Avoiding Coal-Water Conflicts During the Development of China's Large Coal-Producing Regions

摘要

Coal and water resources are important and fundamental to the sustainable development of China's national economy and society. However, coal-water conflicts are beginning to restrict coal production. In order to study this serious problem, the threat of mine water disasters, the supply-demand imbalance of water resources in coal mining areas, and the nature of polluted mine water were considered. Our results show that these problems are best resolved by viewing coal and water as coupled resources, using an optimized five fold combination of mine water control, treatment, utilization, groundwater recharge, and environment-friendly treatment. Water that is pumped to the surface to make a mine safer to operate can be used without being treated if it is kept separate from contaminated mine water and can be a resource, as can mine water that has been properly treated.