Factors traceable to the increasing shortfall in U.S. production of natural crude have rekindled interests in U.S. tar sands as a source of synthetic fuel. Reported here are the results of a preliminary study to assess the potential primary environmental impacts of production and processing of U.S. tar sands bitumen. With the possible exception attributable to chemical differences between tar sand bitumen and coal, potential environmental impacts of producing tar sands by mining methods would be similar in type to those of mining coal by the same method and in the same area as the tar sand deposit. Processes for extracting bitumen from the mined tar sand would generate solid waste in the form of spent sand. Constituents and quantities of emissions to air and water are process dependent but existing control technology and good environmental practices are technically applicable. A viable in situ production technology for producing tar sand reservoirs has not yet been demonstrated. On the basis of methods tested to date, potential environmental impacts of producing tar sands by in situ methods would be very similar to those of conventional oil field production. Technical and economic factors will determine if in situ methods, or possibly underground methods, are an alternative to surface mining in environmentally sensitive areas.

"December 1976." "Contract Number 68-02-1323." Includes bibliographical references (pages 72-75).