Sustainability Commons^™

Proposed Design Fire Scenarios For Underground Hard Rock Mines, Rickard Hansen

Journal of Sustainable Mining

Given the complexity and uniqueness of underground hard rock mines, the application of the design fire scenario approach is recommended when evaluating fire safety in mines. Providing a full set of design fire scenarios – ensuring that several important life safety aspects are covered – for a mine can be challenging. The question is whether a catalogue of potential clusters of design fire scenarios could be developed, covering important aspects found underground? Given the general lack of research into design fires in the mining industry, this paper provides a unique analysis of design fire scenarios in underground hard rock mines. …

The Evolution Of Wildland Fire Risk Management, Matthew Holte

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Wildland Fire risk management has long been a topic of much discussion. In the past we have focused on immediate danger and how to mitigate it, recently we have started to look at risk with a long-term view. Throughout this paper we will discuss the history of wildland fire, wildland fire policy, and how we got to where we are today. We will also look at how the two different styles of risk management and how we need to use them in a complementary fashion to provide safety to our firefighters, public, and the natural resources that we are protecting.

The Role Of It In Campus Sustainability Efforts: Model Sustainability In It Operations, Infrastructure, Cybersecurity, And Teaching And Learning, J. T. Singh, Kevin Partridge, Teresa Hudson, Pete Calvert

Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar Presentations

JT Singh (and colleagues), WCU Information Services and Technology - The Role of IT in Campus Sustainability Efforts

Surviving A Broken System: Synergies Between Solidarity Economies And Sustainable Development Goals, Julie Beach

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Capitalism has created problems including wealth polarization, rapid depletion of natural resources, and pervasive systemic societal issues. Hard work is not enough to solve the unequal distribution and barriers preventing access to necessities. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were created to remedy the harsh reality of global inequities and negative environmental impacts by working towards a more just and equitable future for all. Solidarity Economies (SE) offer an alternative framework to achieve these goals.

This research used multiple qualitative methods to investigate the synergies between SE and SDGs in a growing urban environment. St. Petersburg, FL struggles with affordable housing, food …

Effect Of Mining And Geology On Mining-Induced Seismicity – A Case Study, Heba Khalil, Tuo Chen, Yu-Hang Xu, Hani Mitri

Journal of Sustainable Mining

Mining-induced seismicity is a commonly occurring phenomenon in underground mines. This poses a greater challenge to the safety of the mining operation. This paper presents a case study of the Young-Davidson mine in northern Ontario, Canada, where seismic events of magnitude Mn 2.0+ have been observed at mining depths of 600 to 800 m below the surface. The occurrence of large seismic events at such shallow depths is the key issue of this study. A comprehensive study of the microseismic database has been conducted to discern the root causes for the unusually strong seismic activities recorded at shallow depths. The …

Shaft Liquidation Method Adjusted For High Precipitation Associated With Climate Change Impact, Jan Szymała, Joanna Całus Moszko, Ewa Janson, Dagmara Sobczak, Stanisław Konsek

Journal of Sustainable Mining

In connection with the implementation of the international project TEXMIN within the framework of the RFCS fund, a project for the liquidation of the Głowacki Shaft in Rybnik (Poland) was undertaken, which takes into account the effects of climate change, i.e. evaluation of the increase of precipitation in the region. In addition to the standard research undertaken before liquidation activities, precipitation data recorded by the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management from 1995 to 2019 was collected and the precipitation variability was analysed. As a result, a method for liquidation of the shaft was selected consisting of constructing a permeable …

How Impervious Are Solar Arrays? On The Need For Geomorphic Assessment Of Energy Transition Technologies, Charles Shobe

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Staying within manageable global temperature rise scenarios (i.e., 1.5° C) requires rapid decarbonization of energy sources. Research on the energy transition typically focuses on engineering, socioeconomic, and political challenges related to implementation of renewable energy technologies. Yet many facets of the energy transition are intricately intertwined with earth surface processes. Projects that advance the energy transition affect surface hydrology, sediment transport, and landscape evolution. Geomorphic processes likewise set the feasibility of energy transition projects. Here I use the lens of a recent policy debate to examine a case study that illustrates the key role of surface processes in determining the …

