Gypsum karst intensification as a consequence of sulphur mining activity (Jaziv field, Western Ukraine)

Abstract

The scope of this study is to evaluate the parameters of the gypsum–anhydrite strata karstification under the influence of the quarry exploitation of Jaziv sulphur field (West Ukraine) accompanying by drainage. The quarry drainage provoked the enormous depression cone forming with 100 km2 in area and the corresponding intensification of chemical denudation of the gypsum–anhydrite strata. The gypsum karstification rate for the 29-year period of the quarry drainage was 0.06% with the dissolved rock volume of 1,328,507 m3 that is about 80 times higher than in natural conditions. For the drainage period (29 years) the karst denudation rate was 17,952 m3/km2 against the natural background of 231.3 m3/km2. The absolute value of artificial denudation for the studied massif area is 1.79 cm for 29 years or 0.062 mm/year while the denudation rate under natural conditions would be 0.231 cm for 29 years or 0.0008 mm/year. The forecasted volumes of the surface-evident collapses are evaluated using the relationship between the calculated amount of dissolved sulphate rocks and volumes of the current surface-evident collapses. According to this evaluation, the current collapses correspond to about 34% only from the dissolved rocks volume calculated for the drainage period.