Highlights

With 5.5 million inhabitants, the Ruhr Area is one of the largest urban centers in Europe. In times of the industrialization, the Ruhr Area became an industrial conurbation. The coal mines which are now part of the RAG Aktiengesellschaft, Essen/Germany, provided work. Due to the underground coal mining in depths of more than 1,000 m, there is an area with ...

Pumped-storage power plants are an efficient option for energy storage to address short-term variances. In general, pumped-storages are dependent on high differences in altitude and therefore located in mountainous areas. An advantageous variation is the installation of pumped-storage power plants completely or partially underground. Three variations are feasible: usage of the infrastructure of closed mines, usage of the infrastructure of ...

The German coal industry will leave an extensive infrastructure behind when it finally comes to a close at the end of 2018. Mine shafts up to 1,200 m in depth, a huge network of underground workings and extensive water drainage and pumping facilities create real prospects for all kinds of after-use projects. The development of underground pumped hydro storage power ...

A (post-)mining Germany produces approximately 750 mt of resources per year. The top position is held by the German rock industry with its annual production of approximately 500 mt aggregate (gravel, sand, and stones). It might be difficult to imagine that the rapid development of open data, digitalisation, modern communication systems, driverless cars, smart technology and the Internet of Things might ...

Nature protection has now moved onto the agenda for Hambach lignite mine. Environmentalists have set up a camp on the site and the Berlin-based German Federation for Environment and Nature Conservation (BUND) has petitioned for legal protection as an environmental organisation. Can habitat and species protection as part of EU legislation stop lignite mining in its tracks? 1  Current situation ...

The cooperation between the TML Technik GmbH, Monheim/Germany, and the Institute for Advanced Mining Technologies (AMT)of the RWTH Aachen University, Aachen/Germany, will create a synergy between the innovative construction and design of telescopic arms and the development of intelligent, mining-capable condition monitoring systems. As a result, an intelligent telescopic arm not yet available on the market will be build. A ...

Mining influences the natural and social environment to a great extent. More than other industries, the mining industry is aware of this impact, especially regarding their historical legacy. Responsible mining is characterized by this awareness and the dealing with the impact. The common definition of sustainable development reflects the combination of that awareness and the handling of development in present ...

Mine tailings are often disposed of in slurry dumps. Older facilities of this kind may include relating dams that have been poorly designed and constructed. This can pose a threat to local residents and the environment. Progressive oxidation can result in the dissolution of metals. This may impose an increased pollution burden on the aquifers. The stability and design of ...

The term “urban mining”, which is now a well-known concept, refers to the reclamation of compounds and elements from man-made sources. When buildings are being demolished, e. g., any valuable materials encountered, such as copper pipes and cables or old lead piping, can be extracted separately and the metals reused. Concrete rubble can also be recycled to produce new aggregate and ...

Successful process control during the extraction process, as well as the enrichment process of primary raw materials, requires the sensor-based determination of the material composition. Typical technologies, which have been utilized successfully in the mining industry, make use of the electromagnetic spectrum, e. g. XRF, LIBS, NIR, etc. These technologies are usually integrated into the respective process by either establishing a ...