Standardized emissions inventory methodology for open-pit mining areas

INTRODUCTION: There is still interest in a unified methodology to quantify the mass of particulate material emitted into the atmosphere by activities inherent to open-pit mining. For the case of total suspended particles (TSP), the current practice is to estimate such emissions by developing inventories based on the emission factors recommended by the USEPA for this purpose. However, there are disputes over the specific emission factors that must be used for each activity and the applicability of such factors to cases quite different to the ones under which they were obtained. There is also a need for particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 10?μm (PM(10)) emission inventories and for metrics to evaluate the emission control programs implemented by open-pit mines. STANDARDIZED EMISSION INVENTORY METHODOLOGY: To address these needs, work was carried out to establish a standardized TSP and PM(10) emission inventory methodology for open-pit mining areas. The proposed methodology was applied to seven of the eight mining companies operating in the northern part of Colombia, home to the one of the world's largest open-pit coal mining operations (～70?Mt/year). RESULTS: The results obtained show that transport on unpaved roads is the mining activity that generates most of the emissions and that the total emissions may be reduced up to 72% by spraying water on the unpaved roads. Performance metrics were defined for the emission control programs implemented by mining companies. It was found that coal open-pit mines are emitting 0.726 and 0.180?kg of TSP and PM(10), respectively, per ton of coal produced. It was also found that these mines are using on average 1.148?m(2) of land per ton of coal produced per year.     

Potential harmful elements in coal dust and human health risk assessment near the mining areas in Cherat,Pakistan

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This study was aimed to investigate the potential harmful element (PHE) concentrations in coal dust and evaluate the human risk assessment and health...     

Comprehensive evaluation of land reclamation schemes in mining areas based on linguistic intuitionistic fuzzy group decision-making

Schemes to protect the geological environment and reclaim land are core requirements for an application for mining rights and complying with mining regulations. Mining enterprises must be supervised to ensure they fulfill their obligations. To guide oversight of such schemes and to provide references for their compilation and review, this study evaluates land reclamation schemes in mining areas using a multi-attribute group decision-making method. First, linguistic intuitionistic fuzzy numbers are used to describe the evaluation information. Considering the authority and preferences of experts, methods for determining expert weights in four cases are established. Max–min deviation then determines the attribute weights, and a method for linguistic intuitionistic fuzzy group decision-making is proposed. Finally, the practicability of this method is verified through a comparative analysis of land reclamation schemes for four mining areas in Sichuan Province, China. The results show the proposed method to give simple and effective evaluation, making it reasonably applicable to the compilation and review of land reclamation schemes.

     

Study on the distribution characteristics and ecological risk of heavy metal elements in coal gangue taken from 25 mining areas of China

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The long-term, high-yield production of coal has resulted in the large-scale accumulation of coal gangue on the ground surface, which causes serious...     

Bioassays with Vibrio fischeri for the assessment of delayed toxicity

The standardized bioluminescence assay with Vibrio fischeri underestimates the aquatic toxicity of chemicals which interfere with metabolic pathways supporting long term processes like growth and reproduction due to its short incubation time (30 min). Therefore this short term assay was compared with two alternative bioassays with prolonged incubation times using the same test organism: the growth inhibition assay (7 h) and the long term bioluminescence assay (24 h). Two sets of compounds were selected to reflect acute and delayed toxicity. The first group comprised pentachlorophenol, dodecylpyridiniumbromide and 3,4-dichloroaniline and the second nalidixic acid, chloramphenicol and streptomycinsulfate. The effects of compounds with acute toxicity are determined with similar sensitivity in all bioassays. Substances with delayed toxicity show only minor or no toxicities in the standardized short term bioassay but severe effects in both long term bioassays independent of the parameter used. It is concluded that the standardized short term bioluminescence assay exhibits serious limitations for the assessment of aquatic toxicity. The long term bioassays, however, may help to overcome these limitations.     

