Mines In Europe Research Articles

Identifying the Main Motivations to Visit Salt Mines: Do Socio-demographic Variables Matter?

Identifying the Main Motivations to Visit Salt Mines: Do Socio-Demographic Variables Matter? Salt has been extracted from mines in Europe for thousands of years. More recently, some of these salt mines reinvented themselves as new tourism objectives attracting hundreds of thousands and even millions of visitors each year. This research aims to investigate the main reasons tourists visit a former salt mine, focusing on Turda Salt Mine, in Romania, as a case study. The study found that the main motivations for visiting the former salt mine were leisure/relaxation, learning, adventure, to try something new and to escape the daily routine whereas participation in various cultural/religious and sport events as well as socialization with like-minded people were considered the least important motivations. The results also show that some socio-demographic factors could influence motivation to visit a salt mine. The findings of this research have a number of practical implications for the marketing and management of salt mines which are outlined at the end of the paper. Keywords: tourism motivation, salt mines, Turda Salt Mine, Romania, socio-demographic variables.

The Ophiolite-Hosted Cu-Zn VMS Deposits of Tuscany (Italy)

Several Jurassic, ophiolite-hosted Cu-Zn VMS deposits occur in Tuscany. They are hosted by tectonic units of oceanic affinity (Ligurian Units), such as the well-known deposits of nearby Liguria. Industrial production was small and definitively ceased in the 1960s. Locally, massive ore (chalcopyrite-bornite-chalcocite) with an exceptionally high grade was found. The Montecatini Val di Cecina mine exploited the largest “bonanza” and, for few decades in the 19th century, became one of the most profitable copper mines in Europe. This study provides an updated review of these deposits. Tuscan Cu-Zn VMSs mostly occur in proximity of the contact between the serpentinite-gabbro basement and the overlying basalts. Chalcopyrite-pyrite stockworks occur in serpentinite-gabbro cut by dolerite dykes, while the largest massive sulphide bodies are hosted by polymictic-monomictic breccias at the base of pillow basalts. Early chalcopyrite ores were mechanically–chemically reworked and upgraded to bornite-rich nodular ore embedded in a chlorite, calcic amphibole, Fe-rich serpentine, quartz, andradite, ilvaite, and xonotlite assemblage. This bornite-rich ore contains substantial amount of sphalerite and pyrite and ubiquitous grains of clausthalite, hessite, tellurium, and gold. They represent a prime example of the sub-seafloor portion of a hybrid mafic-ultramafic oceanic hydrothermal system formed in an OCC along the slow spreading ridge of the Jurassic Piedmont-Ligurian Ocean. The peculiar mineralogical–textural character of the bornite-rich ore was driven by an interface coupled dissolution–precipitation process mediated by fluids.

Unlocking the Secondary Critical Raw Material Potential of Historical Mine Sites, Lousal Mine, Southern Portugal

A steady supply of mineral raw materials is vital for the transition to a low-carbon, circular economy. The number of active mines in Europe has severely declined over the last century and half, giving rise to many abandoned mining waste sites and corresponding geological heritage. Also, the rise in minerals demand for large-scale deployment of renewable energy requires the continued and steady availability of key minerals. The supply risk associated with unpredicted geopolitical events needs to be eliminated/mitigated. Historical mine waste sites are the answer but evaluating mine waste is a lengthy and costly exercise. The study, undertaken in the Lousal Mine, used small unmanned aerial systems (sUASs) to model and determine mine waste volumes by generating orthomosaic maps with quick, inexpensive, and reliable results. Calculated mine waste volumes between 308,478 m3 and 322,455 m3 were obtained. XRD and p-XRF techniques determined the mineralogy and chemistry of waste, which varied from mineralization and host rocks with hydrothermal alteration and numerous neogenic sulphates (mostly gypsum, rhomboclase, ferricopiapite, coquimbite, and jarosite) related with supergene processes and weathering. The study shows the viability of using these sUASs to successfully model historical mine waste sites in an initial phase and for future monitoring programs.

