An overview of induced seismicity in the Netherlands

We present an overview of induced seismicity due to subsurface engineering in the Netherlands. Our overview includes events induced by gas extraction, underground gas storage, geothermal heat extraction, salt solution mining and post-mining water ingress. Compared to natural seismicity, induced events are usually small (magnitudes ≤ 4.0). However, due to the soft topsoils in combination with shallow hypocentres, in the Netherlands events exceeding magnitude 1.5–2.0 may be felt by the public. These events can potentially damage houses and infrastructure, and undermine public acceptance. Felt events were induced by gas production in the north of the Netherlands and by post-mining water ingress in the south-east. Notorious examples are the earthquakes induced by gas production from the large Groningen gas field with magnitudes up to 3.6. Here, extensive non-structural damage incurred and public support was revoked. As a consequence, production will be terminated in 2022 leaving approximately 800 billion cubic metres of gas unexploited. The magnitudes of the events observed at underground gas storage, geothermal heat production and salt solution mining projects have so far been very limited (magnitudes ≤ 1.7). However, in the future larger events cannot be excluded. Project- or industry-specific risk governance protocols, extensive gathering of subsurface data and adequate seismic monitoring are therefore essential to allow sustainable use of the Dutch subsurface now and over the decades to come.

How Central Water Management Impacts Local Livelihoods: An Ethnographic Case Study of Mining Water Extraction in Tarapacá, Chile

Chile’s neoliberal central water management gives shape to a series of conflicts arising from diverse understandings and ways of life linked to water. This article addresses the question of who is responsible for the ecological costs regarding water use of mining activity in the north of Chile. From the perspective of hydro-social territories, we analyze how the local population in Tarapacá is acting on unequal footing regarding environmental information and knowledge. Local and practical experiences are devalued against technical and scientific modeling, supported by legal and political definitions of “the environment” and “water”. Focusing on diverse local narratives, we show how the local population feels threatened by the environmental impacts of mining activity but struggles to find legitimate ways of articulating those anxieties to gain a sense of agency. We conclude that the local ecological consequences of extractivism in this region can only be understood in the context of the wider legal and economic framework regulating the appropriation of water as a resource and that long-term efforts in more participatory sociohydrological modeling might help to broaden the knowledge base for contested decision-making.

The potential for land erosion due to primary tin mining in Bangka Island

In the context of primary tin mining by PT. Timah on the Bangka Island, an analysis of environmental impacts is needed concerning various related aspects. One of the potential impacts that need to be considered is erosion due to open land for mining activities. Rain and mining water triggers the process of erosion on open land with particular soil and topographic characteristics. This paper presents an analysis of the potential for erosion due to primary tin mining at five mining locations in Bangka Island. The soil erosion rate can be analyzed using the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) and GIS. The environmental data used to predict the erosion rate include soil type, soil texture and structure, land cover, rainfall, slope, and soil management techniques. In this study, rainfall erosivity is taking into account based on average monthly rainfall from 2010-2019. The results showed that the erosion rates at the primary mining sites are relatively low, ranging from 4.72 to 683.47 tons/ha/year. The results showed that the erosion rate is more influenced by the topography (slope factor). Besides, the considerable land-use change will also contribute significantly to the amount of soil erosion.

Experimental Study on the Mining-Induced Water-Resistance Properties of Clay Aquicludes and Water Conservation Mining Practices

The Yushen mining area contains thin bedrock and a shallow buried coal seam, where JingLe group Hipparion clay and Lishi loess serve as a high-quality cement insulation cover. This study investigates the properties of the clay layer to determine the effect of the clay aquiclude on the mining water variation and fracture characteristics. Unloading hydraulic jack experiments were performed to test the physical and mechanical properties of the clay layer and the structure was analyzed in detail. The experimental results show that mining affects the soil cracks, leading to crack opening and subsequent bridging. The permeability coefficient of the soil layer initially increases with increased unloading and then decreases. A theoretical model is developed to determine the recovery mechanism of the clay layer water insulation based on the spatial movement of the clay. The results indicate the formation of a waterproof cover type of coal mud protection. Design methods are proposed to optimize the coal pillar size. Mining damage leads to the formation of a mud-covered bridge belt, which can be designed to appropriately reduce the protective layer thickness. The model is applied to the Hao Jialiang 2301 working face. The results provide important insight on the variation characteristics of the mining water insulation in clay layers and an important reference for accurately calculating the size parameters of waterproof protective coal pillars under mud-cap conditions to increase the upper mining limit of the working face.