Browsing by Author "Patelke, Marsha Meinders"

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    Compile and Make Digital the Lithologies for all NRRI Drill Logs, with Emphasis on the Duluth Complex Drill Holes (An Addendum to an Earlier NRRI Database)
    (University of Minnesota Duluth, 2009) Severson, Mark J; Oreskovich, Julie A; Patelke, Marsha Meinders
    This report and associated databases are updates on many of the holes that have been recently logged by the Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) in the Keweenawan Duluth Complex, the Paleoproterozoic Biwabik Iron Formation of the Mesabi Iron Range, and the Archean Deer Lake Complex of northeastern Itasca County, Minnesota. The main emphasis of this project was to update some of the databases that were presented in an earlier NRRI report (Patelke, 2003) with regard to lithologies in Duluth Complex drill holes that were logged by the NRRI since 2003 (and discussed in Severson and Hauck, 2008). To date, all of the publically available drill holes (except for around 30 drill holes) have now been logged in the Duluth Complex by the NRRI. These 30 holes are all that are missing from either the databases in this report or the databases in Patelke (2003). It is strongly suggested that the databases herein be combined, at the user’s discretion, with corresponding databases in Patelke (2003) in order to make an all- encompassing database for lithologies for all NRRI logged drill holes in the Duluth Complex. A secondary goal of this project was to present a header file database for all the holes that were recently drilled in the Duluth Complex (post-2003). Most of these holes are not yet publically available, but data regarding drill hole locations can be gleaned from abandonment files. Combining Duluth Complex header files in this report with the similar header file in Patelke (2003) could provide an all-encompassing database of locations for all of the holes drilled to date in the Duluth Complex (pre-2010 data). This combining of the data is left to the user’s discretion. Lastly, additional goals of this project (time permitting) were to present lithologic databases for all holes logged by the NRRI in the Mesabi Iron Range and, to a much lesser extent, holes logged by the NRRI in the Deer Lake Complex. The database for the Mesabi Iron Range contains information for almost 300 drill holes (over 5,947 lines of lithologic data) in regard to the lithologic picks pertaining to informal members and submembers of the iron-formation. The data in this file is about 80% complete in that not all of the iron-formation submembers are presented for holes drilled at the Keetac Taconite mine or in the Coleraine, MN, area (the latter holes are discussed in Zanko et al., 2003).
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    Documenting the Historical Use of Taconite Byproducts as Construction Aggregates in Minnesota – A GIS-based Compilation of Applications, Locations, Test Data, and Related Construction Information
    (University of Minnesota Duluth, 2007) Oreskovich, Julie A; Patelke, Marsha Meinders; Zanko, Lawrence M
    Aggregate shortages are causing increasing concern for population centers across the country. Meanwhile, Minnesota’s taconite mining industry generates over 125 million tons of mining and processing byproducts annually that hold aggregate potential of traprock quality. Materials such as blast rock, coarse crushed rock, and coarse tailings (collectively known as Mesabi Hard Rock™) have been staples of northeastern Minnesota road construction for over four decades. Infrastructure is already in place to move these materials to markets throughout the country to augment local aggregate resources. Because these highway construction applications are not widely known outside of northeastern Minnesota, this study was undertaken to: 1) document how and where taconite byproducts have been used; and 2) assemble related test data. Letters, interviews, site visits, and searches of archived records were the primary modes of data collection. The product is a project report with a stand-alone Microsoft Access (or Excel) database and an ArcView GIS product containing mappable Mesabi Hard Rock™ usage locations with accompanying data. Topics that users can query include byproduct type, location, application, date, authority, and contact person. With such information, users can determine the applicability of this resource to their own projects.