A mining industry overview of cobalt in Finland: exploration, deposits and utilization

Finland has a significant role in the European Union cobalt supply, with the largest known cobalt resources and only cobalt-producing mines in Europe. In addition, Finland is a globally significant producer of refined cobalt. However, Finland, along with the rest of Europe, is strongly dependent on cobalt imports. Recycled cobalt covers a small fraction of the country's demand, as well as that of the rest of Europe. Most of the cobalt deposits in Finland can be grouped into five genetic types (± subtypes). The orthomagmatic and Outokumpu types have been among the most important sources of cobalt in Finland. The Talvivaara type hosts the largest known cobalt resource in Europe, mostly in the Terrafame Sotkamo deposit. The most common cobalt minerals in the Finnish deposits are sulfides, and to a lesser extent sulfarsenides. These are concentrated by froth flotation, and the concentrates treated in Finnish cobalt refineries. An exception to this is the Terrafame Sotkamo mine, where bio-heap leaching technology is utilized for metal recovery, and metalliferous liquid is processed to battery-grade chemicals. Assessment of undiscovered mineral resources, prospectivity modelling, the exploration history and recent discoveries highlight the exploration potential for several types of Co-enriched mineral deposits in Finland. Thematic collection: This article is part of the energy-critical metals for a low carbon transition collection available at: https://www.lyellcollection.org/topic/collections/critical-metals

A first insight into the Polish Bochnia Salt Mine metagenome

The Bochnia Salt Mine is one of the oldest mines in Europe. It was established in the thirteenth century, and actively operated until 1990. The mine has been placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Previous research describing Polish salt mines has been focused on bioaerosol characteristics and the identification of microorganisms potentially important for human health. The use of Polish salt mines as inhalation chambers for patients of health resorts has also been investigated. Nevertheless, the biodiversity of salt mines associated with biotechnological potential has not been well characterized. The present study paper examines the biodiversity of microorganisms in the Bochnia Salt Mine based on 16S rRNA gene and shotgun sequencing. Biodiversity studies revealed a significantly higher relative abundance of Chlamydiae at the first level of the mine (3.5%) compared to the other levels (< 0.1%). Patescibacteria microorganisms constituted a high percentage (21.6%) in the sample from site RA6. Shotgun sequencing identified 16 unique metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs). Although one was identified as Halobacterium bonnevillei, the others have not yet been assigned to any species; it is possible that these species may be undescribed. Preliminary analyses of the biotechnological and pharmaceutical potential of microorganisms inhabiting the mine were also performed, and the biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) profiles and antimicrobial peptide (AMP) coding genes in individual samples were characterized. Hundreds of BGCs and dozens of AMP coding genes were identified in metagenomes. Our findings indicate that Polish salt mines are promising sites for further research aimed at identifying microorganisms that are producers of potentially important substances with biotechnological and pharmaceutical applications.

Ecological Impacts and Environmental Perceptions of Mining in Europe, 1200–1550: Preliminary Notes

Abstract: The proliferation of mines in Europe since the late twelfth century is well documented, but only recently have scholars begun to fathom the scale of the industry’s ecological impact, on the one hand, and its role in stimulating environmental thinking and action, on the other. Focusing on the extraction and processing of metal ores, this article begins by illustrating how the renascent sector reshaped different ecosystems, as traced by several palaeo-scientific methods. It then turns to cultural-historical sources to propose that, rather than becoming passive, unwilling, or ignorant victims of a polluting industry, contemporaries criticised what they perceived as extraction’s harms and sought to reduce them, but also developed ways to justify their risks. Communities’ actions, which mingled with the materiality of mines and their surroundings, wrote a major chapter in Europe’s environmental history, one whose ongoing impact remains poorly understood.

What are the barriers to agricultural biomass market development? The case of Poland

This paper examines the main determinants of biomass market development from a regional perspective in the context of current EU climate and energy policy. The EU’s targeting of climate neutrality implies a new, multifaceted role for agriculture as a producer of energy resources. The challenge is to orient production to support the sustainable development of the circular economy. The possibility of using agricultural waste as a type of energy raw material aligns with a holistic approach to product management. The use of agricultural biomass as an energy raw material can enable increased energy self-sufficiency and reduced dependence on imported fuels among Poland’s regions and an increase in the country’s energy security. The aim of the study is to identify barriers to and opportunities for the development of the agricultural biomass market. The empirical section presents survey data from interviews with farm owners in the Polish province with the highest agricultural biomass potential, located in a region with one of the largest opencast mines in Europe. The estimated parameters of a logit model indicate that the logistical aspects of raw material collection and organization and a lack of knowledge of biomass are the main barriers to biomass development on the supply side.

