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Program Overview

MISSION

The mission of the Mine Waste Technology Program (MWTP) is the development of cost effective technologies to achieve cleanup of mine waste with substantial cost savings compared to traditional technologies. Identification and implementation of these technologies is necessary to improve the economics for current and future mining opportunities in the United States and to ensure that sustainable practices are implemented at these mines.

In accomplishing this mission, MWTP develops and conducts a program that emphasizes treatment technology development, testing and evaluation at bench- and pilot-scale, and an education program that emphasizes training and technology transfer.

HISTORY

The MWTP is a congressionally mandated program that was started in 1991. It is administered through an interagency agreement between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and is based out of Butte, Montana. The MWTP is implemented by MSE Technology Applications, Inc. (MSE), which performs technology demonstrations. Basic research is performed by Montana Tech of the University of Montana (Montana Tech) under subcontract to MSE. EPA’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL) provides technical program oversight, while DOE’s Western Environmental Technology Office performs administrative oversight.

The fiscal year (FY) 1991 Congressional Appropriation allocated $3.5 million to establish a pilot program in Butte, Montana, for evaluating and testing mine waste treatment technologies. The MWTP received additional appropriations of $2.25 million in FY91, $5.0 million in FY95, $2.7 million in FY96, $5.0 million in FY97, $6.0 million in FY98 and FY99, $4.3 million in FY00, $3.9 million in FY01 and FY02, $3.5 million in FY03; $3.9 million in FY04, and $2.1 million in FY05.

A budget summary is presented to reflect the expenditure of dollars during the fiscal year. MWTP funds support many entities including EPA, DOE, MSE, Montana Tech, other universities, private businesses, and other public entities.

Through the MWTP, over 70 distinct projects have been completed or are currently being performed by MSE and Montana Tech. Nineteen projects were active during 2005. A summary of each active project is included in this 2005 Annual Report.

MANAGEMENT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Management of the MWTP is specified in the Interagency Agreement between EPA and DOE. The roles and responsibilities of each organization represented are described below. The MWTP organizational chart is presented in Figure 1.

U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

The Director of NRMRL in Cincinnati, Ohio, is the principal EPA Office of Research and Development representative on the Interagency Agreement Management committee. NRMRL personnel are responsible for technical direction, quality assurance, budget, schedule, and final scope definition.

Figure 1 Mine Waste Technology Organization Chart contact Diana Bless for more information at 513-569-7674

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

The Director of the Western Environmental Technology Office Laboratory (WETO) is the principal DOE representative on the Interagency Agreement Management committee. WETO personnel provide contract oversight for the MWTP with assistance from the Savannah River Operations Office. MSE is responsible to WETO for adherence to environmental, safety and health requirements; regulatory requirements; National Environmental Protection Act requirements, and implementation of all projects.

MSE TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS, INC.

MSE, under contract with DOE, is the principal performing contractor for MWTP. The MSE MWTP Program Manager is the point of contact for all MWTP activities. The Program Manager is responsible for program management and coordination, project status reporting, funds distribution, and communications.

An MSE project manager has been assigned to each MWTP project and is responsible for overall project direction, control, and coordination. Each project manager is responsible for implementing the project within the approved scope, schedule, and cost. MSE also performs oversight of activities at Montana Tech.

MONTANA TECH OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA

As a subcontractor to MSE, Montana Tech is responsible to the MSE MWTP Program Manager for all work performed outlined in relevant contracts. Work performed by Montana Tech in 2005 included basic research projects and training and education components of the program.

TECHNICAL INTEGRATION COMMITTEE

A request for proposals goes out periodically when funding is available. The Technical Integration Committee (TIC) is responsible for reviewing and ranking incoming proposals. The TIC is comprised of technical experts from EPA and cooperating agencies, academia, environmental stakeholders, and industry and their consultants. Final reports are additionally peer-reviewed in accordance with EPA’s strict policy for scientific products.

There are priority areas for research. Most MWTP projects can be categorized under one of the following issue areas: source control; acid drainage/water treatment; trace metal removal; remote locations; pit lakes; modeling; or cyanide destruction. Occasionally, projects not easily categorized are performed under the miscellaneous activities category.

COMMUNICATION AND COOPERATION

The MWTP will be making a concerted effort to improve communication/cooperation with other entities with similar missions, such as the Rocky Mountain Regional Hazardous Substances Research Center, the Acid Drainage Technology Initiative, and International Network for Acid Prevention. A collaborative effort will be necessary to address such a huge problem.

The MWTP continued to support the Superfund Program in 2005 by performing demonstrations at mining-related National Priorities List mega sites that included:

MWTP has strong interaction, cooperation, and assistance from the mining teams in the EPA Regional Offices, especially Regions 7, 8, 9, and 10. The program also has strong cooperation from industry, and a substantial amount of support is leveraged from mining companies hosting technology demonstrations.

Another willing partner is the academic community (such as Montana Tech of the University of Montana, University of Montana?Missoula, Montana State University?Bozeman, and other academic institutions) that can conduct the more basic type of research related to kinetics, characterization, and bench-scale tests at minimal cost to the program, while at the same time providing environmental professionals to meet the demands of industry, academia, and the regulatory community.

ISSUES IDENTIFICATION

Issues identification activities focus on identifying mine waste technical issues and promising innovative treatment technologies. Issues and technologies are screened and prioritized in volumes related to a specific mine waste problem/market.

Following completion of a volume, appendices are prepared. Each appendix links a candidate technology with a specific site where such a technology might be applied. The technology/site combinations are then screened and ranked.

Volumes completed to date are listed below. To obtain copies of these volumes, send an email to mwtp@mse-ta.com.

More recently, issues have been identified through literature reviews and contacts with EPA, state regulatory entities, and industry representatives.

QUALITY ASSURANCE

The objective of this activity is to provide support to individual MWTP projects by ensuring all data generated is technically defensible and that it supports the achievement of project objectives. To accomplish this, a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) is written for each project and approved by EPA prior to data collection. Other functions of this activity include assessing projects, validating data, implementing corrective action, and reporting to program/project management.

EPA approved the MWTP Quality Management Plan in 200l, which was updated during 2005. NRMRL assesses the MWTP Quality System every 3 years and performs one or more technical system reviews annually. During 2005, NRMRL performed a quality systems audit, as well as two technical systems reviews. No findings resulted from these audits.

FIELD DEMONSTRATIONS

Field demonstration topics were chosen after a thorough investigation of the associated technical issues was performed, the specific wasteform to be tested was identified, peer review was conducted by TIC, and sound engineering and cost/scheduling determination of the demonstration were formulated.

MSE continued eight field demonstrations during 2005. Five field demonstrations were completed. Montana Tech performed two field demonstrations during 2005.

BENCH-SCALE RESEARCH/TESTING

For technologies not ready for field demonstration or to provide research projects for Montana Tech graduate students, bench-scale research is also performed. MSE had two active bench-scale projects, while Montana Tech had four ongoing bench-scale research projects during FY05.

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

MSE is responsible for preparing and distributing reports for the MWTP. These include routine monthly, quarterly, and annual reports; technical progress reports; brochures; CDs; and final reports for all MWTP activities. Final reports are additionally peer-reviewed in accordance with EPA’s strict policy for scientific products. MSE also publicizes information developed under MWTP in local, regional, and national publications. Other means of information transfer include public meetings, workshops, and symposiums.

Office of Research & Development | National Risk Management Research Laboratory

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