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Acid Leaks Stopped At W.Va. Silica Plant

Crews are working to clean up leaks of sulfuric acid and caustic soda at a sand plant in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle. An estimated 300 gallons of caustic soda leaked from a tank adjacent to the sulfuric acid tank.

BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. (AP) -- Crews are working to clean up leaks of sulfuric acid and caustic soda at a sand plant in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle.

U.S. Silica spokesman Michael Lawson said Wednesday that an estimated 600 gallons of sulfuric acid leaked Tuesday from the company's plant in Berkeley Springs. An estimated 300 gallons of caustic soda leaked from a tank adjacent to the sulfuric acid tank.

Caustic soda is used to neutralize the acid.

Lawson says both leaks were stopped shortly before midnight Tuesday. The leaks were contained on the property and there no injuries or evacuations.

He says the plant resumed operations Wednesday after being shut down Tuesday.

The cleanup is expected to be completed Wednesday.

The acid leaked as workers were transferring it from a 6,000-gallon tank to a smaller tank.

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