A New Assessment Method for the Redevelopment of Closed Coal Mine—A Case Study in Shanxi Province in China

Abstract

It is recognized that a closed mine is a three-dimensional resource that has great potential for redevelopment and/or reutilization. The first and most important step for the redevelopment of a closed coal mine is to perform an evaluation and to select the best strategy/approach for each closed coal mine. Currently, there is no standard assessment method, and different countries use different assessment methods of evaluation. In this study, a five-factor weight analysis method was developed and used for a closed coal mine assessment in Shanxi, China. The case study using this method provides the useful information for the redevelopment of the closed coal mine. The results suggested that the best and or most suitable strategy for the mine is the extraction of coalbed methane (CBM) in the goaf, mine water reuse, and storage for coal solid wastes. The study also suggested that the closed coal mine can be considered for use in culture tourism/education or as space for storage. For some particular closed coal mines, they have potential use for CO2 sequestration, oil/gas storage, and bauxite resource development.