Brown Coal Mining Research Articles

Risk Elements in Total Suspended Particles in Areas Affected by Opencast Mining of Brown Coal

Background: The total suspended particles (TSPs) and selected risk element contents were determined in two medium-sized cities, Litvínov and Sokolov (both in North Bohemia, Czech Republic), where the environment is adversely affected by opencast brown coal mining, coal-related industries, and the petrochemical industry. Methods: TSP samples were collected monthly for three years. Results and Discussion: The results showed significant (p < 0.05) differences in the TSP deposition in different seasons of the year, with the highest values in spring, followed by summer, and the lowest in autumn and winter. This is most likely due to increased coal mining activity in the spring and summer. The amount of the elements associated with the TSP showed mostly a similar pattern. The potential risk of these elements for human health was assessed as the average daily dose (ADD) for ingestion of the individual elements and subsequently calculated hazard quotients (HQ). Elevated oral ADD levels were recorded, especially for children. Among the risk elements, arsenic (As) and lead (Pb) were identified as the most hazardous. Conclusions: The results indicated that the TSP-related risk elements do not represent a serious health risk, but many questions concerning the sources of elements in the area and their bioaccessibility remain open for further research.

Predictive Modeling of Conveyor Belt Deterioration in Coal Mines Using AI Techniques

Conveyor belts are vital for material transportation in coal mines due to their cost-effectiveness and versatility. These belts endure significant wear from harsh operating conditions, risking substantial financial losses if they fail. This study develops five artificial neural network (ANN) models to predict conveyor belt damage using 11 parameters from the Belchatow brown coal mine in Poland. The models target five outputs: number of repairs and cable cuts, cumulative number of repairs and cable cuts, and their ages. Various optimizers (Adam, Nadam, RMSprop, Adamax, and stochastic gradient descent or SGD) and activation functions (ReLU, Swish, sigmoid, tanh, Leaky ReLU, and softmax) were tested to find the optimal configurations. The predictive performance was evaluated using three error indicators against actual mine data. Superior models can forecast belt behavior under specific conditions, aiding proactive maintenance. The study also advocates for the Diagbelt+ system over human inspections for failure detection. This modeling approach enhances proactive maintenance, preventing total system breakdowns due to belt wear.

Improving the effectiveness of the DiagBelt+ diagnostic system - analysis of the impact of measurement parameters on the quality of signals

Faults in steel cords in the core are not visible during routine visual inspections. They can be identified using magnetic diagnostic systems. The article presents an analysis of the impact of the sensitivity threshold of the DiagBelt+ system, the diameter of cords in the core, and the belt speed on the quality of signals representing known damage: cutting of cords, their absence, and a reduction in the cross-section of the cord. The study focused on defects to cords across the belt, as they can weaken the belt's strength and lead to a complete belt failure. The proposed results and analyses contribute to the improvement of the methodology for magnetic examination of the core's condition and the developed diagnostic system DiagBelt+. Consequently, this enhances the reliability and safety of belt conveyors in various industries, including in brown coal mines, where it has been implemented (PGE GiEK SA KWB O/Bełchatów), as well as in coal, limestone, and copper ore mines, where it is used to assess the condition of belts with steel cords.

Mine Fires, Experiences in Extinguishing Large Underground Mine Fires

Mine fires are common the underground exploitation of mineral raw materials. With the development of mining science and practice, the methods of extinguishing mine fires using new methods and materials were also developed. Today, in mining practice, direct fire extinguishing with water or fire extinguishers, isolation of oxidation zones with insulating walls, installation of torket concrete on the walls of the pit room or use of special foams are most often used. Methods based on ventilation methods or the use of inert gases can also be encountered. All these methods are used to extinguish local oxidation processes, fires are localized in a part of the pit, ventilation department or goafs. This paper presents methods of extinguishing a mine fire where the fire zone covered a larger area and it was not possible to localize it in one part of the underground mine, the pit is completely closed and isolated until the oxidation process subsides due to lack of oxygen. At the time of the complete closure and isolation of the pit, several gas detectors remained in operation in the pit, through which the change in the composition of the pit air could be monitored during the still active pit fire. At the same time, samples of the pit atmosphere behind the isolation walls were regularly taken, their analysis was performed and they were compared with the data obtained using active gas detectors. The key question was when to reopen the pit, conduct an inspection and try to reactivate the pit operations. Although it is an underground brown coal mine, some experiences and knowledge can be applied and used in underground mines of other mineral resources threatened by pit fires. Experiences can also be applied in case of fire, where it is possible to control the fire zone only through insulating walls. It was established that changes in the activity of the pit fire were manifested both on the insulation walls and on the active gas detectors.

