Advances in Development of Safe and Efficient Mining of Coexisting Coal and Uranium Resources

Abstract

Overlapping uranium and coal resources are widely distributed in the basins of China. The current uranium–coal coordinated mining model, mining interaction, and multi-phase and multi-field coupling mechanisms remain unclear, thereby substantially restricting the mining of overlapping uranium and coal resources. This article reviews the overlapping uranium–coal mining technology and conditions, summarizes the main problems faced by the coordinated mining of coexisting uranium–coal resources, proposes a dynamic coordinated mining technology system for the entire life cycle of coexisting uranium–coal resources, and describes the multiphase and multifield coordinated mining of co-associated uranium–coal resources. The multifield coupling mechanism clarifies the solid–liquid–gas three-phase spatiotemporal coupling effects of the stress, fracture, seepage, geochemical, pressure, and microbial fields, and explains the safe and efficient mining technology of uranium and coal resources, and the coordinated mining and isolation technology of uranium and coal. “Trinity” pollution prevention and control technology and other key research directions are discussed to promote green, efficient, joint, and coordinated mining of uranium and coal.