The face stability of shallow tunnels was investigated with small-scale model experiments at single gravity. Aim of the research was to detect the evolution of failure mechanisms in dense and loose soil samples with varying overburden above the tunnel. Moreover, the quality of proposed theoretical/numerical approaches for the determination of a necessary support pressure pf was assessed. The re...

Coal and lignite play a major energy supply role in many European countries, including Bosnia and Herzegovina. Yet mining activities are a heavy source of ecosystem contamination, posing significant environmental threats. The primary goal of this study was to isolate and identify autochthonous lignite mine spoil bacteria and evaluate their potential in bioremediation of these polluted soils. Tw...

In extra-thick coal seams, mining operations can lead to large-scale disturbances, complex overburden structures, and frequent and strong strata behavior in the stope, which are serious threats to mine safety. This study analyzed the overburden structure and strata behavior and proposed the technique of confined blasting in water-filled deep holes as a measure to prevent strong rock pressure. I...

Many state and national geological surveys produce map products from surficial and bedrock geologic maps as a value-added deliverable for a variety of stakeholders. Improvements in powerful geostatistical exploratory tools and robust three-dimensional capabilities within geographic information systems (GIS) can facilitate the production of derivative products. In addition to providing access to...

Acid-Base Accounting (ABA) is an analytical procedure that provides values to help assess the acidor alkaline-producing potential of overburden rocks prior to coal mining. This procedure was developed at West Virginia University in the late 1960s. After the passage of laws requiring an assessment of surface mining on water quality, ABA became the preferred method to predict post-mining water qu...

Analysis and understanding of seismic anisotropy has proven to be a valuable tool in many exploration and reservoir management studies. Seismic anisotropy should not be viewed as a problem that must be dealt with but instead regarded as an additional attribute to understand the rocks within the reservoir and overburden. Recent developments in borehole and seismic methods coupled with the latest...

Surface coal mining and reclamation methods in the Appalachians have changed dramatically since the passage of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) of 1977 and subsequent improvements in mining and reclamation technology. In this study, 30 pre-SMCRA mine soil profiles (4-20 yr old) were examined and sampled in 1980 and compared to 20 mine soil profiles (8-13 yr old) described ...