An Environmental Impact Assessment of the underground operations at the designed Petrikov potash mine, Belarus

• Authors: Dmitry V. Barbikov , Anatoly M. Grechko , Vladimir V. Savchenko , Anzhelika E. Zlebova , Dmitry M. Kurlovich , Siarhei F. Sauchyk
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

The Petrikov deposits of potash salt is situated in Gomel oblast of Belarus in the south-east of Pripyat Trough, and have Northern and Southern prospects. Underground mining of potash salt will start at the Northern prospect with an area of 166 km2. It is expected that mining will last for between 50-80 years. An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was carried out at the design stage of the Petrikov mining and processing plant. The standard EIA procedure included a set of investigations, including assessments of surface subsidence, changes in groundwater level, changes in productivity of forest phytocoenoses and crops, and assessment of groundwater pollution due to production of potash fertilizers. Maximum values of possible surface subsidence (up to 2.3 m) will occur within the area, where the surface will be affected by the mining of potash layers 1, 2, and 3 of the productive horizon IV-Π, using a long-pillar mining system. Surface subsidence will influence surface topography, surface and groundwater, landscape structure and land resources. The result of surface subsidence will lead to inundation and swamping of land, as well as to an increase in the areas affected by annual floods in the valleys of the Pripyat and Bobrik rivers. Surface subsidence will affect the whole area of the prospect within the limits of planned mining fields, except the areas above safety pillars. In the result of raised groundwater levels the area with groundwater depth of more than 2 m will decrease from 69.1% to 17.8%, and the areas with groundwater depth from 3 to 5 m will disappear. The area with a groundwater depth less than 1 m will increase from 0.1% to 34.0%. In 19.5% of the area the groundwater level will raise above the surface level (the area of inundation). Surface subsidence and change in groundwater level will cause certain decreases in yields of timber and crops, and 2564 ha of forest, 68 ha of arable land and 324 ha of meadows will be inundated. In order to prevent inundation within certain areas protective engineering facilities have been designed, and an arrangement of groundwater monitoring wells has been proposed.

Keywords

EN

environmental impact assessment; potash deposits; surface subsidence; environmental pollution

• Publisher: Sciendo
• Journal: Environmental & Socio-economic Studies
• Year: 2016
• Volume: 4
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 1-8

Dates

published

2016-06-01

received

2016-03-15

revised

2016-05-03

accepted

2016-05-26

online

2016-06-24

Contributors

author

Dmitry V. Barbikov

• JSC “Belaruskali”, Korzha Str. 5, 223710, Soligorsk, Minsk oblast, Belarus

author

Anatoly M. Grechko

• JSC “Belgorkhimprom”, Masherova av. 17, 220029 Minsk, Belarus

author

Vladimir V. Savchenko

• JSC “Belgorkhimprom”, Masherova av. 17, 220029 Minsk, Belarus

author

Anzhelika E. Zlebova

• JSC “Belgorkhimprom”, Masherova av. 17, 220029 Minsk, Belarus

author

Dmitry M. Kurlovich

• JSC “Belgorkhimprom”, Masherova av. 17, 220029 Minsk, Belarus

author

Siarhei F. Sauchyk

• JSC “Belgorkhimprom”, Masherova av. 17, 220029 Minsk, Belarus

References

• Guidelines for protection of infrastructure and nature objects from unfavorable effects of underground mining at Starobin potash deposit. Soligorsk-Minsk, 2001 [in Russian].
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• Martsynkevich G.I. 2005. Landscape Science. Belarusian State Univ., Minsk [in Russian].
• Meerovsky A.S. 1999. Assessment of changes in productivity of soils and important crops depending on changes in groundwater level. Collection of papers: Multifunctional automated system of groundwater modeling and assessment of groundwater extraction impact on the environment. CRIWR, Minsk: 101-107 [in Russian].
• National Atlas of Belarus. Miasnikovich M.Ul. (ed.), Committee on Land Resources, Geodesy and Mapping under the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus, Minsk, 2002 [in Russian].
• Rusalenko A.I. 1999. Calculation of productivity and tax cost of timber of main forest species in Belarus. Collection of papers: Multifunctional automated system of groundwater modeling and assessment of groundwater extraction impact on the environment, CRIWR, Minsk: 94-100 [in Russian].
• Temporary methodical guidelines for calculation of parameters of displacement and possible deformation of land surface at Petrikov deposit with insufficiently studied character of deformation of rocks. Minsk, 2013 [in Russian].

Identifiers

DOI

10.1515/environ-2016-0006