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Mines HotSpots are places whose ecology has suffered due to improper handling of mines, namely due to heavy metals and chemical compounds impregnating the soil. Mines are communicating vessels. If one mine floods, it can overflow into another mine from which it has been knocked down.
Mine waters are underground and surface waters penetrate mine workings. They are usually highly mineralized and may be contaminated by mechanical or chemical impurities. Mine waters negatively affect the mining process, damage machinery, and underground facilities, and reduce the quality of mined minerals. Therefore, these waters are constantly pumped out during the operation of the mine, and before discharge into water bodies, they are purified by settling in holding ponds, neutralized, or demineralized depending on their composition.
On the territory of the liquidated mines special, mainly negative ecological respect, processes and phenomena were formed. First of all, they are caused by the manifestation of "secondary" technogenic processes, caused by flooding of underground workings, under flooding of the ground surface by mine waters, displacement of harmful and dangerous mine gases from technogenic cavities to the surface, ignition of rock dumps, formation of dips of the ground surface, mine collapse, etc.
Closure of mines ends with the release to the surface of highly mineralized mine waters or groundwater contaminated by them, disturbing the ecology of soils, watercourses, and reservoirs. The degree of pollution of the surface hydrosphere is conditioned by gas emission in mines, volumes of mine waters, their mineralization, and peculiarities of the polluted object. In addition, groundwater in contact with anthropogenic waters is subject to pollution. The magnitude and ecological consequences of these processes have become particularly significant, since the areas of their influence are in economic use, and rivers and groundwater are sources of drinking water supply for the population of the region.
The problem of treatment of contaminated mine water and bringing its quality to the normative requirements remains unresolved. The existing technologies and technical means of treatment of mineralized mine water do not allow the application of economically feasible methods of its demineralization. Environmental solutions are required to protect drinking water sources from technogenic pollution and the mine's closure procedure. When it comes to the flooding of coal mines, the first thing that comes to mind is an environmental disaster. Why? The dangers posed by hotspots of mines have been warned about for years.
If the water is not pumped out, there are several likely consequences:
1. Soil failures.
The main danger is the flooding of nearby settlements, as well as soil erosion, which can lead to landslides and the collapse of structures. The foundations of buildings in the area of the mine or water coming to the surface can be destroyed, leading to the collapse of structures. In the worst-case scenario, buildings can go underground altogether if water washes out voids in the ground.
2. Drinking water poisoning.
In addition, mined water can contaminate underwater rivers and soil. After all, water infused in the mine workings is saturated with various chemical elements. Chemicals can enter nearby drinking water wells, poisoning fish and organisms in bodies of water. If toxic substances have been stored in flooded mines, the situation is even worse.
3. Mine explosions.
Methane displaced from the soil by rising water comes to the surface, or worse, accumulates in the basements of houses, cellars, and other cavities, where it can explode or poison someone. In addition, the risk of a coal mine blast is also high because of the accumulation of carbon derivatives. The main causes of the environmental threat are the uncontrolled closure of coal mines and problems with the pumping of mine water.
It is possible to flood. But according to the rules. Before the flooding, mining engineers calculate the time it takes for water to fill the workings and when it will start to come to the surface. On average, if you stop pumping water out, the mine will flood in a few years. The time it takes for the water to reach the surface is two to 23 years. The danger is that it is often impossible to predict exactly where the water will come to the surface of the mine is flooded improperly.
When flooding a mine, remember to seal all lintels and crevices to keep water from seeping into the ground. If the mine emits methane, you need to check where the water can push the gas out. After all, methane is odorless and can be poisonous when released to the surface, if its concentration exceeds the norm. In addition, it is necessary to assess the risk of a possible explosion in a coal mine and carry out drainage work to avoid water logging of buildings and soil erosion.