ZONING OF CONSTRUCTION SITES OF THE SETTLING PONDS OF THE ELGA COAL FIELD IN YAKUTIA

Abstract

The study is relevant due to the rapid growth of mining exploration and production activities in the permafrost regions of Russia over the last forty years. This paper presents the characteristics of the soils of the settling ponds of the Elgacoal field in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) on vulnerability of the geological environment to contamination. An engineering-geological evaluation is necessary in order to prepare decision making on land planning and land use of the area as well as to ensuresmaller negative impact of industrial and infrastructure development on environment and reducing hazards and damage to constructions, people and property. This study aims to establish the vulnerability of the territory to man-made pollution based on the study of engineering and geological conditions of the sites of settling ponds. Object of research is the geological environment. The paper considers the main natural components, which influence land use planning and development, such as lithology; topography; seismotectonic; geotechnic; hydrology-hydrogeology and permafrost. This study includes a brief review of relevant literature, and a summary of information obtained from geological survey company files. All information layers about the natural environmentwere manipulated and combined to produce uniform engineering geological map. We produced a zoning map of the study area that shows zones with different degree of geological environment vulnerability of contamination:high, moderate, low, negligible vulnerability.

Keywords

• settling pond
• open-pit mining
• soil
• coal
• geological process
• physical and mechanical properties
• zoning
• vulnerability