Our Need For Seed: How News Media Framed The Pandemic Gardening Boom, Roger Gatchet, Amanda Davis Gatchet

Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar Presentations

Professor Roger Gatchet, Communication and Media, and Professor Amanda Davis Gatchet, Department of Communication Studies, Montgomery County Community College - Our Need for Seed: How News Media Framed the Pandemic Gardening Boom

Wagin Townsite Borefield: Review Of Aquifer Performance, Rockwater

Natural resources commissioned reports

The Wagin Borefield was established by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia in 2000-2007 to control groundwater levels in the town that had risen to critical levels as a result of increased recharge and runoff following the clearing of native vegetation for urban development and agriculture. Similar investigations were conducted as part of the Rural Towns Program and Rural Towns-Liquid Assets projects in 41 other wheatbelt towns, but none, except perhaps from Merredin, have been as comprehensively implemented, operated and monitored as Wagin.

The Wagin Borefield comprises 8 production bores, of which only 3 have been operated. To …

Sustainability Hub Newsletter - November 2022, Jacqueline Jergensen, Neyda Gilman, Jennifer Embree

Library Sustainability Resources

This issue of our newsletter includes new resources for recycling and environmental justice, information about an environmental proposal you will see on election day, and tips to have a sustainable Thanksgiving! Even read about how you can minimize your impacts on Black Friday and Cyber Monday!

Review Of The Energy And Social Impact Of Bitcoin Mining And Transactions And Its Potential Use As A Productive Use Of Energy (Pue) To Aid Equitable Investment In Solar Micro And Mini Grids Worldwide, Kevin Hallinan, Lu Hao, Rydge Mulford, Lauren Bower, Kaitlin Russell, Austin Mitchell, Alan Schroeder, Rustam Kuzhin, Mohammad Ehsan Naikkhua, Rohulla Arya, Sayed Ehsani, Rishabh Shukla

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Working Papers

Despite the climate commitments made by countries in the Paris Climate Agreement adopted in 2015, and reinforced during COP 21, world carbon emissions have increased in both 2021 and 2022. It is increasingly unlikely that the world can achieve the targeted 50% carbon reduction by 2030; the reduction approximately needed for reducing global temperature rise since the beginning of the industrial revolution to less than 1.5 deg. C. At the same time, the carbon intensive loads associated with bitcoin mining have grown, thereby contributing to growing worldwide carbon emissions. In this context, the role of cryptocurrency and particularly bitcoin is …

Climate Change Impacts On Groundwater In Mapc Communities, Jayne F. Knott, Paul Kirshen, Ellen Douglas

School for the Environment General Publications

Groundwater is important for human health and the environment but has often been overlooked in the development of climate change adaptation strategies. This is because groundwater is rarely visible, and because changes in groundwater levels are not as dramatic as extreme flooding events, coastal storms, and storm surge. The importance of groundwater for drinking water, natural resources, and streamflow is well documented. Groundwater levels are also important considerations in the design of pavements, underground infrastructure, foundations, on-site wastewater treatment systems, and in the remediation of hazardous waste disposal areas. Groundwater is especially important in the wet northeast, where groundwater levels …

Implementing Green Port Strategies In Saudi Ports To Achieve Environmental Sustainability, Saleh Mohammed Alzahrani

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Selection Of The Optimal Alternative Fuel In Terms Of The Sustainability Of The Shipping Industry Through The Multi-Attribute Decision Making, Kyungrok Kim

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Regulating Single-Use Plastic Marine Pollution : A Case Study Of Nigeria, Oseghale Anthony Ebhaleme

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Exploration Of Occupational Safety And Health In Pakistan's Ship Breaking And Recycling Industry, Shehzad Akbar

