Pat.235596 Method for the assessment of hazard as well as predicting of breakout of gases and outburst of rocks in the geological area
Inventor: Mariusz Orion-Jędrysek
Professor Mariusz Jędrysek is a long-time head of the Department of Applied Geology, Geochemistry and Environmental Management, winner of numerous awards, member of many organizations and a two-time holder of the position of the Chief Geologist of the Country.
PREDICTION OF GAS AND ROCK OUTBURSTS IN MINE
Working in a mine involves a number of risks to the miner’s health and life. Operating heavy machinery and equipment, lack of light, high dust levels and excessive noise are just some of the dangers faced by miners. Particularly dangerous are natural phenomena related to the movement of the rock mass, such as collapses or gas and rock outbursts
In order to minimize the risk of accidents in a mine, Professor Mariusz Jędrysek from the Faculty of Earth Sciences and Environmental Management has developed a method of risk assessment and prediction of gas and rock outbursts in geological space. For a given space, the geochemical-isotopic composition of a mine gas mixture containing a gas selected from the group of carbon dioxide, methane, ethane, propane, butane, pentane, hexane, nitrogen, hydrogen, helium, oxides of sulphur, hydrogen sulphide, oxides of nitrogen, ammonia and water vapour is measured for a defined area is measured and the ratio of the content of the heavier isotope to the content of the lighter isotope of the studied element (13C/12C, 2H/1H, 3H/1H, 18O/16O, 15N/14N, 34S/32S) in gases released in the space is determined. Even a small leak and the migration of gases with different isotopic characteristics along the fracture zones and the discontinuities formed cause a measurable isotopic effect and changes in gas concentrations. This means that underground work crews can be warned with a high degree of probability that they are approaching rock zones with extremely high gas saturation that could lead to a catastrophic outburst of gases, and thus also rock, and sometimes also an explosion of gases and dust. If the defined limit values are exceeded, an alarm signal is triggered so that the miners have time to leave their workplaces. Further observations of changes occurring in geochemical and isotopic parameters are the basis for making decisions on the return of people and resumption of mining works.