采煤塌陷地积水对土壤氮素矿化过程的影响

煤炭开采导致大面积的土地塌陷,使大量耕地出现常年积水或季节性积水,对塌陷地土壤氮素矿化过程产生一定影响。采集了某矿采煤塌陷地土壤样品,进行好气和淹水培养条件下间歇淋洗培养实验,研究了塌陷地积水对土壤氮素矿化过程的影响。经过62d的培养,40d左右氮素的矿化过程趋于稳定,淹水培养条件下土壤氮素最终累积矿化量为68.99mg/kg,约为好气培养条件的10倍,且淹水培养条件下土壤氮素矿化势可达69.472mg/kg,均矿化速率为5.210mg/(kg·d),说明淹水对土壤氮素矿化过程有显著的促进作用。将实验所得累积矿化量分别代入简单指数模型及双因子指数模型进行拟合,发现简单指数模型能有效模拟好气和淹水培养条件下土壤氮素矿化过程,并获得了2种培养条件下土壤氮素矿化过程的模型参数。     

An improved inventory of methane emissions from coal mining in the United States

Past efforts to estimate methane emissions from underground mines, surface mines, and other coal mine operations have been hampered, to different degrees, by a lack of direct emissions data. Direct measurements have been completely unavailable for several important coal mining operations. A primary goal of this study was to collect new methane emissions measurements and other data for the most poorly characterized mining operations and use these data to develop an improved methane emission inventory for the U.S. coal mining industry. This required the development and verification of measurement methods for surface mines, coal handling operations, and abandoned underground mines and the use of these methods at about 30 mining sites across the United States. Although the study's focus was on surface mines, abandoned underground mines, and coal handling operations, evaluations were also conducted to improve our understanding of underground mine emission trends and to develop improved national data sets of coal properties. Total U.S. methane emissions are estimated to be 4.669 million tons, and as expected, emissions from underground mine ventilation and methane drainage systems dominate (74% of the total emissions). On the other hand, emissions from coal handling, abandoned underground mines, and surface mines are significant, and collectively they represent approximately 26% of the total emissions.     

Natural forest expansion on reclaimed coal mines in Northern Spain: the role of native shrubs as suitable microsites

The characterization of suitable microsites for tree seedling establishment and growth is one of the most important tasks to achieve the restoration of native forest using natural processes in disturbed sites. For that, we assessed the natural Quercus petraea forest expansion in a 20-year-old reclaimed open-cast mine under sub-Mediterranean climate in northern Spain, monitoring seedling survival, growth, and recruitment during 5 years in three contrasting environments (undisturbed forest, mine edge, and mine center). Seedling density and proportion of dead branches decreased greatly from undisturbed forest towards the center of the mine. There was a positive effect of shrubs on Q. petraea seedling establishment in both mine environments, which increase as the environment undergoes more stress (from the mine edge to the center of the mine), and it was produced by different shrub structural features in each mine environment. Seedling survival reduction through time in three environments did not lead to a density reduction because there was a yearly recruitment of new seedlings. Seedling survival, annual growth, and height through time were greater in mine sites than in the undisturbed forest. The successful colonization patterns and positive neighbor effect of shrubs on natural seedlings establishment found in this study during the first years support the use of shrubs as ecosystem engineers to increase heterogeneity in micro-environmental conditions on reclaimed mine sites, which improves late-successional Quercus species establishment.     

微生物对煤矿固体废弃物的脱硫效应

煤矸石是煤矿特有的一种固体废弃物,应用本实验室筛选出的氧化亚铁硫杆菌Thiobacillus ferrooxidans和嗜酸氧化硫硫杆菌Thiobacillus thiooxidans对宁夏大武口高硫煤矸石进行微生物脱硫技术及应用条件的研究,如不同煤矸石粒径、不同接种浓度和不同煤矸石浓度。2种脱硫细菌对煤矸石的脱硫效果显著,小粒径煤矸石的微生物脱硫效果更好。考虑脱硫成本及脱硫效率,Thiobacillus ferrooxidans菌最佳的接种浓度为25%,在Thiobacillus Thiobacillus thiooxidans菌悬液中,能脱出最大量硫酸根的煤矸石最佳比例是10%。2种菌混合较单菌株脱硫效果更好,以Thiobacillus ferrooxidans∶Thiobacillus thiooxidans=2∶3的比例混合后对煤矸石的脱硫效果最佳,该结果为煤矿废弃物煤矸石的污染防治提供技术依据。     