THE EVALUATION OF UNDISCOVERED ARCHEOLOGICAL GEOHERITAGE POTENTIAL – THE CASE OF RUDNA GLAVA SITE (EASTERN SERBIA)

As one of the oldest documented mines in Europe, Rudna Glava should be at the very top when it comes to geotourist visits in Serbia and the Balkans. The research goal is to point out the possibilities of geotourism development in this part of Serbia, while the findings aim to identify the existing problems for geotourism development in the area. Тhe study will analyze the geotourism potential of this archaeological site by using the Geosite Assessment Model (GAM), combining the main and additional values. The GAM involves grades given by experts and provides a relatively actual image of the geoheritage state based on which it is practicable to plan and enhance the activities for the observed sites. The outcomes showed that the observed site has a high score of the main, and a low score of additional values. This means that the site should be additionally protected, and included in various tourist programs.

The anthropic landscape imprint around one of the largest Roman hydraulic gold mines in Europe: Sierra del Teleno (NW Spain)

This study explores the information gathered from the landscape transformation that occurred during the intense period of Roman hydraulic gold mining activity in northwest Spain. The Sierra del Teleno and its surroundings are characterised by the presence of Quaternary glacial and periglacial deposits and, locally, Neogene alluvial sediments, which were intensely mined by the Romans. However, the mining debris often obscures natural deposits, making their identification and description a challenging task. The aim of this study is to determine the existence of specific geomorphological features that can improve the identification of anthropic elements related to mining activity. River captures and widened drainage systems are among the most outstanding structures remaining, due to the extent and complexity of the work involved. However, other mining elements, such as anthropic modification of alluvial fans, moraine deposits and rock ridges are also evident in the landscape. In many cases, these remains are linked to the hydrologic infrastructure found in the area, which mainly comprises an extensive system of natural and man-made channels and distribution water-tanks. Difficulties arise in areas where no such structures are found. Thus, the use of geomorphic elements and patterns can help to distinguish natural and anthropic landforms. Using this approach, therefore, we have performed the first systematic and detailed analysis of the morphological imprint of Roman hydraulic gold mining activity on the landscape. These data will help piece together the puzzle of how the landscape was transformed by Roman mining activity, and can contribute to discussions surrounding the new epoch: The Anthropocene.

Advanced satellite radar interferometry for deformation monitoring and infrastructure control in open-cast mines and oil/gas fields

We focus on the use of advanced multi-temporal interferometry (MTI) for mapping and monitoring of ground deformations caused by open-cast mining and hydrocarbon production. We also show how MTI can be exploited to monitor the stability of infrastructure in adjacent areas. Open-cast mines represent a good target for MTI, because they are (1) often very large (from few to tens of km2); (2) free of or covered by sparse vegetation; (3) require long-term regular monitoring. The operational deformation monitoring via MTI can now rely on free of charge medium-resolution Sentinel-1 data, consistently and regularly acquired by the European Space Agency (ESA) since 2014. To illustrate the application potential of MTI based on Sentinel-1 data, we present the case study of the Belchatow mine (Poland), one of the largest open-cast mines in Europe. We stress that thanks to wide-area coverage; space-borne MTI represents a cost-effective approach to monitoring ground/slope instability hazards in large open pits, as well as the stability of the associated engineering structures and facilities. On-land oil and gas fields are also often huge and ground deformations induced by their exploitations can be profitably targeted by MTI. This is illustrated through an example of MTI application from the Middle East that relies on high-resolution (3 m) radar data. The example highlights the possibility of obtaining extremely dense (spatially continuous) information, which is important for monitoring complex ground deformations caused by oil field exploitation.

Reagents and fractions impact on sulphide ore heap bioleaching at Smolnik mine

Mine Smolnik is one of the oldest sulphide ore mines in Europe and it is also an important part of bioleaching development. This paper follows previous attempts to extract residual metals from nearby heaps via variations in bioleaching reagents with regard to recent findings and needs in the related industry. Furthermore, economic and process relations between reagents and chosen heap fractions were also investigated in this case study.

