Mineralogical and chemical characterization of airborne dust particles and their environmental effects in the open-pit coal mining area in Quang Ninh, NE Vietnam

Abstract: Vast reserves of anthracite coal have been detected in the Quang Ninh province in the northeastern region of Vietnam (reserves~6.3 Gt). Cam Pha, located in the Quang Ninh province, is one of the largest anthracite coal mining areas. Coal mining activities are a source of atmospheric pollution and are also detrimental to water quality. These factors are a hazard to human health.
This study is aimed at characterizing the forms of environmental pollution derived from coal mining activities and mine waste. Mining leads to environmental damage through airborne dust, acid mine drainage and chemical weathering of waste rock. One aim of this study was to identify the source of airborne dust in this area and its chemical and physical properties were characterized, as well as its effects on human health, focusing on identifying the source of the coal miners’ occupational diseases. A second aim was to determine the effects of acid mine drainage on water quality near the largest coal mine in the area. In order to achieve these goals, field samples including: airborne particles, coal and waste rock, material in overburden piles, mine tailings, dumps, water samples and the lung lavage samples were collected. The mineral composition of solid samples was determined by using a variety of complementary microscopic and bulk analysis techniques (e.g. EMPA, XRD, SEM/EDS, F-AAS, GF-AAS, ICP-MS). The results showed that dust, lung lavages and waste rock were composed of the same mineral components, such as: quartz, kaolinite, illite and muscovite. Furthermore, the bulk chemical composition of airborne particles were investigated which were then compared to the composition of other solid samples (e.g. waste rock, coal). To establish a link between airborne dust particles and these materials, it is of utmost importance to understand the geological features of coal mining area. Finally, a relationship between trace metal concentrations in solid samples (e.g waste rock, coal, airborne dust), the rice paddy soils in Cam Pha and the lung lavages from miners were found in the Cam Pha mining area

Object Details

• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource
• Language: Englisch
• Notes: IN COPYRIGHT http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0 rs ; Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Dissertation, 2017

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Geowissenschaften
• Keyword: Staub ; Kohlenbergbau ; Luftspülung

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (where): Freiburg
• (who): Universität
• (when): 2017
• Creator: Hoang, Hoa Thi Bich
• Contributor: Gieré, Reto ; Hergarten, Stefan ; Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg. Institut für Geo- und Umweltnaturwissenschaften ; Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg. Fakultät für Umwelt und Natürliche Ressourcen ; Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg

Further information

• DOI: 10.6094/UNIFR/13984
• URN: urn:nbn:de:bsz:25-freidok-139846
• Rights: Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Last update: 25.03.2025, 1:46 PM CET