Coal mining under aquifers in China: a case study

The hydrogeological conditions are very complex in many coal mines in China. Water inrushes from aquifers near mining coal seams occur frequently, and coal mines often suffer from serious water disasters during coal extraction. Therefore, mining safety from groundwater hazards is a common concern of both mine operators and researchers. It is of vital importance to determine mining-induced strata failure and strata hydraulic conductivity variations for predicting and preventing water inrushes in coal mines. This paper summarizes the current situations of coal mining under aquifers in China, and presents a case study for mining under a water-bearing alluvium. The case study consists of field investigations, physical simulation and numerical analyses to evaluate the stress redistribution, strata failure and hydraulic conductivity enhancement resulting from coal extraction in Daliuta Coal Mine, Shaanxi Province, China. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.