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Feasibility Of Utilizing Hydrogen Fuel Cell, Wind, And Solar Power On Bulk Carrier For Propulsion, Saeid Hassankhani Dolatabadi

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

An Analysis Of The Process Of Implementation Of Imo's Initial Ghg Strategy In Central America By Using A Multi-Method Approach, Edgar Alberto Micheo Navas

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Highlighting The Disconnect Between Legislation And Sustainable Cannabis, Johnathon A. Macias

IdeaFest: Interdisciplinary Journal of Creative Works and Research from Cal Poly Humboldt

Current legislation takes little regard for two major issues challenging the cannabis industry. The carbon footprint and legislation of cannabis are looked at where it is realized that neither is currently sustainable long-term. Solutions that require social responsibility from the legislation to preserve the culture and industry are delved into.

Uncertainty Analysis Of Operational Conditions In Selective Artificial Ground Freezing Applications, Ahmad Zueter, Saad Akhtar, Agus Sasmito

Journal of Sustainable Mining

Artificial ground freezing (AGF) systems are susceptible to uncertain parameters highly affecting their performance. Particularly, selective artificial ground freezing (S-AGF) systems involve several uncertain operational conditions. In this study, uncertainty analysis is conducted to investigate four operational parameters: 1) coolant inlet temperature, 2) coolant flow rate, 3) pipes emissivity, and 4) pipes eccentricity. A reduced-order model developed and validated in our previous work for field-scale applications is exploited to simulate a total of 5,000 cases. The uncertain operational parameters are set according to Monte Carlo analysis based on field observations of a field-scale freeze-pipe in the mining industry extending to …

Carbonised Fluidised Fly Ash (Cffa); A New Product For Mining Engineering Purposes (Discussion Of Possible Applications), Marian Jacek Łączny, Przemysław Rompalski

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The article presents and summarises the current state of research and laboratory results on the carbonation of fly ash with carbon dioxide in the context of its use in mining engineering. Based on previous publications and patent applications, the possibilities of using carbonated fly ash from fluidised bed boilers for the following applications were discussed: securing excavations particularly susceptible to fire hazards, shotcreting and securing longwalls and supports, constructing cases, securing decommissioned shafts, and others, which means wherever the use of cement is required. It was pointed out that the removal of excess free calcium oxide makes it possible to …

Decency Won't Save Us: Critical Considerations For Occupational Sustainability, Nia Johnson

Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar Presentations

Professor Nia Johnson, Graduate Social Work - Decency Won't Save Us: Critical Considerations for Occupational Sustainability

Addressing Specific Safety And Occupational Health Challenges For The Canadian Mines Located In Remote Areas Where Extreme Weather Conditions Dominate, Rachid Halabi, Mustafa Kumral

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The number of mining operations is increasing in the Canadian North, where extreme weather conditions govern. Currently, many mine development projects are also in progress in this region. These mines’ working atmosphere and employment circumstances are highly different from regular mines. One of the main differences is the special safety issues of the Canadian North. The primary sources of these special issues are: the difficulty of finding skilled employees; high employee turnover rate; insufficient training and certification requirements; delicate employment circumstances affecting the psychological well-being of employees; permafrost; mine inspection challenges; inventory and logistic hardship; and the legislative and regulative …

Table Of Contents, The Editors

Coal Geology & Exploration

No abstract provided.

