This study introduces an automated workflow to monitor marble quarry operations using Sentinel-2 satellite data, providing a cost-effective and efficient tool for regulatory oversight focused on environmental sustainability. At the core of this workflow is the Quarry Change Detection Index (QCDI), a new spectral index specifically developed to leverage the unique spectral characteristics of quarry sites, enhancing the detection of land cover changes associated with quarry expansion. To facilitate practical application, a web-based tool was developed using Google Earth Engine and Streamlit. The user-centric design of this platform features an intuitive interface, allowing users to easily select parameters, visualize data, and conduct interactive analyses. The application supports broad-scale temporal and spatial monitoring, enabling more effective oversight of quarry activities. The QCDI demonstrated high accuracy in detecting quarry-related changes, outperforming existing indices like the New Built-up Index (NBI) by reducing false positives and refining detection precision. Integrating the QCDI into an automated, scalable system offers regulatory agencies a robust solution for monitoring compliance and promoting sustainable practices within the quarrying industry. This research underscores the potential of combining spectral analysis with remote sensing to advance environmentally responsible development and improve regulatory effectiveness in industrial landscapes.
The purpose of this study was to develop a machine learning-based model to predict the consumed useful life and estimate the remaining useful life of haul trucks in an open-pit mining operation in Peru. A comparative analysis of multiple machine learning models was conducted, including multiple linear regression (MLR), random forest + PSO, support vector regression (SVR), gradient boosting machine (GBM), decision tree + PSO, and artificial neural networks (ANN-MLP). The models were evaluated using performance metrics such as R2, RMSE, and MAE, selecting the optimal model to estimate the remaining useful life based on a theoretical lifespan of 25,000 hours. The SVR model was the most accurate, achieving R2 = 0.92 in validation, with an RMSE of 1.36 and an MAE of 0.97. The estimated remaining useful life revealed that haul truck V_2205 had the highest operational availability (3 years and 11 months), while V_2202 had the lowest (11 months). These findings highlight not only the importance of predictive maintenance, but also the novelty of modeling daily UL as an intermediate target to improve the realism and interpretability of RUL estimation in mining operations
Nonlinear pressure of coal seam gas in the directional borehole and surrounding areas affects extraction efficiency. A multi-field coupling numerical model, including gas desorption, diffusion, fracture seepage, and borehole extraction, is developed for the No. 3 coal seam of the GJH mine. Using the numerical simulation method of control variables, extraction was developed to investigate the nonlinear evolution of axial pressure gradients in directional long borehole and the spatiotemporal response characteristics of gas pressure. Results show that coal seam seepage pressure exhibits a nonlinear radial gradient attenuation around the borehole, evolving through rapid pressure change, stabilization, and slow adjustment. The pressure difference between the initial gas extraction pressure at any position in the borehole and the pressure at the end of extraction gradually decreases as the distance from the orifice, with significant pressure response delays observed beyond 400 m depth. The long-hole system demonstrates superior pressure relaxation (5.8% rate) compared to short borehole. Near-borehole monitoring points (≤ 5 m) show pronounced pressure drops, while far-field regions (> 5 m) exhibit gradual declines. Once far-field pressure reaches a critical threshold, decay rates sharply decrease. These findings provide theoretical guidance for optimizing borehole layouts and regulating gas extraction systems.
Safety control of the underground coal gasification (UCG) process involves ensuring that the process runs smoothly, monitoring changes occurring on the surface and in the rock mass, and counteracting the negative environmental impact of the process. The article presents the application of a monitoring system implemented in Poland, both in pilot tests conducted in shallow coal seams at the Barbara Experimental Mine and in deep coal seams at the Wieczorek mine, where a full-scale gasification process was tested. The analysis of the monitoring results carried out during the gasification experiment in an operating mine allowed for the identification of key conditions determining the efficiency and safety of the process, pointing to both its strengths and potential limitations in the context of complex mining, environmental, geological and hydrogeological conditions specific to the studied area. Based on the analysis of the data, no significant impact of the studied process on the rock mass or mine water was observed during the experiment. Studies conducted 5 and 8 years after the end of the process did not confirm any long-term impact of the process on water quality in the area of the georeactor's operation.
Two heat treatment processes for a nickeliferous laterite sample are presented, one by the conventional muffle route and the other by microwave. The heating was carried out in order to improve the dissolution of nickel in an acid medium. The study describes the changes observed in the mineral for the increase in temperature as a consequence of radiation in the microwave and in the muffle. The changes in the mineral crystalline phases were analyzed by X-ray diffraction. The leaching media consisted of a 1 M sulfuric acid solution at ambient conditions for 7 h. The interaction between the reagent and the nickel ions is due to the reaction zones generated after heating. Only one of the heat treatments studied increased the dissolution of the metal by 11%. The leaching efficiency of the lateritic mineral showed that the mineral structure and matrix transformation during heating were important in the extraction of nickel. Optimizing the conditions of both thermal treatment and leaching could enhance nickel extraction by increasing its availability in the process.