Land subsidence inversion method application for salt mining-induced rock mass movement

AbstractThe modeling of strains and deformations in salt mine areas encounters considerable difficulties because of the varying strength properties of salt, the complex morphological build of dome deposits and the rheological properties of salt. These properties have impacted the development of salt extraction for hundreds of years and the fact that the accurate determining of strains in a given specified moment and place are burdened with high uncertainty. Numerical modeling is useful when the model is reduced to one or several salt chambers. A broader range of underground post mining void considerably lowers the accuracy and efficiency of the calculations of such models. Stochastic models allow for a 3D modeling of the entire mining complex deposit, provided the model has been parametrized in detail. The methods of strains and deformations modeling were presented on the example of one of the biggest salt mines in Europe, where a volume of over 21 million m3 of salt was extracted. The stochastic model could be parametrized thanks to the documented results of measurements of convergence of the underground mining panels and leveling on the surface. The use of land subsidence inversion in the least squares method allowed for estimating the optimum values of parameters of the model. Ground deformation modeling was performed using the two-parameter time function, which allows for a simulation to be carried out in time. In the simulation, the convergence of underground excavations and the transition in time the effects of convergence into ground subsidence was taken into account. The detailed analysis of the geological conditions lead to modeling deviation of the subsidence trough. The accuracy of the modeling results was qualitatively and quantitatively confirmed by a comparison of the modeled to measured values of the vertical ground movement. The scaled model can be applied in future mining extraction projects in order to predict the strains and deformations for an arbitrary moment in time.

UNEXMIN: developing an autonomous underwater explorer for flooded mines

The UNEXMIN project (Underwater Explorer for Flooded Mines) is developing an autonomous multi-platform robotic system that can gather geological data whilst exploring and creating 3D maps of flooded underground mines. In 2017, the project consortium is developing software and hardware for autonomous navigation, 3D mapping, and data post-processing tools. The first of three robotic prototypes will be finished by early 2018. Once construction of this prototype is completed, field trials will commence in four flooded underground mines in Europe. The UNEXMIN multi-platform robotic system will be able to retrieve valuable geological and spatial data that cannot be currently obtained.

An improved void-resistance model for abandoned coal mine gas reservoirs

Previous studies have shown that the gas pressure behaviour of some abandoned coal mines may be described with the aid of a simple conceptual model, the so called void-resistance model. In this study, an improved void-resistance model has been developed and validated using previously collected data. Two model parameters, i.e. an apparent source/sink pressure and a time constant, which control the gas pressure behaviour during recharge and under certain gas production conditions, are defined. It has been shown that the two parameters can be determined via linear regression through analysing the historical abandoned mine gas pressure data during recharge. The void-resistance model developed has been successfully applied to analyse the historical pressure data recorded at two abandoned coal mines in Europe.

Estimating Limits for the Geothermal Energy Potential of Abandoned Underground Coal Mines: A Simple Methodology

Flooded mine workings have good potential as low-enthalpy geothermal resources, which could be used for heating and cooling purposes, thus making use of the mines long after mining activity itself ceases. It would be useful to estimate the scale of the geothermal potential represented by abandoned and flooded underground mines in Europe. From a few practical considerations, a procedure has been developed for assessing the geothermal energy potential of abandoned underground coal mines, as well as for quantifying the reduction in CO2 emissions associated with using the mines instead of conventional heating/cooling technologies. On this basis the authors have been able to estimate that the geothermal energy available from underground coal mines in Europe is on the order of several thousand megawatts thermal. Although this is a gross value, it can be considered a minimum, which in itself vindicates all efforts to investigate harnessing it.

An Overview of Two Years of Continuous Energy Optimization at the Velenje Coal Mine

The Velenje Coal Mine (VCM) is one of the largest and the most modern underground coal mines in Europe. Although the coal mining industry produces coal as an energy source, it is also uses a lot of energy for its own operation and support processes. At this time of volatile energy prices and more and more strict environmental emission requirements, optimizing energy consumption plays an important role in good business performance. To track the consumption of electricity, district heating, drinking water and compressed air at the VCM a detailed energy monitoring methodology was developed and established in July 2010. The essential element of the presented monitoring system is a software application named “Central System for Regulation of Energy” (CSRE). The purpose of the CSRE is to control energy processes from a distance, take measures for economical and efficient use of energy, as well as to assist in maintenance. Such monitoring allows extensive comparisons between different energy sources consumption and enables correct measures to be taken to reduce the difference between the target and actual consumption of energy in VCM. With established real-time monitoring system, it is possible to look at mining processes and see where energy is being used inefficiently.

