<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Coal mine spoil dumping grounds are present in the landscape of every mining region. Although the composition of waste material is in general safe for the environment (sedimentary rocks – sandstones, mudstones and siltstones), there may be up to 10% of coal particles in disposed wastes. The presence of organic material causes self-ignition processes and fire hazards. There is a need and the possibility of the recovery of coal, and which should be conducted according to legal regulations and environmental protection rules. The recovery should also be preceded by a feasibility study, a drilling campaign, laboratory tests and requires different environmental permissions. Recovery processes are connected with the work of a preparation plant, which is usually linked with protests from the local community and potential conflicts. This article presents the most significant hazards to the environment, health and human life connected with the functions associated with the installation of the recovery processes of coal from waste material deposited on the dumps. The methods of reducing these threats are described with regards to legal regulations, particularly law deeds concerning the safe recovery processes and further reclamation and restoration of degraded post-mining dumping grounds. The role and participation of interested community members at the preparation for investment stage as well as the period of realization of the preparation processes is described. The question of re-using and managing the post-mining dumping grounds after completion of the recovery processes is discussed.</p></abstract>

Coal mine spoil dumping grounds are present in the landscape of every mining region. Although the composition of waste material is in general safe for the environment (sedimentary rocks – sandstones, mudstones and siltstones), there may be up to 10% of coal particles in disposed wastes. The presence of organic material causes self-ignition processes and fire hazards. There is a need and the possibility of the recovery of coal, and which should be conducted according to legal regulations and environmental protection rules. The recovery should also be preceded by a feasibility study, a drilling campaign, laboratory tests and requires different environmental permissions. Recovery processes are connected with the work of a preparation plant, which is usually linked with protests from the local community and potential conflicts. This article presents the most significant hazards to the environment, health and human life connected with the functions associated with the installation of the recovery processes of coal from waste material deposited on the dumps. The methods of reducing these threats are described with regards to legal regulations, particularly law deeds concerning the safe recovery processes and further reclamation and restoration of degraded post-mining dumping grounds. The role and participation of interested community members at the preparation for investment stage as well as the period of realization of the preparation processes is described. The question of re-using and managing the post-mining dumping grounds after completion of the recovery processes is discussed.

Potential conflicts connected with the recovery of secondary materials from post mining waste dump

Environmental & Socio-economic Studies

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Coal mine spoil dumping grounds are present in the landscape of every mining region. Although the composition of waste material is in general safe for the...

Potential conflicts connected with the recovery of secondary materials from post mining waste dump

Published Online: Dec 29, 2017

Page range: 82 - 86

Received: Oct 30, 2017

Accepted: Dec 13, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/environ-2017-0023

Keywords
post-mining waste dumps, recovery of secondary resources, legal regulations, conflicts

© 2017 Łukasz Gawor, published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Potential conflicts connected with the recovery of secondary materials from post mining waste dump

Published Online: Dec 29, 2017

Page range: 82 - 86

Received: Oct 30, 2017

Accepted: Dec 13, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/environ-2017-0023

Keywordspost-mining waste dumps, recovery of secondary resources, legal regulations, conflicts

© 2017 Łukasz Gawor, published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
post-mining waste dumps, recovery of secondary resources, legal regulations, conflicts