continued for additional 2 years ending by Feb. 28, 2011.

Progress Reports

• 1st Progress Report (form)
• 1st Progress Report
• 2nd Progress Report (form)
• 2nd Progress Report
• 3rd Progress Report (form)
• 3rd Progress Report
• 4th Progress Report (form)
• 4th Progress Report

Oral Presentations

• Hwang, S., Escobar, Z., Hernandez, V., Latorre, I., Hernandez, I., Fonseca, A., Del Moral, A. "Environmental Engineering Applications of Coal Combustion Byproducts Aggregates", 2008 International Conference on Environmental Science and Technology (ICEST), Jul 28-31, 2008.

Poster Presentations

• Latorre, I., Hwang, S. "A Statistical Approach for Restoration of Disturbed Land with Coal Combustion Byproduct Aggregates", 29th Puerto Rico Interdisciplinary Scientific Meeting, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, March 14, 2009.
• Hernandez, I., Hwang, S. "Plant Growth on the Land Restored with Coal Combustion Byproduct Aggregates", 29th Puerto Rico Interdisciplinary Scientific Meeting, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, March 14, 2009.
• Latorre, I., Hernandez, I., Fonseca, A., Hwang, S. "Restoration of Open-Pit Quarry to Bio-viable Land: Resource Recovery Approach", XIII Sigma Xi, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, PR, April 10, 2008.
• Hernandez, I., Feliciano, I., Hwang, S. "Bio-viability on Restored Open Pit with Coal Ash Aggregate Amendment", 2009 World Of Coal Ash Conference, Lexington, KY, May 4-7, 2009.
• Latorre, I., Roman, D., Hwang, S. "Feasibility of Open Pit Restoration with Coal Ash Aggregates: Ground Water Quality Assessment", 2009 World of Coal Ash Conference (WOCA), Lexington, KY, May 4-7, 2009.
• Hwang, S., Latorre, I., Hernandez, I. "Groundwater Quality and Phyto-Viability from Restored Open Pit", 2009 AWWA Annual Conference & Exposition, San Diego, CA, June 14-18, 2009.