谢桥矿区采煤塌陷积水区环境效应分析

采煤塌陷水域是淮南矿区一种特殊地表水体。选择了具有代表性的有一定塌陷时间的谢桥矿塌陷水域,监测分析其水质理化指标、常规离子和重金属元素。结果表明：塌陷水域水质状况具有季节性变化。水域受到了一定程度的污染,DO丰富,COD含量偏高,水域呈弱碱性,pH值较为稳定,部分理化指标随时间增长有累计效应。常规离子含量顺序为HCO₃^->Mg^2＋>SO₄^2->Ca^2＋>Cl^－>Na⁺>K⁺>F^－。与国家地表水质量标准(GB3838-2002)比较,水域重金属元素除了Hg严重超标外, 其他As、Se、Cd、Cr、Cu、Pb、Zn等均不超标,未对水域构成重金属污染。通过对谢桥矿区塌陷水域水质进行分析评价,为其及周边矿区塌陷水域综合应用提供了一定的理论依据。     

Assessment of mining activities on tree species and diversity in hilltop mining areas using Hyperion and Landsat data

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The tree species and its diversity are two critical components to be monitored for sustainable management of forest as well as biodiversity...     

污水再生利用的健康风险评价方法

随着经济发展和人口增加，中国水资源短缺问题日益严重，水资源再生利用成为解决中国水危机的重要途径。再生水对人体健康的风险成为人们关注的焦点。应用风险评价技术评估再生水的健康风险目前再生水回用迫切需要解决的问题，作者论述了再生水风险评价的基本理论和评价方法及存在的问题。     

Multiple exposure pathways and health risk assessment of selenium for children in a coal mining area

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Selenium (Se) presents a dual role to human body, harmful or beneficial, depending on its concentration. The exposure to this element has been...     

Crowding-out effect of coal industry investment in coal mining area: taking Shanxi province in China as a case

The rapid development of coal industry in Shanxi province in China has important effects on its economic development. A large amount of money has been invested into the coal industry and other related industries during the recent years. However, research on the investment effect of Shanxi’s coal industry was rare. In order to analyze the investment effect of coal industry, based on the crowding-out effect model, cointegration test, and the data available in Shanxi Statistical Yearbooks, this paper calculates the effect between coal industry investment and other 17 industry investment. The results show that the investment of coal industry produces crowding-out effect on food industry, building materials industry, and machinery industry. Increasing 1% of the coal industry investment can reduce 0.25% of the food industry investment, or 0.6% of building materials industry investment, or 0.52% of the machinery industry investment, which implies that Shanxi province should adjust coal industrial structure, promote the balance development of coal industry and other industries, so as to promote its economic growth.

     

Probabilistic health risk assessment for residents exposed to potentially toxic elements near typical mining areas in China

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Public health problems caused by toxic elements in mining areas have always been an important topic worldwide. However, existing studies have focused...     

