Changes in Soil Physical Properties after Frac Sand Mining and Reclamation.

The demand for industrial sand has increased exponentially in the past five years for use in hydraulic fracturing of oil and gas-rich shale formations.  With more than 60 active mines, Wisconsin has quickly become the largest producer of frac sand with some mines in west central Wisconsin exceeding more than 1,000 acres.  With the extensive scale of frac sand mining, there is potential for significant soil impacts.  Reclamation can restore soil quality and function over time; however, the unique physiographic setting of frac sand mines makes reclamation especially challenging.  Frac sand is generally mined from upland wooded ridgetops where soils are naturally rocky, thin, and nutrient poor. The purpose of this study was to assess soil physical properties pre-mining and post-reclamation at an active frac sand mine in Chippewa County, Wisconsin.  The results from this research are essential for understanding the effects of frac sand mining and reclamation techniques.