Spontaneous combustion of coal seams in the Bengiler coal mine in Turkey

In coal mining, spontaneous coal seam combustion has been and continues to be a major issue. Combustion in or near coal mines, in particular, can represent a serious threat to the mine's overall safety as well as the safety of all miners. In addition, the environment of the mines can be threatened during the combustion of large amounts of toxic gases. The coal seams in the Bengiler coal mine, which is under the influence of the North Anatolian Fault zone, are frequently fragmented by secondary faults. According to the results obtained from field investigations and drilling logs, the faults in the mine site are usually perpendicular to the vein direction. In parts of the fault zones, the coal has a squashed appearance, the grain size decreases, and the coal surface in contact with the air increases, so the fault zones are the starting points of the fires in the mines. In addition, according to laboratory analysis results, the coal in the Bengiler field has a very high calorific value, and its volatility allows flames to spread much more easily. Therefore, it is important to control and prevent coal seam fires. In the Bengiler surface coal mine, which is the subject of this study, production was terminated in 2019, as spontaneous combustion could not be stopped. Mining activity is prohibited by the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, General Directorate of Mining. In this study, the precautions that should be taken to prevent spontaneous combustion, which continues to occur in the quarry, are emphasized.