environmental impact mining jiu romania
DESCRIPTION
lignite mining RomaniaTRANSCRIPT
April 13, 2023
Environmental impacts of mining and energy production in the Jiu river basin
ISSWaP project, Jiu - Romania
Remco van Ek – [email protected] Carlan – [email protected]
April 13, 2023
Content
1. Characteristics of the Jiu river basin
2. Environmental impact of human activities
3. Impact of mining and energy production
4. Conclusions
April 13, 2023
1. Characteristics of the Jiu river basin
MEHEDINTI
DOLJ
GORJ
HUNEDOARA
Location
CraiovaCraiova
Targu JiuTargu Jiu
FiliasiFiliasi
Drobeta-Turnu SeverinDrobeta-Turnu Severin
PetrosaniPetrosani
goodpoor
Chemical status groundwaterbodies
2009
April 13, 2023
1. Characteristics of the Jiu river basin
Characteristics
• 16734 km2 surface area
• 1,64 million inhabitants
• 2300-24 m asl
• 1200 – 400 mm.yr-1
• Jiu annual discharge: 87.7 m3 s-1
• Jiu river length 339 km
• 417 river courses (286 permanent)
Mining
• 60% of total lignite production in Romania
• 20% of total energy production
Jiu
Motru
Gilo
rt
Desnatui
Am
arad
ia
Tism
ana
Motru
VulcanLupeni
Novaci
Petrila
Uricani
Craiova
Filiasi
Ticleni
Calafat
Segarcea
Strehaia
Bailesti
Petrosani
Targu Jiu
Vanju Mare
Baia de Arama
Targu Carbunesti
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
General overview
PetrosaniValea Jiului
Rovinari
Husnicioara
Power plantsPower plants
April 13, 2023
1. Characteristics of the Jiu river basin
Temperature [ºC] Precipitation [mm/jr] Discharge [mm/jr]
Cantitate - mm/an
1000-1200
800-1000
700-800
600-700
400-600
Craiova
Petrosani
Targu Jiu
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Temperaturi - grade celsius
-2
0
2
4
6
8
9
10
11
< 31
158-220
95-158
63-95
32-63
220-315
315-830
830-950950-1260
Climate and hydrology
-2
0
2
4
6
8
9
10
11
1000-1200
800-1000
700-800
600-700
400-600
April 13, 2023
1. Characteristics of the Jiu river basin
Hydrogeology Soils
Underground and land use
Carpathians: limestone and graniteValley: Sandy soils (coarse, fine) and confining layers (lignite, coal, clays)300-500 m thick.
Nutrient poor, acid sandy soils (podzols)Phreatic level ~ 5-8 m below surface levelClose to river wet conditions
Mountains: pineHills: broadleaved forestsLower parts mostly extensive agriculture
Land use
Podzolic soils
Alluvial clays
Alluvial preluvosoils
Chernozems
UrbanIndustrialAgricultureCultivatedForest
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2. Environmental impact of human activityConceptual model
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2. Environmental impact of human activity
Present
1. Untreated wastewater
2. Agricultural pollution
3.3. Mining & Power plantsMining & Power plants
Future
4. Climate change (drought)
April 13, 2023
2. Environmental impact of human activityAgriculture
• 1960–1989: economic development, deterioration water quality
• 1989: end of communist ruling, economic recession
• 1989-present: improvement water quality due to decreased environmental pressure and improved environmental policy (polluter pays).
• However, historic pollution still present (NO3, NH4)
Point sourcesLocally very high concentrations of NO3 or NH4
NH4 of NO3
80-400 mg l-1
in drinkwater wells
… even > 600 mg l-1 !!
1. How deep in groundwatersystem?
2. Spreading?3. Consequences for land
use and ecology?
Diffuse sourcesRemnants of fertiliser factoryRemnants of fertiliser factory
April 13, 2023
2. Environmental impact of human activityAgriculture
Underground active biological Underground active biological cleaning zone (permeable) , cleaning zone (permeable) , to protect downstream wells to protect downstream wells and ecosystemsand ecosystems
Former fertilizer companyFormer fertilizer companySNP-DoljchimSNP-Doljchim Groundwater pollution plumeGroundwater pollution plume
CraiovaCraiova
Fly ash Fly ash depositdeposit
Fly ash Fly ash depositdeposit
Fly ash Fly ash depositdeposit
Remnants of fertiliser factoryRemnants of fertiliser factory
2500 ppm N-compounds 2500 ppm N-compounds (NH(NH44 of NO of NO33)?)?
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2. Environmental impact of human activityClimate change: droughts
Impacts are estimated for 2071-2100 relative to 1961-1990(IPCC SRES scenario A2). Jiu river basin dT > +4 oC; dP < 7%
April 13, 2023
2. Environmental impact of human activityClimate change: droughts
April 13, 2023
3. Impact of mining and energy production
Mining• groundwater abstraction• deterioration of landscape and rural comm.• sediment load on Jiu river (hydropower)• instable dumps, underground• deterioration watersystem
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3. Impact of mining and energy productionRosia
April 13, 2023
3. Impact of mining and energy productionRosia
Pump capacity = 12.000 m3 per hourSediment load 25-70 mg per litre
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3. Impact of mining and energy productionRosia
Sterile dump fixed with vegetation cover
Dust problems
Transformation fromwet to dry slurry systems
Ecological rehabilitation
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3. Impact of mining and energy production
Lignite production/combustion (2008)
Combustion and emission
Harmfull gas emission from power plants
• Major emission from power plants on NOx, SOx, CO2, and PM10,, but also NH3, VOC and heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Hg, ..)
