EARTHCACHE REQUIREMENTS
Each cacher must send his/her own answers BEFORE logging a find. Enjoy the journey (learning adventure) as well as the destination (smiley earned). Remember to take only pictures and leave only footprints. To get credit for this Earthcache, complete the following tasks:
1. MESSAGE …. POSTED COORDINATES. Observe the water on each side of the bridge. ... a. Describe what you see on the left side. How does this relate to the "River of Promise"? ... b. Describe what you see on the right side. How does this relate to the "River of Promise"?
2. MESSAGE …. THE FURNACE N 39° 31.726 W 079° 37.990 ... Observe the furnace from both the outside and the inside. ... a. Give two differences. ... b. How did this furnace affect the water you see before you?
3. MESSAGE …. THE WATER N 39° 33.719 W 079° 37.305 ... a. How is the water you see here different from the water you observed at The Furnace? ... b. Based on the information on the trail sign, name one thing being done that relates to the River of Promise.
4. LOG …. Post a picture at or near the posted coords. This picture is your log signature verifying that you were at the earthcache.
OPTIONAL - Please respect the time and effort involved in finding and creating this earthcache by adding A and B to your log.
A. JOURNEY OF THE MIND ... Science explains what we observe. Relate (in your own words) something you found interesting in the reading. This adds to your learning adventure and your log.
B. JOURNEY OF THE HEART ... Art shares our personal experience of what we see. Share something special you found on site, and why it is special to you. This is a memorable addition to your log and will make other hearts smile.
RIVER OF PROMISE
This self-guided trail showcases the effects of coal mining in the Cheat River watershed -and- what is being done to return the stream to a healthy condition.
THE FURNACE
The Virginia Iron Furnace was built in 1847 and placed on the National Registry of Historical Places in 1999.
Workers layered limestone, charcoal, and iron ore to forge pig iron that went into steel. The 50-foot water wheel pumped bellows that blew air into the fire. This kept the temperature at 2600° - 3000° F. At the right time, workers opened a tiny door at the bottom of the stack. The molten iron flowed into sand molds, called the sow, and cooled into pigs. They dumped leftover slag, made of limestone and iron impurities over the hill. The nearby stream provided water power. Now Muddy Creek is orange from acid mine drainage.
COAL MINING
The environmental impact of mining includes erosion, formation of sinkholes, loss of biodiversity, and contamination of soil, groundwater and surface water by chemicals from mining processes.
ACID MINE DRAINAGE - acidic water produced from the reaction of water and rock containing sulfur-bearing minerals producing sulfuric acid.
PIG IRON - crude iron first obtained from a smelting furnace, in the form of oblong blocks.
SLAG - waste limestone and iron impurities.
WEST VIRGINIA COAL
Coal occurs in 53 of West Virginia's 55 Counties. Only Jefferson and Hardy in the eastern panhandle have no coal.
RESOURCES
https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-10/documents/va_muddycreek.pdf
http://www.cheat.org/our-work/education-outreach/river-of-promise-trail/
GEOCACHE - GCKRT4 … Thank you wvcoalcat for "a little taste of the area’s iron industry history".