EIACP (PC-RP) on Environmental Problems of Mining

This paper explores the health and environmental concerns of parents living close to opencast coal mines in the UK and characterises parental risk perceptions in relation to children’s asthma status. This qualitative research was undertaken in tandem with an epidemiological investigation aiming to establish whether opencast coal mining adversely affected children’s respiratory health. Using a social construction approach, the centrality of health claims in environmental health disputes becomes apparent for a number of claims-makers. We focus on claims of non-activist participants in an epidemiological study, hitherto unknown and unexplored. In all but one case health claims were anticipated rather than realised. No link was found between children’s asthma and exacerbation of the condition although some parents of children with asthma had greater concerns during the opencast planning stage. In fact, parents’ discourses on children’s health largely mirrored the epidemiological findings which showed increased dust, no increase in asthma prevalence but higher rates of general practitioner (GP) consultations for respiratory conditions suggesting that the commonly observed lack of convergence between lay and expert knowledge should not be taken for granted. In spite of this overall lack of an experienced health effect, the sociological data highlight respondents’ recognition of the place-specificity of exposures, hence, the reasons why opencast proposals are likely to continue to be met with opposition. Environmental health studies which incorporate epidemiological and social approaches simultaneously have a better chance of arriving at conclusions meaningful to affected communities and facilitate greater understanding of environmental disputes.

In this study we examine how elementary teachers in Brazil and Turkey approached the translation and subsequent classroom implementation of an instructional activity that promotes environmental awareness through a combination of student role playing and teacher oral delivery of an environmental story about river pollution. A discourse analysis showed that translation into Portuguese was literal, an approach that fostered a classroom implementation that emphasized detached transmission of knowledge (the teacher frequently interrupted her delivery to provide textual, contextual and recontextualizing information to students). In contrast, translation into Turkish was free, that is, with many modifications that led to a decontextualized and detached text. Implementation of this text was focused on the creation of student involvement, being dominated by oral strategies such as religious analogies (heaven and hell), and parallel repetitions of statements of shared guilt. Based on these findings, it was concluded that neither translation promoted an equivalent form of environmental instruction (i.e., involved transmission of environmental knowledge). Furthermore, an argument is made that effective translation requires that original and translated curricula foster analogous levels of involvement (or detachment) as well as equivalent forms of classroom relationships and social roles (pragmatic equivalence).

This article discusses the perspectives of two First Nations of Canada, northeastern British Columbia’s West Moberly First Nations, Halfway River First Nation, and Treaty 8 Tribal Council, regarding the impacts of industrial resource extraction in lands critical to their traditional cultures and subsistence activities. This collaborative project interviewed First Nation government officials and staff as well as community members and Elders, which created a complex picture of physical impacts of industrial development as well as psychological and cultural concerns. In addition, we briefly explore the impacts of First Nations being required to constantly participate in consultative processes, such as environmental assessment, designed to predict potential impacts. We conclude that recognizing and meaningfully addressing all types of impacts that First Nations experience is critical, both for ensuring environmental justice for indigenous peoples and for recognizing that some land and resources must remain for indigenous peoples to continue to practice their traditional culture. We note, as well, that if there is no room amidst industrial resource extraction activities for indigenous peoples, there is also no room for other environmentally critical values such as healthy ecosystems.

Due to continuously growing resource demands and increasing requirements for sustainability, safety and environmental protection on the other hand, the mining industry is being subjected to these additional requirements. Over the past few decades progress has been made in all topics. In 1987, the United Nations published the following in the Brundtland Report: “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”[5]

The term “Blue Mining” means to work sustainably, economically, ecologically, and efficiently while also improving ergonomics, for example by increasing automation.

An example of how mining can actively be involved in energy management will be shown. Initial evaluations of underground cavitites were done for purpose of energy storage. The planning and construction of underground pump storage plants both in active and inactive mining operations was also investigated.

