Environment cumulative effects of coal exploitation and its assessment

Environment cumulative effects characteristics, sources, approaches and types aroused by coal exploitation are discussed. Based on studies in Lu’an, Pingdingshan , Yanzhou mining areas and so on, such quantitative assessment methods for coal exploitation environment cumulative effects are summarized as Geographic Information System, Earth Observation and Remote Sensing and Telemetry Information Acquisition, chart, mathematics models, computer simulation and laboratory testing and the integrated methods. Spatio-temporal evolution of land subsidence in Yanzhou coal mining area, time series mining landscape classification in Pingdingshan mining area, and some causal relationships analysis between resources, environment and economic system in Lu’an mining area were put forward. Based on field theory, this paper proposed the technology route, ideas and some quantitative assessment results for analyzing the ecology and environment cumulative effects impacts. Theories and practices both demonstrate that the coal exploitation activities have strong characteristics of time persistency, space scalability, long development cycle, more forms of mining area environment system perturbation, wide impacts source and complex mechanism. For the requirements of sustainable development, the traditional environment impact assessment of coal exploitation shows many defects, it is essential, urgent and feasible to carry out analysis on the cumulative effects.