Sustainable Development of Resources and the Environment: Mining-Induced Eco-Geological Environmental Damage and Mitigation Measures—A Case Study in the Henan Coal Mining Area, China

Abstract

Coal is an important resource that has supported China’s economic development. This situation is expected to continue in the immediate future. However, coal mining has also led to serious environmental disasters in some mining areas. Henan Province is one of the 14 large-scale coal bases that are planned by the Chinese state. It is located in the transitional zone between the second and third terrain ladders of China and spans two tectonic units. The geological features and ecological environmental characteristics display wide spatial variations throughout this district, which is an ecologically fragile region of stepped transition type. However, large-scale, extremely intense coal mining activities will inevitably lead to further deterioration of the already fragile ecological and geological (eco-geological) environment, which makes recovery increasingly difficult. Based on the condition of the eco-geological environment and the coal mining industry in the Henan mining area, the mechanisms by which mining-induced damage can occur were analyzed. The characteristics and status of the destruction of ground structures, land resources, water resources, the atmospheric environment, and natural ecology are discussed in this paper. Appropriate mitigation measures are proposed based on the findings. This mainly includes: management practices to prevent and mitigate damage throughout all stages of mining; adoption of mining techniques that will control damage at the source; and, the adoption of appropriate post-mining recovery technologies. The analysis of mining-induced eco-geological environmental damage and mitigation measures is of importance for the prevention of eco-geological disasters, and the promotion of efficient and environmentally sustainable exploitation of coal resources.

The Method of Combating Coal Spontaneous Combustion Hazard in Goafs—A Case Study

“…Its position will continue to be high in the world in terms of energy consumption. Unfortunately, the mining industry is linked to a high-risk factor in terms of work safety, difficulty in mining, and geological conditions [6][7][8][9]. One of the most dangerous natural hazards are endogenous fires, commonly referred to in the literature as spontaneous combustion of coal [10].…”

Combined support technology for main roadway passing through goaf: A case study

“…Strong mining in early stages: The rock strata were influenced by strong mining in the early stages, resulting in the beginnings of a gradual collapse upward, and the expansion of the failure zone. [32][33][34][35][36][37] The roof strata within a certain depth in the overlying strata were in the caving and fracture zones, and the roof was in a state of "no support" for a long time ( Figure 2D). The shallow surrounding rock is extremely broken and basically has no bearing capacity, contributing to the bed separation instability, and even large-scale roof fall.…”

“…The results are as follows. Strong mining in early stages: The rock strata were influenced by strong mining in the early stages, resulting in the beginnings of a gradual collapse upward, and the expansion of the failure zone 32‐37 . The roof strata within a certain depth in the overlying strata were in the caving and fracture zones, and the roof was in a state of “no support” for a long time (Figure 2D).…”

Evaluation and future framework of green mine construction in China based on the DPSIR model

“…It is expected that China will continue to be the largest coal market in the world by 2035 [5]. However, the mining industry is facing severe challenges related to environmental pollution and ecological damage that restrict its sustainable development [6,7]. Due to constraints in national environmental policy, coal production declined for the first time in 2014 after 14 consecutive years of growth [8,9].…”