Abstract Jiu Valley is in an extensive transition process from an area rich in coal deposits to an area with 0 Carbon emissions. Coal mining was carried out in 14 mining perimeters arranged along the Jiu Valley. At the same time, the extraction of the useful mineral substance resulted in waste material that was stored in tailings dumps. Out of the total of 49 landfills, 25 have been greened, 15 are inactive and 9 are active. The total area occupied by them is approximately 210 ha, arranged near mining operations, in the valleys of some streams and even in the vicinity of human settlements. The paper aims to identify the potential for soil contamination due to inactive tailings dumps.

Abstract Human society is in full development. Proportionately, the industrial activity continuously develops and diversifies. Various technological processes also bring with them specific risks such as the one generated by the presence of carbon dioxide in closed premises. The effect of this gas on the human body is destructive and can reach situations incompatible with life. Preventive measures presuppose a good knowledge of how this gas disperses. This paper details the experimentation carried out to identify how carbon dioxide disperses.

Abstract The fire behaviour and smoke behaviour of a fire in an underground mine will be largely dictated by the heat release rate of the fire. The heat release rate per unit area is generally the output from small-scale fire experiments and can be applied for larger objects with varying surface area. This paper studies the impact of varying heat release rate per unit area for fires in materials and substances typically found underground. Data from earlier fire experiments were analysed and discussed, and several different heat release rate curves and flame spread velocities for various fuel components were developed and discussed. It was found that the hydraulic hose presented the highest peak heat release rate per unit area of the solid fuel items, followed by the low-voltage cable, cab interior, and tyre in descending order. The increase in the peak heat release rate was highest for the highest incident heat flux levels, representative for scenarios underneath a mining vehicle. The heat release rate per unit area of pool fires underneath a vehicle is significantly higher than a corresponding free burning case - attributed to the higher incident heat flux – but a gravel surface underneath a pool fire will reduce the heat release rate considerably. Line fires in larger bundles of electrical cables were modelled and found to attain the peak flame spread velocity more rapidly compared with a fire in hydraulic hoses. This was caused by the higher heat release rate of the initial fire and ignited segments in the electrical cable case.

Abstract Land reclamation of previously mined regions has been incorporated in the mining process as awareness of environmental protection has grown. In this study, we used the open-pit coal mine Oslomej in R. N. Macedonia to demonstrate the activities related to the monitoring process of the study area. We combined the Google Earth Engine (GEE) computing platform with the Landsat time-series data, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Random Forest (RF) algorithm, and the LandTrendr algorithm to monitor the mining impacts, land reclamation, and the solar farm growth of the coalfield region between 1984 and 2021. The data from the sequential Landsat archive that was used to construct the spatiotemporal variability of the NDVI over the Oslomej mine site (1984-2021) and the pixel-based trajectories from the LandTrendr algorithm were used to achieve accurate measurements and analysis of vegetation disturbances. The different land use/land cover (LULC) classes herbaceous, water, mine, bare land, and solar farm in the Oslomej coalfield area were identified, and the effects of LULC changes on the mining environment were discussed. The RF classification algorithm was capable of separating these LULC classes with accuracies exceeding 90 %. We also validated our results using random sample points, field knowledge, imagery, and Google Earth. Our methodology, which is based on GEE, effectively captured information on mining, reclamation, and solar farm change, providing annual data (maps and change attributes) that can help local planners, policymakers, and environmentalists to better understand environmental influences connected to the ongoing conversion of the mining areas.

Abstract After the cessation of mining activities, concerns for mining cadastre research are only sporadic. The present study aims at bringing up to date the evolution of the mining cadastre in the Romanian provinces with a mining book regime, territories that were until 1918 within the structure of the former Habsburg Empire. (Austro-Hungary since 1867). Several stages can be distinguished in the evolution of the mining cadastre in the areas shown. From the 16th century until 1854 the principles and methods of the mining cadastre were set up. Between 1854 and 1924 the provisions of the Austrian General Mining Law of 1854 were followed. From 1924 to 1948, the mining cadastre provisions provided for in the mining law of 1924 and other specific regulations are applicable. After 1948, under the conditions of a statist regime, the mining record did not respect the principles of the mining cadastre previously assessed. After 1990, the new mining cadastre only partially takes over the classical principles and methods of the mining cadastre. The way of applying the mining cadastre was focused upon in the town of Borșa, a mountainous place where farmers had not formed cooperatives and where intensive mining was carried out until 2007. With the cessation of mining in Baia Borșa, the mining cadastre was reduced to inventories of some mining assets and sporadic cadastre registrations of some premises and settling ponds. The study analyzes the current situation and proposes some integrated solutions, mediated by GIS technology, aiming the introduction of the mining cadastre in correlation with the introduction of the general cadastre. In this context, GIS technology offers modeling tools that, for example, can assess the degree of suitability of the land for construction.

Abstract Topography has an important role in the realization of underground mining works, hydro-technical constructions, roads, etc. Appropriate topographic measurements and processing are required to trace these objectives in the necessary safety and efficiency conditions. An appropriate topographic basis must first be established for which scientific analyzes focusing mainly on topographical guidance elements are required. It is considered an independent polygonal route, easy to achieve and with superior quality effects.

Abstract Romania’s new commitments to give up coal-based energy production entail the gradual closure of the last four open-pits in operation in Berbești Mining Basin, thus, raising the issue of primarily ensuring the stability of the lands in these perimeters in order to reintroduce them, too, into the economic circuit as soon as possible. Considering the numerous negative geo-mining phenomena that have taken place over time in the perimeters of Berbești Mining Basin, respectively landslides and other types of geotechnical phenomena, it is necessary to investigate the causes and factors that favor their manifestation so that their influence can be reduced, removed or simply taken into resizing calculations. The paper presents the results of a study whose purpose is to investigate the factors and causes that generate phenomena of instability of natural and artificial slopes in the area of Berbești Mining Basin. The main research methods applied in this paper were in situ observations, analyzes and laboratory tests, identification of rock types and their behaviors in various weather and humidity conditions, determination of physical and mechanical characteristics, and interpretation of results.

Abstract The work contains studies of the problem of stabilizing geodynamic processes in the rock massif, preservation of the daylight surface and ecological balance in the mined-out and operating mine fields of Ukraine. The main regularities of influence of sublevel-room mining systems with backfilling on changes of the stress-strain state of the rock massif and the main structural elements of the block are determined. Rich iron ore mining by underground methods and subsequent transition to the sublevel-room mining system with backfilling is modeled. New technologies for mining ore deposits are developed and current ones are enhanced to prevent the earth’s surface failures, stabilize landslide and displacement zones within the boundaries existing at the time of transition to systems with backfilling. The developed resource-saving technologies of mining can significantly enhance ore extraction indicators and the environmental condition of the basin by locating waste dumps and disposing wastes of mining enterprises in the mined-out area of underground mines.

Abstract The underground topographic works of elevating and drawing are necessary for the execution of underground works (mining, hydrotechnics, communications, etc.) Fulfilling these works efficiently and safely requires an advance study for the precisions in topographic support routes and networks. This paper aims to establish the share distribution correlated with the underground works distribution.

Abstract The paper present the issue of explosion risk assessment presented by the risk of accidental initiation of electrical detonating caps and pyrotechnic articles. The purpose of the explosion risk assessment is to establish appropriate protection measures to prevent or limit them.