Forecasting Underground Water Dynamics within the Technogenic Environment of a Mine Field. Case Study

Abstract

The objective is to analyze the dynamics of the underground water of a mine field based on the study of the geofiltration process of the rock mass disturbed by mining to achieve safe extraction operations as well as subsurface territories at the stage of the mining enterprise closure. Numerical modeling, based on a finite difference method under the conditions of multifactority and definite uncertainty of processes of transformation of technogenic environment of a mine field, helps solve a problem concerning underground water dynamics forecasting. A hydrodynamic model of the M.I. Stashkov mine was developed while solving option series of epignosis problems in terms of the chronology of mine field stoping. The abovementioned made it possible to identify regularities of the history of filtration, the capacity parameters of rock mass and the expansion of areas of heightened hydraulic conductivity as well as to evaluate qualitatively the water balance components of a carbonic watered formation and an overlying one. The stage of mining closure helped obtain the forecasting hydrodynamic solutions. The efficiency of measures, concerning reduction of water ingress into mine workings and the mitigation of surface ecological effects of mine flooding was evaluated quantitatively. It was determined that implementation of the water control procedures makes it possible to perform a 10–38% decrease in water ingress. In this context, they may be applied both independently and simultaneously. In terms of mine closure and flooding, a period of complete underground water recovery takes three years; in the process, surface zones of potential waterlogging and swamping are developed within the floodplain of Samara River, located at the territory of Western Donbas (Ukraine). The scientific novelty is to define regularities of hydraulic conductivity transformation of the rock mass of a mine field starting from the mine working roof fall, up to its compaction during the mine operation period. To do that, nonstationary identification problems were solved, using numerical modeling. The abovementioned makes it possible to improve the reliability of hydrodynamic prognoses and develop technological schemes to control water at the state of the mine closure.

Iron ore underground mining under the internal overburden dump at the PJSC “Northern GZK”

“…The combined mining method enables reducing the level of environmental damage caused by open pit mining and increasing efficiency of underground operations [44][45][46]. Almost all considered enterprises that started mining reserves by open pit methods, implement gradual transition from open pit to underground mining, creating integrated geotechnological systems "open pit-underground mine" at the deposits.…”

Saturated water‐weakening effects on the compressive behavior of thermally damaged granite

“…With the increasing energy demand, exploring resources at a significant depth to access geothermal, 1,2 underground coal gasification, 3–5 and minerals, as well as storing nuclear waste deep underground, attracts increasing attention 1,5–8 . The deep underground has some completely different environmental characteristics, compared with shallow layers, for example, the high temperature rising by 0.3–0.4°C/km 9 and the widely distributed groundwater 10 . These factors change significantly the mechanical behavior of rocks.…”

“…1,[5][6][7][8] The deep underground has some completely different environmental characteristics, compared with shallow layers, for example, the high temperature rising by 0.3-0.4 C/km 9 and the widely distributed groundwater. 10 These factors change significantly the mechanical behavior of rocks. A detailed understanding of the compressive behavior of granite under environments of high temperature and water is critical for deep underground exploration and engineering, especially the understanding of granite, a deep hard bedrock faced commonly in the underground engineering.…”

Substantiation of technological solutions for the protection of water resources in the development of coal deposits

“…Intensive exploitation of mineral and raw materials has led to the fact that natural landscapes [13][14][15][16][17][18], mountain massif [19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28], soils [29][30], surface water [8,10,11,[31][32][33][34], groundwater in the location of mining enterprises have undergone significant changes and transformations resulting in irreversible processes often observed in these components of the environment [35][36][37][38][39][40]. In addition, coal miners and the population living in the surrounding areas are negatively affected [41][42][43][44].…”