Hydrocarbon-based parameters for the identification of oil contamination in an area with brown coal mining: Emphasis on pyrogenic index and alkylated PAHs

The aim of the study was to propose hydrocarbon-based parameters that can ben used to identify oil derived contamination in an area with a long-term load of coal mining industry. Aliphatic hydrocarbons and PAHs have been quantified for bottom sediments in the Bílina River, Czechia. Presented data demonstrate that all river sediments are highly contaminated with PAHs. The results showed that the distribution of PAHs was not possible to interpret by using the standard evaluation due to multisource long-term sedimentation of petroleum by-products, coal tars, and accidents of processing industry in the river system. The presence of petroleum derived hydrocarbons has been initially screened by the bulk parameter TEH and confirmed by the occurrence of steranes, hopanes and the unresolved complex mixture (UCM) in the chromatograms. The identification of the biomarkers 25-Norhopane and Gammacerane point out onsite microbial degradation of parent hydrocarbon compounds. The interpretation of the ratios Fl/Py, An/P, BaAn/Ch were not decisive to prove petrogenic origin of PAHs in the river sediments. However, using the combined evaluation of TEH together with the ratio of low molecular over high molecular weight PAHs, pyrogenic index and the presence of specific oil derived biomarkers allowed to prove the presence of petroleum contamination. Environmental implicationDue to oil spill accidents and intensive coal mining over the years, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been present in extreme amounts in bottom sediments of a tributary of the Elbe River, so called the Bílina River. Due to its hydrophobic and carcinogenic character, mutual understanding of the fate of alkylated PAHs homologues are usually overlooked within EPA PAHs 16 monitoring programme. This study pays attention to alkylated PAHs homologues and conventional diagnostic ratios when identifying oil derived contamination.

CONTEXTUALIZATION OF THE RIGHT TO PRIVACY ON THE ONLINE PORTALS IN SERBIA

There has been an increase in the number of online portals in Serbia, which results in more competition in the media market. Due to their desire to increase readership, that is, to increase the number of “clicks” on published texts and thus be among the most visited, editors often opt for sensationalism. Such reporting often leads to the violation of the right to privacy, especially when it comes to accidents and misfortunes that are published in the “Crime and accidents” or “Crime and death” section. This is often the case not only in the texts, but also in the headlines or the visual frame of the photos. In this paper, the authors investigate the principle of “Respect for privacy” on the example of a case study of an accident in the brown coal mine “Soko” near Sokobanja. The accident happened on April 1, 2022, and eight miners lost their lives. The case study is based on the reporting of the local online portal from Niš called Južne vesti. The research was conducted from April 1 to October 25, 2022. The unit of analysis is each published newspaper article that dealt with this accident. In the paper, the authors examine whether the Južne vesti portal respected the right to privacy of the victims and their families, as well as other guidelines of media ethics. The corpus is composed of 21 analyzed texts, all of which were published on the Južne vesti portal under the sections “Society” and “Crime and accidents”. Despite the sensationalism trends in the Serbian online media, the findings of the quantitative and qualitative analysis of our case study show that the Južne vesti portal respected the privacy of the victims and their families when reporting on the “Soko” mine accident.

Climatic and anthropogenic drivers of zero-flow events in intermittent rivers in Poland

River intermittence was studied based on data from hydrological monitoring in Poland. We screened the entire state database and two another data sources applying the criterion for zero-flow event: discharge less than 0.0005 m 3∙s –1, and found five intermittent rivers with catchment area from 9.2 to 303.7 km 2. We aimed at finding associations between intermittence and climatic driving forces (temperature and precipitation), and between intermittence and anthropogenic activity. We used the Spearman correlation coefficient, circular statistics, and statistical tests for trend. The concentration of zero-flow days, mostly in summer, and the decreasing trend in the standardised precipitation evapotranspiration index ( SPEI) in all catchments at various aggregation levels, and an increasing trend in the total number of zero-flow days and in the maximum length of zero flow events in two rivers, were detected. The strong negative correlation (–0.62 ≤ ρ < 0) between intermittence and the SPEI backward lagged in time showed that intermittence resulted from prolonged deficits in climatic water balance due to increasing evapotranspiration. The reaction of the Noteć catchment, amplified by the anthropogenic pressure (brown coal mines), was reflected in the atypical shape of the rose diagram and in inhomogeneities in river discharges. The results show that the rose diagram can serve as an indicator of the degree of anthropogenic impact on runoff conditions.

