Hydrogeological investigation of the Witbank, Ermeloand Highveld Coalfields: Implications for the subsurfacetransport and attenuation of acid mine drainage

摘要

A hydrogeological investigation on coalfield scale was done using available regional data and spatially spaced monitoring boreholes in order to understand the movement of Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) within the soil, vadose zone and aquifers and predict future impacts of surface coal mining activities for planners and regulators. A data-driven GIS artificial neural network was built using hydrogeological and geochemical parameters to produce AMD transport and attenuation factors for the Witbank, Ermelo and Highveld Coalfields. The transport and attenuation factors produced demarcate the coalfields in terms of the expected rates of transport and attenuation of AMD in the subsurface.