Geotechnical Investigations of Coal Mine Waste Dump Material

Abstract

Mining is an essential activity for obtaining the raw materials required for infrastructure and energy needs. During the extraction of coal, a significant amount of overburden (OB) material is generated. Managing the overburden produced by mining activities demands a substantial land for disposal which can be quite challenging in limited spaces. Consequently, it becomes imperative to design safe coal mine OB dumps, optimizing the use of available ground space. The challenge of ensuring the stability of overburden dumps is directly linked to the geotechnical properties of these materials. Therefore, it is crucial to characterize the properties of the dump material accurately to assess its engineering properties reliably. The focus of this study is to outline the various testing procedures necessary for the proper characterization of dump materials to ensure the stability of the dumps. Additionally, the study provides an analysis of laboratory test data and presents typical results from a case study. © 2025, World Researchers Associations. All rights reserved.