模糊综合评价法在矿区塌陷土地复垦潜力评估中的应用

为了合理利用土地、提高土地生产率、改善矿区及其周围的生态环境,对矿区塌陷土地复垦潜力进行了研究。阐述了模糊综合评价法的基本原理,并以南票矿区为例,选择了塌陷土地复垦潜力评价的二层树状结构因子,确定了隶属度函数、评价指标权重和评价集,得出了塌陷土地复垦潜力的评价结果。为其他矿区塌陷土地复垦潜力评价提供了理论依据。     

Extractability and mobility of mercury from agricultural soils surrounding industrial and mining contaminated areas

This study focussed on a comparison of the extractability of mercury in soils with two different contamination sources (a chlor-alkali plant and mining activities) and on the evaluation of the influence of specific soil properties on the behaviour of the contaminant. The method applied here did not target the identification of individual species, but instead provided information concerning the mobility of mercury species in soil. Mercury fractions were classified as mobile, semi-mobile and non-mobile. The fractionation study revealed that in all samples mercury was mainly present in the semi-mobile phase (between 63% and 97%). The highest mercury mobility (2.7 mg kg(-1)) was found in soils from the industrial area. Mining soils exhibited higher percentage of non-mobile mercury, up to 35%, due to their elevated sulfur content. Results of factor analysis indicate that the presence of mercury in the mobile phase could be related to manganese and aluminium soil contents. A positive relation between mercury in the semi-mobile fraction and the aluminium content was also observed. By contrary, organic matter and sulfur contents contributed to mercury retention in the soil matrix reducing the mobility of the metal. Despite known limitations of sequential extraction procedures, the methodology applied in this study for the fractionation of mercury in contaminated soil samples provided relevant information on mercury's relative mobility.     

Extractability and mobility of mercury from agricultural soils surrounding industrial and mining contaminated areas

This study focussed on a comparison of the extractability of mercury in soils with two different contamination sources (a chlor-alkali plant and mining activities) and on the evaluation of the influence of specific soil properties on the behaviour of the contaminant. The method applied here did not target the identification of individual species, but instead provided information concerning the mobility of mercury species in soil. Mercury fractions were classified as mobile, semi-mobile and non-mobile.The fractionation study revealed that in all samples mercury was mainly present in the semi-mobile phase (between 63% and 97%). The highest mercury mobility (2.7 mg kg⁻¹) was found in soils from the industrial area. Mining soils exhibited higher percentage of non-mobile mercury, up to 35%, due to their elevated sulfur content.Results of factor analysis indicate that the presence of mercury in the mobile phase could be related to manganese and aluminium soil contents. A positive relation between mercury in the semi-mobile fraction and the aluminium content was also observed. By contrary, organic matter and sulfur contents contributed to mercury retention in the soil matrix reducing the mobility of the metal.Despite known limitations of sequential extraction procedures, the methodology applied in this study for the fractionation of mercury in contaminated soil samples provided relevant information on mercury’s relative mobility.     

采煤沉陷区耕地土壤微生物数量及酶活性的空间特征

通过野外调查和采样分析,研究了焦作矿区韩王矿沉陷区不同沉陷部位和不同深度耕地的土壤微生物数量及酶活性特征。研究结果表明:与对照区比较,沉陷区耕地土壤微生物数量、酶活性赋存特征及微生物类群组成比例发生了明显变化。沉陷区表层(0~5 cm)、上层(5~10 cm)、中层(10~20 cm)土壤微生物总数、细菌数量均明显减少,而下层(20~40 cm)土壤微生物总数、细菌、真菌、放线菌数量均明显升高。沉陷区表层、上层土壤细菌数量所占微生物总数比例分别降低了20.64%和13.17%,而放线菌数量所占比例分别升高了20.69%和12.66%。沉陷区表层土壤脲酶、蔗糖酶、磷酸酶、脱氢酶、过氧化氢酶和多酚氧化酶活性分别降低了1.5%、17.5%、22.0%、35.3%、20.4%和5.4%。不同沉陷部位的土壤微生物数量及部分酶活性指标空间异质性显著(p0.05)。沉陷区土壤真菌、放线菌数量、蔗糖酶、磷酸酶、脱氢酶、过氧化氢酶、多酚氧化酶活性较对照区均具有不同的垂向分布特征。表明采煤引发的地表沉陷使耕地土壤微生物数量及酶活性在水平和垂直方向上均发生了显著变化,而这些变化是导致沉陷区耕地退化、生产力降低的重要原因。