Terence Satchell, a senior civil engineering major from Milford, Nebraska, was one of 10 students from colleges and universities across South Dakota invited to display his research during the Pierre Poster Session. The event was held February 17 at the State Capitol in Pierre, South Dakota.
Satchell's project, "Dewatering the Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory," deals with ground water in the mine shafts. The Homestake Mine was continuously dewatered during its production years, but when production ceased, dewatering was interrupted allowing ground water to infiltrate the mine shafts. A permit was issued by the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources to pump ground water out of the mine shafts and discharge it into Gold Run Creek. The water residing in the mine shafts contains iron, total suspended solids, total dissolved solids, and ammonia. Satchell's senior design project examines how a water treatment system for the produced water could reduce the concentration of the contaminants.
The Poster Session is an opportunity for state policy-makers to be able to witness first-hand the outcomes of an enhanced research culture on our educational system, and at the same time, it is important for students to learn more about how decisions related to higher education, including support for research are made.