Development of technology for briquetting waste of brown coal mining

Development of technology for briquetting waste of brown coal mining

Growth and Timber Quality of European Larch Planted in Areas Reclaimed After Coal Mining in Central Poland

Understanding the impact of reclamation measures on the quality of timber produced in post-mining areas is crucial for the proper establishment of future forest cultures on such sites. We studied European larch trees (Larix decidua Mill.) grown since 1981 on the external dump of a brown coal mine in Bełchatów (Central Poland). In particular, the effects of stand admixture and the intensity of mineral fertilization, applied in the initial phase of tree growth, on the increments and quality of larch wood were evaluated. Total tree height and stem diameter of 4-meter sections were measured. Qualitative timber classification took into account the share of wood defects, which excluded the timber from a higher quality-dimensional class. Larch trees grown in a monoculture had a better quality of wood compared to larch grown mixed with other species. Fertilization, applied in the initial afforestation period, had only a limited effect on the growth of larch trees. Curvature and knots determined timber quality most significantly. While knots had a decisive importance in larch growing in the monoculture stands, curvature determined wood quality in the admixed larch stands.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES OF IMPROVING THE VITAL ACTIVITY STANDARDS FOR THE POPULATION WITH APPLICATION OF INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES OF WATER RESOURCES PURIFICATION BASED ON WATER-SOLUBLE SORBENTS OBTAINED FROM UKRAINIAN BROWN COAL

Current environmental and socio-economic problems related to unsatisfactory quality of sewage treatment have been investigated in the paper. It is noted that the search for optimal ways of neutralization of negative consequences of economic activity is an integral component of the strategy of life support development. The characteristic of the current state of the wastewater of Ukraine and Kharkiv region is given. The economic feasibility of using water-soluble environmentally friendly sorbent at the physical-chemical purification of sewage from ions of heavy metals is calculated. It has been proved that it is possible to receive a complexing agent with a much lower cost in comparison to synthetic analogueues on the basis of brown coal the significant reserves of which Ukraine obtains. It is demonstrated that application of the combined method of ultrafiltration with complexation combining when using complexing agents based on humic substances of lignite allows to increase the degree of purification from heavy metal ions significantly. It has been established that the level of coordinated innovations in industry, as well as the volume of capital investments for the extraction of brown coal of Ukraine and the development of water protection activities is insufficient. The importance of its increase is justified. The economic efficiency of the humic substances obtained from the lignite of the Oleksandriiske deposit usage for the binding of heavy metal ions using the complexation-ultrafiltration method was determined. It was noted that organization of a new modern production of effective reagents based on brown coal will lead to creation of additional jobs and will ensure compliance with drinking water quality standards, as well as to improve the ecological state of natural water sources. A new production will have a beneficial effect on development of brown coal mining regions infrastructure.

SAFETY RISK MANAGEMENT IN BIH COAL MINES - OBJECTIVE NEED OR A BURDEN

Safety risk management in Bosnian-Herzegovinian underground coal mines is not based on a systematic approach and standardized risk management methods. Mostly there is a traditional approach present, i.e. reaction to incidents/accidents that happen. This paper aims to point out the need for proactive approach introduction with an emphasis on importance of ventilation systems failure mechanism simulation analysis in planning of people and property defense and rescue in crisis situations. Based on ventilation parameters measuring results for a given research site (brown coal mine), a model was developed on which a simulation analysis was performed for three characteristic ventilation failure cases: spontaneous oxidation at the longwall exit, collapse at the entrance to the longwall and methane outburst - preparation of a new excavation field. VnetPC and CFD “Fluent” software packages were used to simulate mine ventilation. Keywords: risk management, brown coal mine, safety, ventilation system, longwall, simulation analysis, VnetPC, Fluent.