Metallogeny and Petrogenesis of Lamprophyres in the Mid-European Variscides: Post-Collisional Magmatism and its Relationship to Late-Variscan Ore Forming Processes in the Erzgebirge (Bohemian Massif).: THOMAS SEIFERT. Pp. 304. Millpress. 2009. Softcover. ISBN: 978-1-58603-988-2. Price: US$160.00

Thomas Seifert, professor of economic geology at Bergakademie Freiberg, the oldest university school of mines in Europe, is involved in long-term, systematic studies of large base metal deposits in the Erzgebirge and the mafic dikes (lamprophyres) that accompany them. His new monograph describes and summarizes the results of investigations carried out over many years. Although other experts have taken part in a range of special studies, particularly of the geochronological aspects of metallogeny and magmatism in the area, this book is actually a “one man show” in the best sense of the word. Seifert has collected a significant amount of new petrological and geochemical data that he has arranged and interpreted in an exemplary way, enabling comparison with similar types of rocks in other provinces throughout the world, and he concludes with a model demonstrating their metallogenic importance. Introductory chapters provide a summary of the geological evolution of the Erzgebirge, placing emphasis on Variscan magmatism and related major types of mineralization, giving an outline of the chemical and geochronological methods employed to study them. These chapters are directed at readers who are not familiar with the Ergebirge and offers enough background to enable the relationships between the lamprophyres and their adjacent rocks and mineralization to be understood. The comprehensive description and database of individual lamprophyre dikes is one of the most fundamentally valuable parts of the monograph that will be found useful by researchers worldwide. Data were obtained from petrographic-mineralogical studies (n = 117); major, trace, and rare earth element analyses (n = 115); and Nd-Nd (n = 42), Sr-Sr (n = 42), and Pb-Pb isotope analyses (n = 65). Lamprophyre dikes occur in areas of deep fault zones that cut across the …

Determination of potential mine water discharge zones in crystalline rocks at Rozna, Czech Republic

The Rozna Mine is one of the last active uranium mines in Europe. When the mine is closed and flooded, the natural groundwater flow pattern will be partly restored. Re-established groundwater flow system will be associated with an increase of groundwater discharge into draining rivers and streams. Since the groundwater inflows to streams can be contaminated by the mine water, the groundwater drainage characteristic of fractured aquifer should be carefully identified. Several methods of groundwater discharge zones identification were used including morphological analysis, thermometry, and electrical conductivity (EC) measurements. Stream temperatures and EC at more than 700 points in the area covering about 85 km2 were measured. The measurements were performed during winter period, when stream discharges were low and there was a maximum temperature contrast. There was a frequent presence of preferential discharge zones with resulting anomalous temperatures and electric conductivity values of stream water. The results show evident correlation of discharge zones with surface morphology and geological settings. Just like the aquifer discharge characteristics, the aquifer is strongly heterogeneous. The thermometry supported by measurement of EC proved to be a useful tool for large-scale investigation of groundwater flow and drainage in fractured aquifers.

Mining and geological knowledge during the Neolithic: a geological study on the variscite mines at Gavà, Catalonia

The Gavd Neolithic Mining Complex (GNMC) near Barcelona was active during the Neolithic age, since ca. 6000 BP until about 700 years after. These mines show up to five different underground mining levels, developed as galleries and chambers, communicated through pits, drawing a complex network with a total known length of over 1000 m. These are some of the oldest underground mines in Europe but, contrary to the rest of the mine workings known of the same epoch, this is the only mining complex reported to date whose aim was not mining for conventional substances for the epoch such as chert, ochre or copper. The main aim of the GNMC was variscite, a green phosphate mineral similar to turquoise that can be easily cut and polished to make ornaments such as necklaces or bracelets. This paper is focused mainly on the geological mapping and examination in surface and underground exposures of the different phosphate mineralization types(stratabound and veins) and other relevant geological features such as discordances, thrusts, faults, and folds.

Truck dispatch computer simulation in Aitik open pit mine

ABSTRACT: METAFORA is a simulation model for determination and evaluation of strategies for operating loader/truck systems in mining. METAFORA has been used to evaluate the haulage system at Boliden Mineral's Aitik mine in northern Sweden, one of the largest open pit mines in Europe with a production of about 15 Mtpy of copper ore. The simulated number of truck loads per shift for ore and waste respectively was well corresponding to the real number of truck loads at the mine. Using METAFORA's dispatch rules the truck/shovel system in the Aitik mine was simulated for evaluating alternative dispatch control strategies. The Maximize Trucks rule gave about the same total production (ore + waste) as the Fixed Dispatch rule but a 7% lower ore production. The Maximize Loaders rule gave the lowest production. METAFORA was also used for planning alternative routes for transport of waste. The paper indicates that the use of software like METAFORA can result in a substantial reduction of time, effort and cost in shovel/truck system design and evaluation.