Download czech republic

Coal waste pile Kateřina, part IA
THE CZECH REPUBLIC
I. THE CZECH PART OF THE LOWER SILESIAN BASIN
The Czech part of the Lower Silesian Permo-Carboniferous Basin (East Bohemian
Coal District) is situated in the northern part of the Czech Republic (see map in file:
CR_0_CONTENT_AND_INTRODUCTION.doc). The bituminous coal in this basin was
mined by East Bohemia Coal Company. During this mining period three big coal waste piles
came into being (Nejedlý at Malé Svatoňovice (50°31´15.7´´ N; 16° 03´51.3´´ E), Jan
Šverma at Žacléř (50°40´1.3´´ N ; 5°55´58.9´´ E), and Kateřina at Radvanice v Čechách
(50°33´46.0´´ N; 16°03´47.1´´ E). While the coal waste pile Nejedlý completely burned out,
the coal waste piles Kateřina was totally reconstructed and relocated. The coal waste pile
Šverma is still burning.
In the Mine Kateřina the bituminous coal was mined from XIXth century to 1994 from
five coal seams. Between 1947 and 1957 in two coal seams (No. 2 and Balthazar) the
exploration of uranium mineralization was realized. Minerals uraninite, sklodowskite
((Mg(H3O)2(UO2)2(SiO4)2.4H2O), pyrite, galenite, sfalerite, chalkopyrite and carbonate
mineralization (dolomite-ankerite, siderite) were present in both coal seams. From 1953 to
1961 period the coal rich in uranium was mined. During this period about 60 000 metric tons
of radioactive raw containing 287 200 kg of uranium (Kafka J. ed. 2003) was mined. Coal
mining continued up to 1994, when it was terminated. In the last period the coal was used for
near electric power station as fuel. On the coal waste pile Kateřina 2.4 million m3 of material
including rest of coal and clinder from local mine power station was deposited.
The spontaneous oxidation of coal deposited in coal waste pile started in early 60-ties.
The first fire extinction of burning coal waste pile was made using injection of water lime
suspension. But this way of fire extinction resulted in the formation of high concentration of
carbon monoxide in surrounding of coal waste pile in Radvanice v Čechách. The burning of
coal waste pile continued and in the 80-ties the situation was very dangerous from the point of
environment. About 400 000 m3 of rocks from top of coal waste pile was removed, cooled
and relocated. Moreover, about 1100 m3 of fly ash was used as an isolation layer. No matter
on those works the coal waste pile fire was broadened and in 1983 even threatened mine
operation and mine buildings.
In next years the fires of waste pile expanded and therefore new injection of bentonite,
lime and cement suspension was used for fire extinction. This sanitation has also very low
effect. In 1994 coal mining in Mine Kateřina terminated and from 1998 reconstruction of coal
waste pile started because the fire was not possible extinct. Therefore the total reconstruction
of coal waste pile was recommended. The reconstruction was realized by Energie - Stavební a
báňská Corp. The operations associated with fire extinction and coal waste pile relocation are
showed on photos (Figs. B10 - B_37). For this the following operations were used: the
cooling, mechanical disintegration, blasting, cutting by water jet technology, crushing and
transport. The amount more than 2.3 million m3 of waste material was relocated and used for
new earth construction. In place of new earth construction the cooled coal waste rocks were
bedded and compacted into the layers with total thickness 7 m. Each layer was packet into the
capsule form containing about 100 000 m3 of waste rock. The geotextile material
(TATRABENT) was used as a cover material and clays as insulating barriers. The photos of
coal waste pile Kateřina from 1997 (Fig. A_2) to 2005 after new Kateřina earth construction
and relocation are given in Fig . A_9.
Conical shape of original coal waste pile was formed by the gravitational separation of
waste pile material. By this way different permeable layers were formed. These permeable
layers enabled input of the air through the waste material. In relation to air permeability the
1
Coal waste pile Kateřina, part IA
oxidation or reduction processes were initialized. In zones with very high temperature
porcelanite type rocks cemented by glass were formed. They were of high compressive
strength, abrazivity and were hardly disintegrated (for photo of rocks see Figs. from C-38 to
C_76). Selected physical properties of porcelanites cemented by glass are shown in Figs.
C_54, C_55 and C_56.
In some claystone layers high concentrations of Ge, Ga, Se, Bi, Pb, Zn, Mo, As, S and
Al were found. During the thermal activity of the coal waste pile elements contained in
claystones and coal ash were activated and lot of secondary minerals types have been formed.
Examples of these secondary minerals are shown in Figs from D_78 to D_167).
Fig. A_1 The Czech part of the Lower Silesian Permo-Carboniferous Basin.
1 – Permo – Carboniferous with coal seams
2
Coal waste pile Kateřina, part IA
Fig. A_2 (Radvanice, CR). A view on the coal waste pile Kateřina (Radvanice v Čechách)
before reconstruction; on the horizon the Mine Kateřina No. 2. Photo by Energie - Stavební a
báňská Corp., 1997.
Fig. A_3 (Radvanice, CR). The burning of the coal waste pile Kateřina in time of the waste
pile reconstruction. Photo by Energie - Stavební a báňská Corp., 2000.
Fig. A_4 (Radvanice, CR). A view on the top of burning coal waste pile Kateřina. Photo by
Energie - Stavební a báňská Corp., 2000.
Fig. C_71 (Radvanice, CR). Zoned burning of coal with rocks in the earth fill in front of the
coal waste pile Kateřina. Photo by Petr Martinec, 1999.
3
Coal waste pile Kateřina, part IA
Fig. D1_77 (Radvanice, CR). Depression on the top of the coal waste pile Kateřina with many
small craters and hot gas emissions (steam, CO2, CO, phenol and polyaromates). Depression
is covered by sulphate crust of about 30 cm thickness. Photo by Petr Martinec, 1997.
Fig. A_5 (Radvanice, CR). The aerial view (from S to N) on the coal waste pile Kateřina in
time of the waste pile reconstruction with Radvanice v Čechách village. The first new earth
containers of the reconstructed coal waste pile are seen on the right side. Photo by Energie Stavební a báňská Corp., 2000.
Fig. A_6 (Radvanice, CR). A view (from S to N) on the coal waste pile Kateřina during the
reconstruction. The layers of newly prepared earth containers are seen in the middle between
reconstructed coal waste pile and hill. Photo by Energie - Stavební a báňská Corp., 2000.
Fig. A_7 (Radvanice, CR). A aerial view on the coal waste pile Kateřina in reconstruction. In
centrum of photo is Quarried coal waste pile is on the right side, reconstructed coal waste pile
with the encapsulated earth containers covered by white geotextile TATRABENT on the left
side. Photo by Energie - Stavební a báňská Corp., 2000.
4
Coal waste pile Kateřina, part IA
Fig. A_9 (Radvanice, CR). A aerial view on coal waste pile Kateřina after reconstruction.
Radvanice v Čechách village is situated in the left down corner. Photo by Energie - Stavební a
báňská Corp., 2005.
5