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    Erie Pier Dredge Material Beneficial Use Study Final Report February 25, 2013
    (University of Minnesota Duluth, 2013-02-25) Patelke, Marsha Meinders; Levar, Thomas E; Zanko, Lawrence M; Oreskovich, Julie A; Maly, Craig C
    A two-year (2011-2012) study was undertaken by the University of Minnesota Duluth Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) to conduct lab and field demonstrations – as well as concurrent testing and monitoring – related to the beneficial use of federal navigation channel dredge material removed from the Duluth-Superior Harbor and stored at the Erie Pier facility in Duluth, MN. Much of the groundwork for the 2011-2012 study was done in prior years, but especially in 2009 and 2010, through ongoing collaborative efforts of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) Detroit District, its Engineering Research and Development Center (ERDC) in Vicksburg, MS, its Duluth Area Office, and public and private entities in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Examples of the latter include: the Duluth Seaway Port Authority; the Duluth-Superior Metropolitan Interstate Council (DSMIC); the Harbor Technical Advisory Committee (HTAC) and its members; city, county and state officials and agency personnel; engineering firms and contractors; and Minnesota taconite mining operations.
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    Geologic and Stratigraphic Controls of the Biwabik Iron Formation and the Aggregate Potential of the Mesabi Iron Range, Minnesota
    (University of Minnesota Duluth, 2009) Severson, Mark J; Heine, John J; Patelke, Marsha Meinders
    The taconite mines on the Mesabi Iron Range of northeastern Minnesota generate millions of tons of mined waste rock annually that could potentially be used as aggregate material in road building projects. Paramount to defining potential aggregate horizons within the mined ironformation is an understanding of the stratigraphy as it relates to mined ore units and waste units at each of the respective taconite mines. However, each mine uses a different submember terminology to designate the various ore and waste horizons. The major emphasis of this investigation was to produce a stratigraphic “Rosetta Stone” of the Biwabik Iron Formation that ties the stratigraphy and differing submember terminology of one mine to all of the other mines on the Mesabi Iron Range. Toward that end, the Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) looked at core from over 380 drill holes, and some mine exposures, in the central and western Mesabi Iron Range (Biwabik to Coleraine, MN area) to develop a stratigraphic system that links all of the mined ore and waste submembers. The methodology used in this investigation was to log multitudinous deep drill holes from a single mine, hang all of the drill holes on a common datum (bottom of the Lower Slaty member), and then correlate all of the submembers, as used by that particular mine, making note of bedding features and other unique features that define a particular submember. This same system of “logging, hanging, and correlating” was done at each of the taconite mines (seven different mines/areas along the Mesabi Iron Range) to better understand each mine’s submember terminology. The hung stratigraphic-sections from each mine were then used to collectively make generalized stratigraphic columns for each of the mines. These stratigraphic columns were then added to the “Rosetta Stone” (Plate II of this report) that is used to illustrate how the submembers at one mine correlate with similar submembers at all of the other mines. In the end, this investigation identified 25 major “Rosetta” units that define the stratigraphy of the Biwabik Iron Formation that can be used to link together all of the differing submember nomenclatures from the various taconite mines. This division of the iron-formation into 25 major units, based primarily on their overall bedding characteristics, is applicable to only the central and western Mesabi Iron Range and does not include the more highly metamorphosed iron-formation of the eastern Mesabi Iron Range, e.g., to the east of Aurora, MN.
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    Historical Use of Taconite Byproducts as Construction Aggregate Materials in Minnesota: A Progress Report
    (University of Minnesota Duluth, 2006-10) Oreskovich, Julie A; Patelke, Marsha Meinders
    Coarse taconite tailings and crushed taconite rock (Mesabi Hard Rock™) have been a staple of the road construction industry on Minnesota’s Mesabi Iron Range for over four decades. Comparable to trap rock in quality, taconite aggregates have proven to be strong and durable when used as subgrade and base material and in bituminous pavements. The superior hardness and durability of these materials make them a viable candidate for exporting to the Twin Cities metro and out-state areas and to surrounding states as stand alone aggregate or for blending with local aggregates to produce more competent pavements. Documenting how and where taconite byproducts have been used in Minnesota, along with related test and longevity data, will provide the potential end user a basis for selecting these materials over another aggregate source.
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    Mesabi Hard Rock Usage in Minnesota
    (University of Minnesota Duluth, 2006) Patelke, Marsha Meinders
    Example projects represent a subset of Mesabi Hard Rock usage statewide.
