Coal is a natural resource that is mined from the Earth’s surface or deep underground. The areas where there is a presence of coal deposits are also known as coal beds or coal seams. The extraction of coal mines provides us with many benefits as it is a great source of energy. It can be used in the production of natural gas, other minerals, transport fuel, production of steel and other chemicals, manufacture of cement, and the production of Coal Mine Methane (CMM) which is used in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. 

Although coal mining factories and industries prove to be beneficial and contributional to the economy, community, and life in general, they can be harmful to the health of coal miners and to the environment’s biodiversity and ecosystem as well. 

One of the many chemical byproducts that remain even after factories and mines are shut down or closed is Acid Mine Drainage (AMD). This chemical byproduct affects the waterbodies in their quality, in, near, and around coal mines. When a waterbody comes into contact with rocks that hold sulfur-bearing minerals, it creates Sulfuric Acid – a corrosive and destructive substance. This produced acid starts to dissolve the sulfur-bearing minerals and metals in the rocs, which then get mixed in with the water. This process and reaction can lower the water’s pH and make it an acidic waterbody, which contains toxic metals such as – mercury, lead, and copper. This waterbody starts affecting aquatic life as well as plants, animals, and humans living near these contaminated waterbodies. 

There have been many initiatives in treating, preserving, and conserving as well as blocking off coal mines away from any forms of breathing life. But these issues can continue to persist even after many years. Acid Mine Drainage is very dangerous and causes several detrimental effects on everything around it. Therefore in this article, we shall go on an explorative journey of one such company – True Pigments which is a social enterprise of another organization called Rural Action. True Pigments drives towards a – “Colors for a Cleaner World”, where they use patented technology to clean streams and waterbodies in Appalachian Ohio. They clean these waterbodies and sustainably give back to the community by turning this acidic chemical byproduct into sustainable pigments for the use of oil paints, raw pigments, and eco-friendly dyes. 

True Pigments LLC: 

True Pigments LLC was founded in the year 2019 and strives to stand strong beside Rural Action’s vision and mission and achieve its goals. Rural Action’s Vision is – “Envisioning a region with clean streams and healthy forests, a place where thriving family farms, meaningful livelihoods, and vibrant communities exist for everyone”. The organization’s sustainability initiatives and eco-friendly practices set them on a Mission to – “Build a more just economy by developing the region’s assets in environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable ways”. 

The company’s AMD Facility in Truetow, Ohio, USA, produces Iron oxide extracted from AMD pollutants from the abandoned coal mine for the cleaning and restoration of over 7 miles of Sunday Creek watershed. Bringing back the waterbody’s life and quality is the aim of True Pigments. 

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The Journey of True Pigments and its Team Leading the Way:

The team leading True Pigments LLC – a social enterprise company of Rural Action are – the Chief Executive Officer of Rural Action – Debbie Phillips, the Director of Operations – Dr. Paul Patton, and the Director of Project Development – Michelle Shively Maciver. 

In the year 2017, the CEO of Rural Action – Debbie Phillips, shared important data that uncovered the area and waterbody that has been severely affected by Acid Mine Drainage (AMD). The Sunday Creek watershed which is present in the Southeastern region of Ohio, USA, has been singly affected by AMD discharge with a flow rate of 988 gallons per minute. The contamination consists of around 2,183,065 pounds of Iron oxide. The affected water body stretches for over 7 long miles disrupting life and habitat. 

Rural Action’s initiative and project began almost 20 years ago when the Sunday Creek watershed’s coordinator got in touch with Dr. Guy Riefler – Ohio’s University Civil Engineering Professor. The professor alongside engineering and art students, and John Sabraw – an Art Professor, together, developed a patented technology and began testing models that could successfully resolve and bring the Truetown Seep which is located in the Sunday Creek watershed, back to life. 

By the year 2019, the Sunday Creek watershed project in cleaning and restoration began, and Rural Action established an AMD Treatment and Pigment-producing Facility at Truetown. In the same year, True Pigments was established as a social enterprise to continue their facilitations in cleaning and restoring the 7 miles of Sunday Creek in Truetown, by extracting Iron oxide from the pollutants and using them for making oil paints, raw sustainable pigments, and plasters. The Director of Operations – Dr. Paul Patton and the Director of Project Development – Michelle Shively Maciver, led the way in securing funding from investors and partners to fully establish an operating facility by 2023. The paints produced by True Pigments are called – Gamblin Reclaimed Earth Colors. 

Rural Action, of which True Pigments is a social enterprise, is a non-profit organization working hard to bring back the quality of life, land, people, and water in the region of Appalachian Ohio, driving operations towards – “making positive environmental and community impacts through their works”.