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The year was particularly eventful in terms of the recognition of improved technologies impinging on the duties of the Engineering Geologist. National economies were strained to the limit under the pressure of the new world terrorist attacks and burgeoning populations. much of which stemmed from escapes from oppressive national regimes to the free world. The impacts of terrorism range from increased danger and costs of field work, to special design considerations and postponed and delayed project work.

On the positive side, continued progress has been made in the means of recognition and professional development of our practitioners and in the general call for their work. Competent engineering geologists are in consistent demand, but the working conditions are not improved. A general deterioration of university funding, aggravated by bureaucratic excesses among administrators, have tended to make life miserable for dedicated faculty and a general move is afoot to cut back on the number of funded geology departments in North America and Europe. This situation has also been worsened by the general withdrawal of the mineral industries and by retraction of the petroleum companies from all but their most favored campuses.

INVESTIGATION OF THE JHAIUA COALFIELD MINE FIRES - INDIA

Based on the accident prevention of ventilation, dust, gas and fire in coal mines, and the risk early-warning theory of accidents, the risk early-warning principle is promoted. Then according to the principle and organization, combining the minds of safety scientific theory, cybernetics, information theory, decision theory and systems theory, using the computer technology, the macroscopic model of risk earlywarning on ventilation, gas, dust and fire in coal mines is established. Then, it analyzed and introduced the process of detection, identification, early-warning analysis, early-warning signal distribution, and early-warning measures in the model. Finally, it developed a risk early-warning management information system on coal mine accidents by the model.

2016 Water and Wastewater Consumption Rates and Service Fees

Three dimensional (3D) seismic exploration has been carried out since the 1980s in the mining district of China, where it has been playing an indispensable role in the high yield and efficiency of coal mining. Unlike oil exploration, this technique uses high density seismic acquisition technology. In recent years, it has focused on wide azimuth 3D seismic acquisition. Evaluation of geometry moved away from depending on folds, azimuth and offset, toward being based upon a focus-ray beam. Conventionally, coalfield 3D seismic interpretation focused on time domain and was based on kinematics information, which is only suitable for less complex geological conditions. To achieve high-resolution processing for the complex topography and structure in coalfields, data processing shifted from poststack to prestack. The means to improve the accuracy of interpretation for complex geological conditions are 1) integration of multiple attributes and multiple disciplines, 2) combination of seismic and geological data, and 3) comprehensive combination of time domain and depth domain data. With the demand for lithological exploration, high-resolution data processing must also take into account the requirements of preserving amplitude in seismic data. Seismic attributes technology, seismic inversion technology, and dynamic tracking interpretation are key techniques in 3D seismic exploration. They greatly improve interpretation accuracy, produce better results in the goaf space description of the coal-bearing strata and coal seam structure, and effectively reduce exploration costs under complicated geological conditions. Therefore, these techniques will be the primary means employed in the future to deal with coalfield complex structure and lithological exploration.

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Abstract

A knowledge of angle of repose and stability of waste rock dump slopes is of vital importance at all mine sites. Conventional slope stability analyses model slopes in plane strain. In reality, slopes advance in a curvilinear pattern in plan and hence produce slope faces that are either convex or concave in plan. The three—dimensional shape of the waste rock dump is similar to that of a solid body of revolution, which may be modelled using a two-dimensional grid and a radial coordinate system. A 250 m high in-pit waste rock dump at Kidston Gold Mines Limited, North Queensland, Australia was modelled using this technique. The analysis showed that adopting a non-linear Mohr-Columb envelope resulted in a more deeply—seated failure plane than would occur using a linear envelope. A slope with a concave advancing face in plan was stable at an angle at least 2° steeper than an identical slope advancing in a straight line in plan. On the other hand, a convex advancing slope was only just stable at an angle of 0.5° flatter than an identical slope advancing in a straight line.