• Data on NO2 and SO2 shows increase between 1999 and 2003, and stabilization between 2003-2008
• Overall reduction since 1989 (recession and environmental measures).
NO
2 [
ton
s/y
r]
SO
2 [t
on
s/y
r]
• Mortu: 6.6 million ton• Rovinari 6.3 million ton• Rosia-Pesteana 7.2 million ton• Husnicioara 3.1 million ton
23,2 million ton per year (± ~4)
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3. Impact of mining and energy productionAsh and slag deposits
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3. Impact of mining and energy productionAsh and slag deposits
Fly ash > 147 Mm3, ~1200 ha
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3. Impact of mining and energy production
Mining area Surface area
[ha]
Volume
[million m3]
Turceni-Jilt 675 350
Rovinari 2530 1097
EMC Rosia 1764 785
Motru 1284 689
Huniscioara 394 202
Total 6647 3123
Area and Volumes
Sterile dumps
Power plant Surface area
[ha]
Volume
[million m3]
ROMAG-Termo 25 NA
Turceni 252 41
Rovinari 445 106
CET I – Isalnita 360 NA
CET II - Craiova 120 NA
Total 1202 > 147
Slag & ash deposits
Ecological rehabilitation of steril dumps
Finished 700 – 1100 haPlanned 3224 ha
April 13, 2023
3. Impact of mining and energy productionFly ash composition
Power plants SiO2 Al2O3 Fe2O3 CaO MgO SO3 K2O Na2O
SC CET TURCENI SA 51,6
56,1
21,8
25,2
9.6
15,3
7,6
3,0
3
0,5
0,5
-
-
0,8
-
,9
SC CE ROVINARI SA 49,6 29,6 6,9 7,5 2,2 0,3
RAAN ROMAG TERMO 53,5
52,7
21,7
26,4
8,0
10,7
5,6
5,0
4,0
1,3
1,5
-
-
1,0
-
1,4
SE CE ISALNITA 48,6 23,4 8,8 8,7 2,5 1,9
SC CE CRAIOVA II 53,5 21,7 8,0 5,6 4,0 1,5
Composition is variable (source!)Pozzolanic (cementitious) propertiesNon-hazardous waste, unless… (EWC)
Toxic trace elements • Heavy metals• Radioactive compounds• Dissolved gypsum
Depends on composition and speciation!
Chemical composition [% of dry volume]
Fly ash (dust) and bottom ash or coal ash (bottom furnish)Alkaline (pH 7-8), oxides (SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, ..) and toxic compounds
C = from lignite
F = from coalHeavy metals (ppm)Heavy metals (ppm)
As (-) Pb (18-41) Cd (0.7-1.5) Sn ( <10)Co (16-80) Cu (24-65)Cr (170) Zn (24-210)Ni (140) Hg (-)Mn (48-422) Va (150-200)
April 13, 2023
3. Impact of mining and energy productionRadioactivity
Power plants U238 Ra226 Th232 K40 I
SC CET TURCENI SA - - - - -
SC CE ROVINARI SA - 316.2 89.4 472.6 1.66
RAAN ROMAG TERMO - 258.7 77.9 491.4 1,42
SE CE ISALNITA - 140.9 53.3 613.5 0.94
SC CE CRAIOVA II - - - - -
Concentration [Bq/kg]
Source: CEPROCIM S.A.
I = radioactivity indexC = concentration
• Index values for radioactivity exceed 0.5 limit• Rovinari fly ash has the highest index value• However, material can be raw material for secondary use
Radio-active compounds are concentrated in the ash deposits
No monitoring data on the spreading to the environment!Health risks not known……may not be negligible
April 13, 2023
3. Impact of mining and energy production
April 13, 2023
3. Impact of mining and energy production
Source: USAID, 2005
April 13, 2023
4. Conclusions
1. Mining and associated power production is important for the energy production in the region but is also degrading the environment (air, soil, surface water, groundwater)
2. Improvement has been achieved (flue gas desulphering, electro filters, dry slurry systems) but this does not eliminate the pollution and waste caused in the past.
3. Below deposits groundwater pollution exists (mostly Mg/CaSO4) but situation (lack of monitoring data) not exactly known (heavy metals?)
4. Topsoil surrounding power plants is likely to be affected by air pollution (radio-active material, heavy metals). However, no measurements.
5. Groundwater is polluted with NO3 and NH4 through extensive use of fertilizers (point and diffuse sources). Measures are possible for point sources.
6. Degrading the environment is not without costs. Protection of soil and water is important to adapt to climate change and to shift to other economic possibilities for the region.
Questions, discussion?Questions, discussion?