INFLUENCE OF VARIOUS LONGWALL FACE VENTILATION REGIMES ON SPONTANEOUS MINE FIRE OCCURENCES AND INCREASED GAS RELEASE IN „RASPOTOČJE“ MINE OF ZENICA BROWN COAL MINES

Brown coal mining conducted at greater depths, characterised with severe mining-geological conditions often results in deviation from the applied mining methods. Experiences gained in mechanised longwall mining of roof plate in deeper parts of Raspotočje mine, using method of roof caving without safety pillars left behind the working panels indicates to shortcomings of the applying mining method. Frequent occurences of spontaneous mine fires, of hazardous gasses well above the limit values, and constant exposure to rock bursts of various in- tensity resulted in application of three longwall face ventilation regimes: conventional „U“ ventilation system, ventilation with gas channel and middle hallway, and separate ventilation of the upper part of the longwall face. This paper presents experience based information gained in a five years period of mining, analysed using one- factor and two factor regression analyses applied to a number of technical-technological parameters (ventilation, mining system, etc) influencing occurences of spontaneous mine fires and increased gas release in various ventilation regimes at longwall face aimed to give basic guidelines for minimisation and elimination of certain hazards. Keywords: ventilation regime, spontaneous fires, gas release, mechanised longwall.

The Role of Heterogeneity on Deformation and Flow in Fractured Coal Slopes

The fractures in brown coal influence fluid flow and deformation in these materials. These fractures display highly heterogeneous characteristics in the distributions of their apertures, separations and orientations. While discrete fracture models have previously been used to analyse the effects of fractures, such models are not feasible for the scales encountered in many brown-coal mines. Instead, here a continuum permeability model is used to capture the effects of the fracture heterogeneity on fractured coal. This paper presents an analysis of the fracture heterogeneity of brown coal at the AGL Loy Yang coal mine in Latrobe Valley and its influence on the fluid flow, dispersion and rock stability. A stress dependent fracture permeability is considered and captures the effects of heterogeneity in the fracture aperture and orientation. Numerical simulations conducted with multiple plasticity models present different flow paths and potential failure modes depending on the the implemented boundary conditions.

The Effect of Microbial Diversity and Biomass on Microbial Respiration in Two Soils along the Soil Chronosequence.

Microbial diversity plays an important role in the decomposition of soil organic matter. However, the pattern and drivers of the relationship between microbial diversity and decomposition remain unclear. In this study, we followed the decomposition of organic matter in soils where microbial diversity was experimentally manipulated. To produce a gradient of microbial diversity, we used soil samples at two sites of the same chronosequence after brown coal mining in Sokolov, Czech Republic. Soils were X-ray sterilized and inoculated by two densities of inoculum from both soils and planted with seeds of six local plant species. This created two soils each with four levels of microbial diversity characterized by next-generation sequencing. These eight soils were supplied, or not, by litter of the bushgrass Calamagrostis epigejos, and microbial respiration was measured to assess the rate of decomposition. A strong positive correlation was found between microbial diversity and decomposition of organic matter per gram of carbon in soil, which suggests that microbial diversity supports decomposition if the microbial community is limited by available carbon. In contrast, microbial respiration per gram of soil negatively correlated with bacterial diversity and positively with fungal biomass, suggesting that in the absence of a carbon limitation, decomposition rate is controlled by the amount of fungal biomass. Soils with the addition of grass litter showed a priming effect in the initial stage of decomposition compared to the samples without the addition of litter. Thus, the relationship between microbial diversity and the rate of decomposition may be complex and context dependent.

Dynamics and Management of Restored Forests in Post-Mining Sites with Respect to Their Recreation Value: A Matrix Growth Model

Afforestation has been a popular restoration procedure for spoil heaps in the sites affected by coal open-cast mining in the Czech Republic. Forest replantation is a frequent restoration variant when spoil heaps are recovered, but unreclaimed sites are often left to spontaneous succession. Studies on the dynamics of such restored forests are missing, and the evidence of restored forests with respect to their recreation value is also sporadic. To study the dynamics and management of restored forests—both replanted and recovered by spontaneous succession—on spoil heaps, we used a matrix growth model, which accounts for harvest, artificial and natural regeneration, and recreation value of these forest stands. The model calibration was performed on data from 250 inventory plots distributed across the Velká Podkrušnohorská spoil heap and the Matyáš spoil heap in the Sokolov brown-coal mining area. The growth model was applied on six restored forest types to simulate—over 65 years with a 10-year cutting cycle—the effect of various management regimes of thinning on their recreation value and aboveground biomass (AGB). The results indicate that initial planting density and stand type have an effect on the dynamics of restored forest stands in the short-term horizon. Applying the thinning management resulted in an increase in recreation value for all types of restored stands, while AGB decreased.

