Using Carbon Sequestration as a Remote-Monitoring Approach for Reclamation’s Effectiveness in the Open Pit Coal Mine: A Case Study of Mae Moh, Thailand

Abstract

Reclamation is regarded as one of the mining processes that can lessen the environmental impact of its production, particularly for large-scale coal mines that emit significant quantities of greenhouse gases. However, the assessment and evaluation of the reclamation process primarily rely on qualitative methods. Utilizing LANSAT8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) remote sensing in conjunction with GIS, this study aimed to develop a quantitative method for validating the efficacy of a reclamation procedure applicable to the emerging trend of carbon reduction. The empirical formula utilized to compute the annual carbon sequestrations of the reclamation area in the Mae Moh mine exhibited the appropriate spatial relative standard deviation (S-RSD) at 98.25%. The findings indicate that the reclamation area reached its highest level of carbon sequestration in 2022, at 331.28 ± 11.89 ktCO2e, surpassing the baseline of 126.53 ktCO2e. Furthermore, the approach demonstrates significant potential in improving the standard method for assessing reclamation through reforestation.

Minimum Carbon Credit Cost Estimation for Carbon Geological Storage in the Mae Moh Basin, Thailand

“…around USD 3.5 per ton CO2e and the capture rate is far lower than those produced from the emission. However, it is found that the amount of CO2 storage achieved by the CGS project is significantly higher than the carbon sequestration achieved through planting [16]. Therefore, if the market value of carbon credit costs is improved, the CGS project in the Mae Moh basin of Thailand can be economically feasible.…”

“…Additionally, this basin is bound to the Mae Moh coal-fired power plant, one of the largest in Thailand, which generates approximately 2200 MW of energy and releases around 13 million tons of CO 2 annually [14,15]. The power plant is conveniently located within its own coal mine area, which covers 37.5 km 2 of operating space and an additional 41.5 km 2 for overburden dumping [16]. This proximity between the power plant and the coal mine makes transportation of CO 2 from the source to the sink area advantageous, as the distance is only around 15 km [15].…”