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    MnDOT Highway 169 2015 Drilling Project
    (University of Minnesota Duluth, 2017-06) Heine, John J; Patelke, Marsha Meinders; Buschette, Michael; Leu, Adam; Maly, Craig C; Gordee, Sarah M; Chlebecek, Sara; Lee, Aubrey; Post, Sara P
    The Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) Economic Geology Group was contracted by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) [Project Number 0005269] to provide onsite drilling supervision, core logging and sampling, and geochemical studies related to proposed construction along Highway 169 east of Soudan, Minnesota. The goal of this project was to provide MnDOT the data required to produce a mitigation plan for the Highway 169 Eagles Nest project. MnDOT, working with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Golder Associates, was responsible for developing the guidelines for this work with the help of the Highway 169 Technical Working Group (Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Minnesota Department of Health, US Corps of Engineers, Environmental Protection Agency, and NRRI). Golder Associates (Seattle, WA office) was responsible for developing the mitigation plan for bedrock roadcuts along the reroute. This work was a continuation of the studies by Severson and Heine (2010, 2012) and Heine (2015) which examined the bedrock outcrops along three proposed Highway 169 reroutes and alternatives. Severson and Heine (2012) concluded that drilling would be needed in the potential bedrock roadcuts along the reroute corridor to fully characterize the geology as required in the mitigation plan.
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    Non-ferrous Geology along the Highway 53 Relocation near Virginia, MN
    (University of Minnesota Duluth, 2015) Heine, John J; Patelke, Marsha Meinders; Post, Sara P; Maly, Craig C
    This report outlines the non-ferrous work done in the area of the Highway 53 relocation near Virginia, MN. At the request of the mineral lease holder (Vermilion Gold Inc.), an examination of the gold potential in the area of the new road was completed. Vermilion Gold Inc. located ten exploration diamond drill hole sites which they believed were necessary to characterize the area. Drilling occurred during fall 2013 and was conducted by Idea Drilling. The drilling and subsequent work by Natural Resource Research Institute, University of Minnesota Duluth (NRRI) was funded by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) as part of the relocation work for the highway. Logging and sample preparation were completed at the NRRI Coleraine Minerals Research Laboratory (CMRL) in Coleraine, MN.
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    Performance of Taconite Aggregates in Thin Lift HMA: Final Report - January 31, 2012
    (University of Minnesota Duluth, 2012) Zanko, Lawrence M; Johnson, Ed; Marasteanu, Mihai; Patelke, Marsha Meinders; Linell, David; Moon, Ki Hoon; Oreskovich, Julie A; Betts, Ray; Nadeau, Lynette; Johanneck, Luke; Turos, Mugur; DeRocher, Will
    This project was undertaken to advance the knowledge of the beneficial uses of taconite mining coarse tailings (taconite fine aggregate) for thin lift hot mix asphalt (HMA), to facilitate technical information gathering and marketing of such uses and properties, and to encourage the beneficial use of recycled/byproduct materials like durable and wear- and skid-resistant taconite (Mesabi) aggregates, recycled asphalt pavement (RAP), and asphalt shingles. In combination, the use of each is highly desirable because it promotes resource conservation, safety, and energy-saving. Outcomes of this study suggest that Mesabi rock and tailings products show promise as components of 4.75-mm Dense-graded, Stone Matrix Asphalt, and Ultra-Thin Bonded Wearing asphalt mixtures. Laboratory and field investigations of taconite tailings should continue. The Mesabi rock can be incorporated in standard Superpave, SMA, and fine/sand asphalt mixtures in upcoming construction projects. In each case construction and long term field performance should be evaluated. The investigators conclude that taconite-based thin lift HMA mixes that also incorporate RAP should be recognized as an environmentally sound, i.e., combining the use of byproduct and recycled/reclaimed materials, and high-quality option for HMA pavement rehabilitation and preservation. Collectively, the material testing results suggest that thinner wear-course pavements made from appropriately designed taconite-based mixes can match or exceed the service life of conventional MnDOT Level 4 mixtures. If extended service life is realized, then taconite fine aggregate could be a cost-effective choice at end-user locations where high-quality local aggregate sources are lacking or absent. These enhanced performance attributes can add intrinsic value to taconite materials and make them more desirable to use and more cost-effective to transport longer distances, thereby improving and broadening their near- and long-term potential for regional and national highway infrastructure projects.
