Abstract
Laciana Valley District is a coal mining region located in northern Spain. This region counts with several mining facilities, among them: eight underground mines (six mountain mines and two mine shafts) and three open pit mines. Nowadays, all the mining facilities have been closed down and are flooded. The water found inside them could be used as a geothermal resource due to its thermal properties and the proximity to population. The aim of the study is to analyze the water of the facilities located in Laciana Valley and determine its potential to be used as a geothermal resource for a district heating system. In order to achieve this goal an extensive field work has been performed, nine different mine water discharges have been chosen and several water characteristics have been selected for analysis. The parameters measured have been pH, conductivity, hardness, temperature, turbidity and alkalinity. The results have been evaluated in order to determine the fluctuations of the physico-chemical parameters throughout a hydrological year and the mining facilities have been compared between each other regarding their mine water quality. The analysis of all the information gathered in the study shows a noteworthy thermal potential in the water of the abandoned mines of the region.
Highlights
Flooded underground mines provide an outstanding opportunity to extract low-grade geothermal energy
Laciana Valley District is a coal mining region located in northern Spain
The aim of the study is to analyze the water of the facilities located in Laciana Valley and determine its potential to be used as a geothermal resource for a district heating system
Summary
Flooded underground mines provide an outstanding opportunity to extract low-grade geothermal energy. In the last ten years numerous research and commercial initiatives have been undertaken in Europe to develop abandoned coal mining fields into low-temperature resources [1]. All the mining facilities have fallen into disuse and are flooded. Coal mining began in the beginning of the 20th century and continued as the primary industry of the town until 2008 when the global economic crisis took its toll. With the main industry removed, the region entered a period of economic and social readjustment and had to strive to develop new industries. The use of mine water as a renewable heating source could contribute to the sustainable regeneration of former mining areas, providing both jobs and secure, low carbon heating energy [2]
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