Article
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Modeling and Mitigating Gas Hazards during Potash Mine Closure
Version 1
: Received: 8 May 2024 / Approved: 10 May 2024 / Online: 10 May 2024 (11:30:47 CEST)
How to cite: Kolesov, E.; Semin, M.; Starikov, A.; Grishin, E. Modeling and Mitigating Gas Hazards during Potash Mine Closure. Preprints 2024, 2024050639. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202405.0639.v1 Kolesov, E.; Semin, M.; Starikov, A.; Grishin, E. Modeling and Mitigating Gas Hazards during Potash Mine Closure. Preprints 2024, 2024050639. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202405.0639.v1
Abstract
The planned closure of potash mines, achieved through the injection of highly mineralized brines into the worked-out area, is a complex and not fully studied process. A critical concern arises when brines obstruct the aerodynamic connections between the flooded mine's airspace and the atmosphere, potentially leading to the formation of closed cavities where explosive gases can accumulate. To address this hazard, it is imperative to develop systems capable of extracting the gas-air mixture from the unflooded domed portions of the worked-out area. This is the focus of this study, in which we analyze gas-dynamic processes within the potassium mine worked-out area during planned flooding. Two distinct scenarios are examined: the first involves controlled flooding with saturated brines, while the second contemplates flooding resulting from a hypothetical breakthrough of supra-salt strata, leading to the ingress of groundwater into the worked-out area. A novel mathematical model is introduced to predict the evolution of gas-air mixture parameters in the unflooded dome segment of the worked-out area. Utilizing this model, we assess the effectiveness of proposed measures designed to eliminate explosive gases from the worked-out area. Specifically, a pipeline system is proposed for the removal of gases, followed by their dilution below the maximum permissible concentrations in the effluent jet. The findings from this study contribute valuable insights into ensuring the safe and efficient closure of potash mines, shedding light on potential risks and effective mitigation strategies for gas-related hazards during planned flooding.
Keywords
potash mine closure; flooding; gas dynamics; worked-out area; mathematical modeling
Subject
Engineering, Mining and Mineral Processing
Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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