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Beneficial Use of Deep Ordovician Limestone Water from Mine Safety Dewatering at the Xinglongzhuang Coal Mine, North China

Gewinnbringende Nutzung von Wasser aus der bergwerkssicherheitsbedingten Entwässerung eines tiefen ordovizischen Kalksteins im Xinglongzhuang Kohlebergwerk, Nordchina

Beneficial Use of Deep Ordovician Limestone Water from Mine Safety Dewatering at the Xinglongzhuang Coal Mine, North China

Uso beneficioso del agua profunda de piedra caliza del Ordovícico proveniente del desagote de seguridad en la mina de carbón Xinglongzhuang, norte de China

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Abstract

The use of water from mine dewatering has become increasingly important issue in northern China. Much of this water is discharged to the environment, which wastes a valuable resource and pollutes the ecosystem. To help address this, a feasibility analysis was carried on using deep Ordovician limestone water from dewatering at the Xinglongzhuang coal mine. First, a safe hydraulic pressure was estimated using the conventional water inrush coefficient method. Then, based on the results of a water release test (drilled into an artesian aquifer), a model representing the geology and hydrology of the study area was subsequently established and calibrated to existing conditions and water release test results, using the numerical simulation program FEFLOW. Finally, according to a contract signed between the mine and a local industrial water consumer, two cases of dewatering were discussed using the model to maintain a balance between mining safety and supplying water for nearby industrial operations. During the calibration and prediction analysis, the permeable faults were identified as the most important factor in water management and a key factor for balancing the aforementioned needs.

Zusammenfassung

Die Verwendung von Wasser aus der Entwässerung im Bergbau ist in Nordchina zu einem zunehmend wichtigen Thema geworden. Ein Großteil dieses Wassers wird in die Umwelt abgeleitet, womit eine wertvolle Ressource verschwendet und Ökosysteme verschmutzt werden. Um dieses Thema anzugehen, wurde eine Machbarkeitsstudie zur Nutzung von Wasser aus der Entwässerung eines tiefen ordovizischen Kalksteins im Xinglongzhuang Kohlebergwerk durchgeführt. In einem ersten Schritt wurde unter Verwendung der gebräuchlichen Wassereinbruchskoeffizientenmethode (water inrush coefficient method) ein sicherer hydraulischer Druck abgeschätzt. Anschließend wurde, aufbauend auf den Ergebnissen eines Wasserfreisetzungstests (gebohrt in einem artesischen Aquifer), ein Modell zur Darstellung der Geologie und Hydrologie des Untersuchungsgebiets erstellt und mittels dem numerischen Simulationsprogramm FEFLOW mit aktuellen Bedingungen und Ergebnissen des Wasserfreisetzungstests kalibriert. Abschließend wurden entsprechend eines Vertrages zwischen dem Bergwerksbetreiber und lokalen Abnehmern für Brauchwasser zwei Entwässerungsfälle diskutiert, um unter Verwendung des Modells die Balance zwischen Bergwerkssicherheit und Wasserlieferung für den nahegelegenen Industriebetrieb zu erhalten. Im Zuge der Analyse von Kalibration und Prognose wurden die durchlässigen Störungen als der wichtigste Faktor im Wassermanagement und ein Schlüsselfaktor bei der Abstimmung der o.g. Bedürfnisse identifiziert.

兴隆庄煤矿深部奥陶系灰岩疏排水的合理利用(中国华北)

合理利用煤矿疏放水在中国北方日益重要。煤矿疏放水被大量排放,不但浪费宝贵水资源而且污染生态系统。为解决这一问题,研究了兴隆庄煤矿深部奥陶系石灰岩疏排水的可行性。首先,用传统的突水系数法估算了岩溶水安全疏放水压。然后,基于放水试验(承压含水层钻孔)数据,用FEFLOW建立了研究区地质和水文模型,通过现状条件数据和放水试验结果验证了模型。最后,参考煤矿与当地工业用水用户之间的合同,讨论了两个种既满足煤矿安全开采需要又满足附近工业用水需求的情形。在模型校正和预测过程中,发现导水断层既是水管理的最重要因素也是平衡上述需求的关键因素。

Resumen

El uso de agua de desagote de minas se ha convertido en un problema cada vez más importante en el norte de China. Gran parte de esta agua se descarga al medio ambiente, lo que desperdicia un recurso valioso y contamina el ecosistema. En un abordaje del tema, se realizó un análisis de viabilidad utilizando aguas profundas de piedra caliza de Ordovícico procedentes del desagote en la mina de carbón Xinglongzhuang. En primer lugar, se estimó una presión hidráulica segura utilizando el método convencional de coeficiente de irrupción de agua. Luego, con base en los resultados de una prueba de liberación de agua (perforación en un acuífero artesiano), se estableció un modelo que representa la geología e hidrología del área de estudio; posteriormente, aquel modelo se calibró a las condiciones existentes y a los resultados de la prueba de liberación de agua, utilizando el programa de simulación numérica FEFLOW. Finalmente, de acuerdo con un contrato firmado entre la mina y un consumidor local de agua industrial, se analizaron dos casos de desagote utilizando el modelo para mantener un equilibrio entre la seguridad minera y el suministro de agua para las operaciones industriales de los alrededores. Durante el análisis de calibración y predicción, las fallas permeables se identificaron como el factor más importante en la gestión del agua y un factor clave para equilibrar las necesidades antes mencionadas.

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Acknowledgements

Financial support for this work was provided by the Fundamental Research Funds of the State Key Program of National Natural Science of China (No. 41430643), The National Basic Research Program of China (No. 2015CB251601). The authors also thank the reviewers for their useful comments.

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Correspondence to Wenping Li.

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Chen, W., Li, W., Qiao, W. et al. Beneficial Use of Deep Ordovician Limestone Water from Mine Safety Dewatering at the Xinglongzhuang Coal Mine, North China. Mine Water Environ 39, 42–56 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10230-020-00653-2

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