Natural Ventilation in mining and metallurgical processing applications is key to proper operation function. There are number of ventilator designs available to a project team or design engineers, the selection of which will affect both the type of building structure required, project costs and design performance which is difficult to rectify or re-engineer once implemented. Research and applied results, such as that performed by Air-Therm Inc., demonstrates that computational fluid dynamic simulation allows for 5 dimensional observation, analysis and optimization at significantly lowered cost than previously possible. These results have been fully implemented on a number of mining and metallurgical applications and the company continues to study, optimize and innovate as new tools become available to provide the best possible engineered solutions for particular applications.

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An approach to use Bayesian belief networks in optimization is presented, with an illustration on resource and environmental management. A belief network is constructed to work parallel to a deterministic model, and it is used to update conditional probabilities associated with different components of that model. The divergence between prior and posterior probability distributions at the model components is used as an indication on the inconsistency between model structure, parameter values, and other information used. An iteration scheme was developed to force prior and posterior distributions to become equal. This removes inconsistencies between different sources of information. The scheme can be used in different optimization tasks including parameter estimation and optimization between various policy options. Also multiobjective optimization is possible. The approach is illustrated with an example on cost-effective management of river water quality.

The Australian Government’s Energy Efficiency Opportunities (EEO) program launched in 2006 obliges companies that use more than 0.5 PJ (petajoule) or roughly 139 GWh (gigawatt hour) per year to conduct an energy assessment in order to identify measures to improve energy efficiency. The opportunities identified by the mining sector were assembled in the Mining Significant Opportunities Register that permitted companies not yet embracing and adopting an energy management program to see what those who are, were doing and how much energy was saved, and helps disseminate best practice. The measures can be filtered by company, year, category or equipment type.

The creation of a central repository of energy efficiency initiatives is valuable but this existing database could be improved; fields identifying the energy and carbon emission savings associated with a given initiative are a surprising omission. Consequently it does not permit the relative effectiveness of different measures for energy and carbon reductions to be readily assessed.

A review of energy management efforts implemented in the mining industry, published in peer reviewed journals, corporate sustainability reports or industry publications during the last 40 years has revealed many examples of best practice. However, the lack of a standardized reporting framework in any of these sources has made it difficult to assess the effectiveness and compare the adopted energy management measures – just as is the case with the Australian register.

In an attempt to address these issues, an improved database structure has been created for energy management measures from the mining industry which identifies energy and financial savings arising from energy management initiatives, classifies applications to specific processes or equipment, and recognizes leaders in the mining industry with respect to energy management. The structure of the register includes the key data relevant to energy management in mining that is absent in the Australian version. The mining industry energy management database has been made available in the public domain where stakeholders can examine the best practice examples. Mining energy champions may also contribute to the register by providing case studies; a standardized entry template affords a quality assurance dimension that is absent in other reporting initiatives. Adoption of this database with its standardized reporting mechanism will enhance transparency of the mining industry in energy matters and help it maintain its social license to operate.

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Abstract

Coalfires, are a serious problem in most of the major coal- producing countries including China, India and Indonesia. Australia also experiences similar problems on a smaller scale. Combustion can occur either spontaneously or as a result of anthropogenic causes, within the coal seams underground or in piles of stored coal or spoil-dumps on the surface. Once started, they are difficult to extinguish. Trails to put them off in vain. Coal fires produce large quantities of CO₂ along with several other noxious gases such as carbon monoxide, oxides of sulphur and methane. It has been noted that greenhouse gas emissions from coalfires are significant enough to create a global impact. Apart from these large-scale environmental problems coalfires cause many local problems, operational difficulties, lead to consumption of a precious non-renewable energy source, and endanger human security. Fire may occur in coal mines due to exogenous and endogenous causes. The causes of fires are critically analysed by taking the detailed informations. Proper precautionary measures against fire will increase the safety of mines and hence the sterilization of resource will be minimum. Proper identification of fires and its dealing will reduce the overall lost of coal production. This review paper discusses, coal and coal mining in India, problems of coal mining, factors causing coal fire, impact of coal fire on environment, coal fires in India, R &D in clean coal technologies and the significance of satellite remote sensing as a reliable tool to detect and monitor coalfires.