Herbaceous and Woody Root Biomass, Seasonal Changes in Root Turnover, and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal and Ectomycorrhizal Colonization during Primary Succession in Post-Mining Sites

Seasonal changes in the biomass and length of fine roots and their growth into ingrowth cores were measured in a chronosequence of post-mining sites represented by 6-, 16-, 22-, and 45-year-old study sites, located on spoil heaps after brown coal mining in the Sokolov coal mining district. The depth distribution of roots differed between herbs and woody species and also with succession age. At the 22-year-old site, the greatest root biomass was found in the fermentation layer (248.9 ± 113.4 g m2) and decreased with depth. In the case of herbaceous root biomass, the greatest root biomass was found in the 16-year-old site (63.7 ± 15.2 g m2), again in the fermentation layer, which decreased with depth. Overall root biomass increased with succession age, reaching its highest value in the 45-year-old site. In younger sites, the root biomass was dominated by herbs and grasses, whereas woody roots dominated in older sites. After one year, the root biomass in ingrowth cores reached up to one quarter of in situ biomass, which would suggest a low turnover rate. However, the difference between the minimum and the maximum value during the course of one year represents more than half of the mean value. Analysis of the number of arbuscules on roots of Plantago lanceolata sown in soil from all succession stages revealed extensive colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in early succession (14.2 ± 0.3 mm root−1), decreasing with succession age, and reaching the lowest value in the 22-year-old site (2.4 ± 0.08 mm root−1) before increasing in the oldest site. Colonization of roots by ectomycorrhizal fungi increased with succession age, reaching a maximum in the 16-year-old site. In comparison with the extent of ectomycorrhizal colonization in relation to root length, the greatest length of ectomycorrhiza-colonized roots was found in the 22-year-old site; hence, the pattern was the opposite of the one observed in arbuscular mycorrhiza-colonized roots.

The role of creep deformation in pit lake slope stability

Large-scale open-pit mining activities have profound impacts on the surrounding landscape and environment. At the cessation of open-pit mining, the rehabilitation of large void spaces can be achieved by pit-lake filling, where the water body provides a confining pressure on surrounding mine surfaces, reducing both the likelihood of slope failure and the need for ongoing slope maintenance. Although pit-lakes present a range of long-term benefits, the geotechnical performance of mines containing soft soils that are susceptible to creep under increasing loads due to pit-lake filling is seldom considered. From a geotechnical standpoint, creep induced failure is commonly associated with slow, downslope movements, prior to critical slope failure events. In this research, time-dependent slope stability analyses based on creep-sensitive materials are presented for an open-cut mine undergoing pit-lake filling. Numerical simulation provides a mechanism for the assessment of materials exhibiting soft soil creep constitutive behaviour under various loading conditions due to pit-lake filling. The response of mine surfaces is investigated for various filling regimes, highlighting location-dependent deformation rates, pore pressures and slope Factors of Safety for a large Australian open-pit brown coal mine. Results are presented for two separate creep-sensitive materials, identifying the ability to achieve final, stable landforms for a range of long-term pit-lake conditions.Article HighlightsTime-dependent creep deformation behaviour is investigated for a large Victorian open-pit brown coal mine undergoing pit-lake rehabilitation.The soft soil creep model is implemented for a large open-pit rehabilitation model, to assess long-lasting creep movements of a specific mine slope.Mine void filling rates are simulated for a range of rehabilitation scenarios over a 5 to 40 year period, identifying the excess pore water pressure distributions in addition to vertical and horizontal deformations rates.The long-term behaviour of 8 cross-section profiles is presented, identifying the effect of pit-lake filling for silt and clay interseam materials.

The assessment of the soil-plant-animal transport of the risk elements at the locations affected by brown coal mining.

