The influence of pressure drop on gas emissions from a mining shaft – an overview

Abstract

Climate change can make an impact on the mining sector and post-mining sites. Among others, extreme weather events are connected with sudden and deep pressure drops which lead to gas emissions from an underground space to the surface through closed shafts. The tests undertaken in the frameworks of TEXMIN project lead to get measuring data of this phenomenon and will allow validating numerical models for further forecasts and mitigation means. Three examples of the results were presented. They showed that the intensity of pressure drop influences strongly on gas emissions from a closed shaft. Although the pressure drop process should be investigated in detail considering hourly or even more frequent variations of pressure. Considering the variation of emitted gases in the vicinity of the closed shaft they remained increased even 20e30 m from the point of emissions.