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Oil sands mining creates vast areas of disturbed land with contaminated sediment and sub-saline water that require reclamation. Thus far reclamation of wetlands on oil sand leases has been sporadic, although some marshes and shallow water wetlands developing on the leases have begun to exhibit viable vegetation communities. To identify the communities found on oil sands leases that demonstrate ecological performance similar to that of natural wetlands, and to provide guidance on specific revegetation practices, we compared the vegetation communities of 25 natural fresh to sub-saline marshes, which represent the most realistic outcome of the reclaimed wetlands, and 20 oil sands reclaimed marshes. We found that wetlands did not have consistent vegetation communities on the basis of their construction history, and that exposure to oil sands process-affected water does not determine the vegetation community that will develop in reclaimed oil sands wetlands. We identified three wet meadow vegetation communities among our study wetlands using the statistical technique of hierarchical cluster analysis: sedge-dominated natural reference, reclaimed sedge, and disturbed/saline. Notably, the reclaimed sedge communities in the oil sands sites were different from sedge communities in natural marshes; Carex aquatilis Wahlenb. dominates reclaimed sites whereas Carex atherodes Spreng. dominates natural sites. The majority of vegetation communities that develop in reclaimed wetlands produce less aboveground biomass than natural wetlands, despite having similar species richness and percent cover. In general, oil sands reclaimed wetlands have lower levels of sediment nutrients and lower sediment water content than natural wetlands, and these deficiencies may be limiting vegetation community biomass production compared to natural wetlands. The presence of a Carex species-dominated vegetation community at some reclaimed sites shows promise for future reclamation success, if revegetation targets the establishment of this community.

A procedure for producing a surface heave map using GIS package in clayey alluvial soils is proposed. An active zone was first defined, and the layers in the active zone were subdivided according to their swelling characteristics. The free surface heave values for each cell of the digitized map of the study area were calculated by using the available equation in the literature, and a spatial distribution map was then constructed interpolating the data belonging to each borehole location. Soils having a high swelling capacity are widely distributed in the study area, and will cause serious heave problems on light structures. Clayey soils in the study area have generally moderate–very high swelling potentials, and swell pressures in many locations are much higher (up to 98 kPa) for low-rise structures. Moreover, differential movements sourced from surface heave are also expected in many locations. It was calculated that the minimum expected heave was 0.00 cm while the maximum was 12.24 cm, indicating ‘‘very severe’’ differential movement. The results obtained in this paper can be used as basic data to assist surface heave hazard management and land use planning. The information derived from this study also has a special importance for assessing the probable deformations on intended light construction applications in Yalova city. The methods used in this study will be valid for generalized planning and assessment purposes; although they may be less useful on the site-specific scale, where local geology and geographic heterogeneities may prevail.

The aim of this case study was to investigate the use of ergonomics information in an engineering design company's design process. Interviews were undertaken with engineers and designers in the company to establish their knowledge of the design process and use of ergonomics in design. Several of the company's installed designs were also evaluated to identify if the end product of the design process met ergonomics best practice. The results showed that the engineers and designers had poor knowledge of both the formal design processes in use in their company and how to apply ergonomics principles. The installed designs revealed several serious ergonomics problems that could impact on the operators' ability to work e$ciently and safely. Recommendations included improving the understanding and structure of the company's design process, improving communication, providing adequate ergonomics resources, improving strategies for identi"cation of ergonomics issues in designs and improving quality control of ergonomics issues.

In the well resourced and safety-aware environment of the oil and gas industry one would expect that ergonomics would be used to ensure that designs enhance operator e$ciency and safety. The achievement of good ergonomic designs would also be expected to have substantial economic bene"ts in terms of reduced costs in manufacturing, training and maintenance (Hendrick, 1997, Good ergonomics is good economics. Ergonomics in Design). This study identi"es minimal understanding or use of ergonomics by international engineers and designers and provides a reminder to all industries to evaluate how well they are using simple ergonomics principles and information.

