Evaluating Petroleum Coke as a Habitat Amendment in Post-Mining Wetlands

This project looked at whether petroleum coke could be safely used to help restore wetlands in areas affected by mining. Researchers placed patches of coke, sand, and natural materials into three artificial wetlands over several years, testing how these materials aged and influenced the growth of aquatic insects and plants. The project also experimented with adding peat to see if it improved habitat quality.

Using petroleum coke in wetland restoration had mixed results. It supported fewer aquatic invertebrates in the reference wetland compared to natural substrates but showed no negative impact in wetlands already affected by mine process materials. Incorporating peat changed the types of organisms present but didn’t significantly improve overall habitat quality, suggesting that coke-based amendments may be suitable in specific conditions but not universally beneficial.