The North Bohemian Brown Coal Basin (Czech Republic) is suggested as a source of significant pollution in the surrounding environment with various pollutants, including risk elements. A total of 53 sampling points were selected within the North Bohemian region. The selected sampling points represented either the basin areas (affected by the coal mining and related activities) or the mountain areas (an area unaffected by the coal mining but characterized by the geogenic sources of the risk elements). At each of the sampling points, soils and respective dominant indigenous plant samples were collected. A suite of ecological indices, namely, individual pollution index (Ii), Nemerow index (PN), bioaccumulation factor (BAF), translocation factor (TF), and hazard quotient (HQ), were applied to estimate the environmental risk of As, Be, Cd, and Zn levels in soils, potential soil-plant transfer, and soil-plant-animal transport of these stated elements. The results from Ii showed that the maximum values of As, Be, Cd, and Zn in the investigated soils exceeded the preventive values, where the Ii value was up to 58 for As in the mountain areas, indicating severe pollution. At the same time, mild pollution was recorded in the case of Cd. For Be in the researched soils, its Ii assessment result was a wide range, varying between a clean environment and severe pollution. Whereas As and Be uptake by plants was limited and these elements were retained in the plant's roots, relatively high mobility and soil to plant shoots transport ability of Cd were recorded and documented by the TF values. The HQs calculated for selected herbivorous mammals in the area showed that the potential health risk of As and Be was limited to only plant roots in the hotspots with extreme As and Be contents. In comparison, substantial health risk of Cd was observed in the aboveground biomass of plants. Therefore, the potential remediation of the coal mining areas should be focused on (i) identification of the As and Be hotspots and (ii) to reduce the mobility and plant availability of Cd in the whole investigated area.

Somatic Comorbidity of Anxious and Depressed Miners

IntroductionDepression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease. The prevalence of depression is rising and it often co-occurs with other physical diseases.ObjectivesThe research aims to determine the comorbidity of depression and anxiety disorders with chronic physical diseases among employees of the „Brown coal mine Banovici“.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective study that included 117 employees from the disease registry who are being under the treatment of depression and anxiety disorder. We collected data from medical records of patients about sex, age, marital status, smoking status, physical diseases, types of antidepressants, and the other drugs they use.ResultsThe study showed that there are 117 employees of the „Brown coal mine Banovici“ who are under treatment of depression and anxiety-depressive disorder. 22 (18,8%) of them are females and 95 (81,2%) males in an average life span of 48,3 years. The most commonly used antidepressant is Escitalopram. 62 (53%) out of 117 patients with depression have comorbidity with diseases of the circulatory system, 24 (20,51%) have comorbidity with diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue, 16 (13,68%) have comorbidity with endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases. 25 (21,37%) patients are not suffering from any other chronic physical disease. The most commonly used drugs besides antidepressants are antihypertensives.ConclusionsThe comorbidity rate of depression and anxiety disorders with cardiovascular diseases among employees of the „Brown coal mine Banovici“ is higher than with all other chronic physical diseases.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

Trace Elements in Sediments of Rivers Affected by Brown Coal Mining: A Potential Environmental Hazard

Brown coal remains an important energy source in Europe, including countries such as Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Greece. Open-pit mines disturb the environment in terms of air quality, hydrology, and chemical and biological transformations in rivers receiving mine waters. In the present study, we assessed the impact of mine waters from four brown coal open-pit mines on the contamination of river sediments. Chemical analysis included the quantification of 62 elements, including heavy metals (HMs) and rare earth elements (REEs). The contamination of sediments by HMs was evaluated using the contamination factor (CF), the pollution load index (PLI), and the Nemerow multi-factor index (PI). The potential toxic effects of HMs on aquatic organisms were assessed using the potential ecological risk index (PERI). Detailed analysis of chondrite-standardized concentrations of REEs was performed to describe the effects of mine water on their pattern in sediments. Cluster analysis (CA) and principal component analysis (PCA) were employed to divide study sites into groups and to evaluate the combined effect of sediment texture and site location on HMs and REEs in sediments. The study showed that after mine water discharge, there is a decrease in HM and REE concentrations in sediments. The decrease in each element’s concentration in sites located 100 m downstream of the discharge was caused by washing out of the finest fractions of sediments by mine waters.