Undermining of impoundment embankments over coal mines has been strictly regulated by state and federal agencies since the failure of the Buffalo Creek dams in West Virginia in 1972. This paper will discuss the safe and successful undermining of one coal fines refuse impoundment and three freshwater supply impoundments and their associated embankments. In cooperation with regulatory authorities, the embaiff, ments were undermined with both room-and-pillar development and subsequent longwall mining methodologies at a single mine in the Northern Appalachian coalfield. The mine overburden thickness ranges from 225 to 260 meters and consists of typical upper Pennsylvanian and lower Permian sedimentary deposits. Before the embankments were undermined, the impoundments were drained. After undermining was complete and the embankment integrity was verified, the impoundments were refilled. All embankment crests were monitored for horizontal displacement and tilt using an automated recording system. These measurements were augmented with frequent manual recordings of both vertical surface subsidence and borehole inclination as well as water levels within the embankments.

A case study on the effects of coal mining in the environment particularly in relation to Soil, Water and Air causing a Socio-economic Hazard in Asansol Raniganj Area, India

A survey of information on hazardous mine water discharges in the Central and Eastern European EU Accession Countries and a review of existing ranking systems and studies in Europe indicated a need to establish a common and easily understandable ranking system for environmental pressures that could be used to evaluate the existing situation and to assess and compare potential problems on a multinational and catchment basis. A method is proposed, combining two parameters: the flow rate of the discharge and its qualitative character, expressed as the number of times any environmental standard (maximum permissable concentration, MPC) is exceeded. These two parameters can be combined into one pressure factor (PF), defined as the log of the number of times a standard was exceeded + the log of the emission flow rate, m³/day. The data can be expressed on a special plot, with five gradations that define the number of times the standards were exceeded (from A = more than 1000 times to E = not exceeded), and a numerical designation that reflects the flow rate. The available information and estimated parameters for different mine sites in Central and Eastern Europe were compared on a single plot that shows the number of times the MPC was exceeded and the flow rates generated by mining of different commodities on various scales.

Despite extensive research on musculoskeletal disorders associated with manual labour, the enormity of the problems experienced in industry remains. Recognizing the importance of applying the science of ergonomics, the focus of this paper was to highlight the substantial difference between conducting rigorous controlled research in the laboratory and the less controlled, but more realistic research within the working environment. Our proposal is not to use one or the other methodology, but rather to combine basic assessments made in situ with rigorous laboratory experimentation investigating human responses both pre- and post-intervention, and finally to go back into the field to test the efficacy of the proposed ergonomics intervention. The combined ‘field–lab–field’ format presented in this paper is based on research conducted in an industrially developing country, and it is argued that this is the most likely means of assuring that the application of rigorous ergonomics theory will improve the poor working conditions so evident in developing regions.

A Combined flood surface and geochemical analysis of metal fluxes in a historically mined region: a case study from the New World Mining District, Montana

A Comparative Analysis of Health-Related Quality of Life for Residents of U.S. Counties with and without Coal Mining

A comparative study of health risks of selected potentially toxic metals in household dust from different socio‑economical houses of Dhanbad city, India [LINK 1] | [LINK 2]

Two methods have been evaluated for the synthesis of zeolites using a UK fly ash as raw material. One method consists of a conventional hydrothermal technique in which fly ash is mixed with NaOH solution and the other comprises a combination of alkaline fusion of fly ash with NaOH prior to a hydrothermal treatment, where the fusion product is mixed with water. Both processes have been evaluated at different conditions of temperature, time and proportion of NaOH:PFA:H₂O in order to optimise the synthesis. Products have been characterised in terms of mineralogical composition and cation exchange capacity.

Experimental results have demonstrated that parameters such as the NaOH/PFA ratio, time and temperature have a significant effect on the type and degree of zeolitisation achieved, with types X being dominant under optimised conditions. In both cases, the synthetic zeolite products display significantly increased adsorption capacities compared to the raw material. However the fusion method yield better results in terms of shorter times necessary to obtain a product with high crystallinity and excellent performance as cation exchanger.