Block method of mining quarry fields as a tool to reduce environmental impact in conditions of intensification of production

Abstract

Relevance. The intensification of open-pit mining in the coal basins of the Russian Federation is accompanied by an increase in negative impact on the environment. Directly in Kuzbass, the environment is exposed to the impact of the coal industry, especially when conducting open-pit mining using deep mining systems, with external dumping, which is accompanied by the withdrawal of a large amount of undisturbed land. The block method of mining quarry fields, well known in mining, has been rarely implemented in existing and planned quarry fields. The general line of its application is the lack of a unified approach to the design of block parameters, including environmental and economic assessment of the impact of this technological solution on the environment. Aim. Reduce environmental payments of mining enterprises with justified parameters of blocks for the development of quarry fields of promising inclined and steeply dipping coal deposits. Methods. Systematic generalization of the actual situation of mining operations in open-pit mines using the block method of mining quarry fields, the method of options and technical and economic modeling using spreadsheets. Results and conclusions. The authors have proposed the ecological and economic criteria for assessing the application of the block method of quarry field development. This allows us to study the patterns of change in environmental indicators. Using the example of the Krasnobrodskoe open-pit mine, the costs of environmental payments for the use of land resources, emissions and dusting are calculated for two options different from the design documentation. Based on the calculation results, the authors proved the efficiency of applying the block procedure for developing promising coal deposits, allowing us to reduce the costs for environmental impact by 22.5 and 63%, respectively, when changing the length of the initial block along the bottom from 2.2 to 1.4 km. From which it follows that the combined ecological and economic indicators allow us to fully assess the feasibility of applying the method for calculating block parameters, which is generally reflected in reduction in the costs for negative impact on the environment.