Environmental Geology of the Wilcox Group Lignite Belt, East Texas. Digital Download

RI0098D. Environmental Geology of the Wilcox Group Lignite Belt, East Texas, by C. D. Henry and J. M. Basciano. 28 p., 9 figs., 3 tables, 7 color maps (scale 1:125,000), 1979. doi.org/10.23867/RI0098D. Downloadable PDF.


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From the Introduction
This report provides a data base for decisions about lignite mining and reclamation in the Wilcox Group of East Texas. Kaiser (1974, 1978) estimates that about 12.2 billion short tons of potentially strip-minable lignite resources occur in East and South Texas. About 8 billion tons of the lignite are within the Wilcox Group in the area of this study (Kaiser, 1978). Lignite production has grown from an estimated 2 million short tons in 1970 to 17 million tons in 1977 (Hawkins and Garner, 1978). Estimates of lignite demand indicate that all strippable reserves that can be economically recovered will be committed to use by 2000 (White, 1979).

A set of environmental geologic maps, which accompanies this report, depicts the character of the land that will be affected by mining. The environmental geologic maps of the East Texas lignite belt provide an accurate inventory of land resources. The maps identify areas where mining is most likely to occur, areas of critical natural resources that could be affected by mining, such as aquifer recharge areas, and areas of natural hazards, such as floodplains. Principal areas of both active and planned surface mining are also located. Although interest in lignite mining prompted the preparation of these maps, their use is not limited to planning mining or to evaluating the effects of mining.


Keywords: environmental geology, lignite, Wilcox Group, East Texas, maps