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    Taconite Tailings and Water Quality - A Survey of Existing Data
    (University of Minnesota Duluth, 2010-09) Patelke, Marsha Meinders; Zanko, Lawrence M
    For over 40 years, taconite tailings, a by-product of taconite iron ore processing, has been used in northeastern Minnesota road construction projects as aggregate. The dominant uses have been as fill materials and in bituminous pavements. Over 125 million tons of tailings are produced annually by Minnesota’s iron mining industry (Oreskovich et al., 2007). The Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI), University of Minnesota Duluth, has been involved in a multiplephase project to evaluate the quality and use of this material. When used as aggregate for bituminous pavements, the taconite tailings grains are encapsulated in the asphalt mix that separates the tailings from contact with water. As fill, taconite tailings can be in contact with water, intermittently, seasonally, or continuously. Do taconite tailings affect water quality? In an effort to evaluate this question, a compilation and review of existing groundwater and surface water chemistry associated with tailings in contact with water has been completed. We evaluate water quality by comparing existing water sample chemical analyses data to published State of Minnesota ground and surface water standards. Data utilized for this study include: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reports from 1989 and 1999, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), Keetac Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit water sampling data from several mines, and previous investigations completed by the Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI). Based on our review, the data from water quality and taconite tailings revealed the following findings: 1. Most Minnesota water quality standards are met. The exceptions include arsenic, cobalt, iron, and manganese. Iron and manganese exceed secondary drinking water standards that are based on attributes of the water like taste, odor, and appearance, and not because of health risk issues. Arsenic and cobalt exceed the MPCA’s 2A chronic standard for surface waters of 2 ppb and 2.8 ppb, respectively. These elements do not exceed the drinking water standards or Class 7 surface water standards; 2. Mercury is typically an environmental concern. Based on the NPDES data reviewed, the following information was noted. Chemical analyses completed on surface water collected at three of the mines had the following reported numbers: maximum value 7.24 ng/L, minimum value 0.45 ng/L and a median value of 1 μg/L. Minimum and median reported mercury values meet the most stringent surface water standard, the Great Lakes Initiative, of 1.3 ng/L. Thirty-four water samples were analyzed for total mercury. A total of 678 NPDES water sample data were reviewed. DNR reports do not contain mercury data for water samples. Atmospheric mercury could add to the amount detected by chemical analyses in surface water samples; 3. Iron formation contains arsenic, cobalt, manganese, and iron; 4. Taconite tailings do contain arsenic, cobalt, manganese, and iron. Arsenic occurs at a minimum value of 8.8 mg/kg, maximum value of 39.4 mg/kg, and a median value of 17 mg/kg. Cobalt occurs at a minimum value of 4.4 mg/kg, maximum value of 15.4 mg/kg, and a median value of 7.7 mg/kg. Manganese and iron were not reported as trace metals but were included in whole rock analyses; 5. NRRI completed Toxicity Characterization Leaching procedure (TCLP) and Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure (SPLP) chemical analyses on three samples of taconite tailings. Results indicated that arsenic results ranged from < 2 μg/L to 4.3 μg/L, slightly above the surface water quality chronic standard of 2.0 μg/L for 2A waters; 6. Further evaluation is recommended. Testing on taconite tailings samples, as well as other typical aggregates, should include physical and chemical parameters. Testing on samples of aggregate and water should be done to evaluate all sites by the same methods and current detection limits. Analytes should include: RCRA metals as well as cobalt. Additional testing should include grain size analyses and hydraulic conductivity; and 7. Mechanisms for the potential release of metals into surface water by tailings are dependent on water characteristics such as pH, Eh, time, hydrology, and reduction (redox) potential. Therefore, it is site specific. Additional testing of leachate from taconite tailings is suggested using SPLP test methods and could include pH dependent leaching and liquid to solid (L/S) ratio dependent leaching as described by Jambeck and Greenwood (2007) and Kosson (2002). Data derived from these test methods may produce results more applicable to use of taconite tailings as fill material in contact with wet environments.