Groundwater vulnerability to pollution in degraded coal mining areas: modifying the DRASTIC method using the factor of exploitation impact on land surface

Abstract

Mining activities such as underground exploitation of hard coal deposits and open cast mining are strong factors on groundwater depending on mine life cycle phases. The impact of coal mining activities on groundwater have been reported from many countries. In this case, a vulnerability assessment was conducted base on standard DRASTIC method and its modification DRASTIC MINE (DRASTICM) method. In order to take into account, the impact of mining activities, a new parameter was added which defined the impact of coal seams on the rock mass above, including the degree of its drainage and the range of its impact. In  the standard DRASTIC method, the results indicate that groundwater vulnerability with high (38.6%) and very high occurrence classes (16.9% of the area), mostly covers the central part of the cast mine. In contrast, the reclaimed area of the excavation is a low-class area. The DRASTICM method increased the vulnerability index from 3 to 24 on 95% of the area, so a new vulnerability class of extremely high was delineated, which occurred in 1.6% of the area. This indicates areas that should be treated as a priority in order to avoid pollution, and in the final stage to plan activities in the field of the reclamation of mining areas. The results showed that groundwater vulnerability assessment in coal mining areas can be significantly improved.