Which Provincial Regions in China Should Give Priority to the Redevelopment of Abandoned Coal Mines? A Redevelopment Potential Evaluation Based Analysis

Abstract

Abandoned mines have a double nature consisting of resources and assets, and their rational redevelopment is one of the most important practices of the recycling economy. To direct the layout of the regional abandoned mine redevelopment, this paper constructs a comprehensive assessment framework for abandoned mine redevelopment potential based on the driving force–state–response (DSR) model. It is quantitatively evaluated by three-dimensional cloud models, and the results are coupled using a four-quadrant approach. From the perspective of space control, this paper proposes classification principles of redevelopment potential and redevelopment sequence and summarizes the important policy implementations for each category. The paper studies the redevelopment potential of abandoned mines from the provincial perspective in 25 coal-producing provinces of China. The results indicate that not all areas with high resource potential are suitable for redevelopment. In the northern and western regions, the regional abandoned mines have high resource potential and strong redevelopment drivers. However, the spatial pattern of the suitability of the development conditions is not distributed in the same way as the resources. The distribution of the abandoned mine redevelopment potential reveals that the eastern and east-central regions should give priority to the construction of demonstration projects. Different driving force scenarios confirm that most provinces have no obvious driving factor preference, with a few exceptions. This evaluation model is established from a more comprehensive perspective and is a valuable aid for decision makers when arranging abandoned mine regeneration projects.