Study On Mechanical Mechanism Of Roof Fracture Evolution In Deep Stope With Variable Face Length, Wang Xinfeng, Lu Mingyuan

Coal Geology & Exploration

Irregular coal seam mining is easy to cause the problems such as roof stress concentration and abnormal ground pressure behavior. In order to explore the roof fracture law and the structural evolution characteristics of stope with variable length, the roof structure models with four types of boundary conditions were established and analyzed using the small-deflection thin plate bending theory in view of the geometric characteristics and mechanical causes of the abrupt stope with the inclined length of working face changing from small to large in various mining stages. Meanwhile, the roof fracture law and macro-mechanical response were analyzed by MATLAB …

Occurrence Law Of Coal Seam Gas Under Influence Of Normal Fault Zone In Coal Measures, Xiao Peng, Wu Mingchuan, Shuang Haiqing, Han Kai, Gao Zhen, Cheng Yueying

Coal Geology & Exploration

The coal measure fault zone generated by the superimposition of the polytropic movement and multiple structure has important effects on the coal seam gas occurrence. The method of combining the geologic analysis, COMSOL Multiphysics numerical simulation and field data monitoring was adopted to analyze the interaction relations between the stress distribution characteristics and faults of the normal fault zone in the coal measure, study the coal seam permeability variation characteristics influenced by the normal fault zone in the coal measure, and simulate the gas migration status and concentration distribution condition after the formation of the normal fault zone. The coal …

Research On Permeability Model Of Coal Reservoir Along Producing Wellbores, Jia Lidan, Zhang Lin, Li Bobo, Wu Xuehai, Gao Zheng, Wang Zhonghui, Fu Jiale

Coal Geology & Exploration

Permeability is an important parameter to characterize gas flow. In order to ensure the safe and efficient gas drainage, it is necessary to explore the evolution characteristics of coal reservoir gas seepage at different positions from the producing wellbores. However, the effective stress, the gas adsorption/desorption capacity of coal matrix and the temperature of coal reservoir are constantly changing with the gas drainage, and even the drainage damage may occur, which makes the gas migration behavior in coal seam extremely complicated. In order to explore the seepage characteristics of coal reservoir gas during gas drainage, the space-time evolution function of …

Occurrence Modes And Stepwise Chemical Extraction Experiment Of Lithium In No.20 Coal Seam In Pu’An Mining Area, Guizhou Province, Cheng Chen, Song Yang, Zang Jingkun, Cheng Wei

Coal Geology & Exploration

Lithium (Li) is an important energy metal, and the global demand for Li has grown rapidly in recent years. The discovery of coal-associated Li deposits in China proves that coal mines may serve as a potential alternative of Li resources. No.20 coal seam in Pu’an mining area in Guizhou province of China was selected as the study object. The basic properties, mineral composition, elemental composition, and occurrence modes of Li of the raw coal and six density-graded samples (obtained through a float-sink test) were determined by using coal proximate analysis, optical microscope, X-Ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), inductively coupled plasma mass …

Numerical Simulation On Evolution Law Of Overburden Fractures And Surface Cracks In Crossing Ditch Mining Of Shallow Coal Seam, Wei Jiangbo, Wang Shuangming, Song Shijie, Sun Qiang

Coal Geology & Exploration

Crossing ditch mining of shallow coal seam is common in northern Shaanxi mining area, which seriously threatens the safe production and the sound ecological development. The mining-induced overburden fractures and surface cracks are developed as a result of the extension and expansion of microcracks in rock mass. In order to more systematically study the evolution law of overburden microcracks in crossing ditch mining of shallow coal seam, a numerical model of particle flow in coal mining was established with the Particle Flow Code (PFC) numerical simulation platform according to the field ditch profile and borehole data under the background of …

Experimental Study On Stress Relaxation Characteristics Of Soft Dredger Fill Under Uu Triaxial Shear, Yang Aiwu, Yang Shaopeng, Qi Jiejie

Coal Geology & Exploration

Stress relaxation often occurs in the saturated soft clay with poor water permeability under the actual working condition at fast construction speed (fast loading rate), which brings huge hidden dangers to the safe operation of engineering practice. Herein, the unconsolidated undrained triaxial shear test was performed based on the soft dredger fill in Tianjin Binhai using the WF stress path triaxial instrument, and the influence law of such factors as the different initial strain, confining pressure, shear rate, sampling depth and structural properties of the soft dredger fill on its stress relaxation characteristics was analyzed accordingly. According to the test …