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iii iiiiiiiiiiiu iii <br />999 <br /> <br />2.0 SIGNIFICANT CHEMICAL PARAMETERS <br />Chemical parameters contained in the refuse and soil <br />material may influence successful revegetation. A listing of <br />these significant parameters is contained in Table 1. These <br />parameters have been determined to be significant through <br />previous experimental situations and analyses of refuse and cover <br />material. A summary of these analyses is presented in a report <br />published by the Bureau of Mines (1962). The objective of that <br />publication was to test the hypothesis that unmodified refuse <br />material from coal processing is a suitable medium for plant <br />growth. The study examined 15 active or inactive refuse disposal <br />areas in Colorado and Utah for pH, electrical conductivity (EC) <br />and texture, while 5 disposal areas were analyzed for the <br />chemical parameters listed in Table 1. Recent contacts were made <br />to update the situation at each mine. <br />Each mine has its own set of varied circumstances, ranging <br />with the processing method for cleaning coal, geologic strata, <br />age of the refuse, evaluation of the site, annual precipitation, <br />and availability of cover material. A summary of the chemical <br />analyses for topsoil and refuse from the Bureau of Mines (1982) <br />study is presented in Table 2. The results specifically identify <br />differences between new refuse, old refuse and cover material. <br />Each parameter is discussed below. <br />~J <br />2-I <br />