Plac Gwarków 1, 40-166 Katowice, Poland
Head
e-mail: pbukowski@gig.eu
telefon: 32 259 23 39
Head
e-mail: jchecko@gig.eu
telefon: 32 259 23 72
Head
e-mail: alurka@gig.eu
telefon: 32 259 25 75
Head
e-mail: ssiwek@gig.eu
telefon: 32 259 23 50
Head
e-mail: pkalisz@gig.eu
telefon: 32 259 23 32
The scope of the Department's activities:
The Department of Geology and Geophysics offers a wide range of geological, hydrogeological and geophysical research for industry, mining entrepreneurs, construction investors, mining offices, local government administration and research centers. The Department also conducts numerous statutory research in the form of projects commissioned by the government administration and research carried out as part of domestic and foreign scientific projects.
In the field of geology, research, design and documentation are carried out in the field of reservoir geology, methane extraction and use, and CO2 sequestration. In the field of hydrogeology, works are carried out in the topic of recognizing and combating the threats of water in mining excavations, as well as the negative effects of mining exploitation on the aquatic environment. In the field of geophysics, we offer a wide range of engineering research into issues related to surface monitoring and geotechnics in applications to civil engineering. As well we deal with research in the field of seismology and mining seismics, to assess the seismic hazard on mining excavations. We design AMAX-GSI seismometric apparatous for monitoring surface vibrations from mining tremors and dedicated SOS GIG seismological apparatus - Seismological Observation System - for monitoring and assessing seismic hazard in underground mineral mines.
There are four Lab’s in the Department of Geology and Geophysics (BH) consist of four Lab’s:
- Laboratory of Mining and Environmental Hydrogeology (BH-1)
- Laboratory of Geology Deposit and CO2 Storage (BH-2)
- Laboratory of Mining Geophysics (BH-3)
- Laboratory of Engineering Geophysics (BH-4)
The Department of Geology and Geophysics conduct the Upper Silesian Geophysical Observatory System (USGOS) used to monitor geodynamics processes in the Upper Silesia and Upper Silesian Regional Seismological Network (USRSN), used to monitor seismic events and rock bursts induced or activated by mining in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin. The data from seismic catalog are published on the public website http://www.grss.gig.eu/.
The scope of research and expertise:
- determination and assessment of hydrogeological conditions of mining exploitation or mine closure, including preparation of hydrogeological studies and documentation for hard coal mines;
- identifying and preventing water hazards, establishing safety pillars and conditions for mining exploitation, as well as planning drainage of the rock mass and assessment of mine drainage systems;
- assessment of water hazard in connection with the operation and abandonment of mining shafts;
- risk assessment related to the possibility of a water hazard in underground mines;
- concepts, opinions, expert opinions, model and project solutions, and so-called Master Plans for the elimination and simplification of mine drainage systems along with the assessment of the hydrogeological consequences of the proposed changes;
- simulation tests, assessment and forecasting of the proces of mine workings flooding in active and abandoned mines;
- studying and assessment of impacts of changes of water conditions within rock mass and on surface associated with mining activities and mines closure;
- determining the possible impact of changes in hydrogeological
- conditions, water conditions and water hazards on
- the occurrence of changes in geomechanical conditions,
- balancing of free methane in excavations of active and
- abandoned mines, as well as on the state of water resources and their energy;
- strategy and concepts of limiting the salinity of mine water and activities to increase the possibilities of their economic use;
- hydrogeological monitoring studies to determine the conditions and impact of mining excavations and the impact of mining and industrial activities on the environment, including the assessment of the common threat (rock mass tremors, water and gas outflows, groundwater pollution, cavities hazards, etc.);
- examination of hydrogeological properties of rocks and rock debris (porosity, permeability, gravity drainage) for clarifying the conditions of storage and flow of water and gases in the processes of mining exploitation and mine and shaft abandonment, as well as in the assessment of hydrogeological conditions, groundwater resources and their energy and water hazards;
- construction of numerical hydrogeological models using Processing MODFLOW and FeFLOW software and multidimensional simulations;
- modelling of hydrogeological processes and phenomena as well as qualitative and quantitative assessment of groundwater resources and hydrogeological conditions;
- visualization of geological, hydrogeological and geophysical data and processes using GIS technology;
- consulting, studies and supporting vactivities in the field of environmental and power engineering based on mine water under various hydrogeological conditions.
Our staff has high qualifications confirmed by geological qualifications granted by the Minister of the Environment and the President of the WUG, as well as the WUG expert’s qualifications in the field of water hazard assessment. We have original methods for forecasting mine flooding processes, investigating the properties of rock and rock debris and modern measuring equipment.
We carry out the mentioned below test and measurements:
- rock permeability / filtration coefficient of any length of core (using the only one in Poland non-destructive permeameter PDPK400),
- microporosity, size and distribution of pores, surface area of rocks, dust, powders, zeolites, etc. (using the ASAP 2020 surface area analyzer),
- the actual density and open porosity of regular and irregular samples, both rocks and powders (using the AccuPyc II 1340 high pressure helium pycnometer).
The scope of research and expertise:
- verification of hard coal resources, taking into account the factors that are harmful to the environment;
- assessment of hard coal resources for power and coking purposes according to Polish and international standards (JORC);
- modeling of hard coal deposits by means of software (Minescape);
- methane resource assessment of coal deposits (CCM, CBM and AMM) using ECLIPSE simulators;
- assessment of geological conditions of methane occurrence in coal deposits as a main and accompanying mineral;
- elaboration of numerical models of deposits (PETREL);
- elaboration of geological documentation for deposits of hard coal and methane;
- elaboration of Projects concerning Coal and Methane Deposit Management;
- elaboration of Projects concerning geological works;
- testing of the migration of mine gases on the surface of the liquidated mines (ECOPROBE);
- tests on the propagation of gases to the geological environment using computer modelling (TOUGH);
- assessment of geothermal potentials and the use of geothermal waters;
- assessment, analysis and selection of areas of geological CO2 storage;
- model and simulation tests of CO2 injection and reactivity using a TOUGH simulator.
The scope of research and expertise:
- analysis of seismicity in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin based on the registrations of the Upper Silesian Seismological Network of the Central Mining Institute;
- studies on the mechanisms of rock-bursts epicentres and the parameters of their source in terms of the evaluation of seismic hazard;
- calibration of the measuring channels of the seismologic and seismoacoustics equipment;
- seismological network design
- seismoacoustic observation of the longwall panel in mines;
- design and production of seismological equipment for underground mines (Seismic Observation System – SOS GIG) along with the mining seismic events analysis software MULTILOK and SEJSGRAM;
- production of mobile intrinsically safe probes for vibration measurement in underground mines (DLM, DLM-PPV);
- production of the seismoacoustic apparatus PSSP (WAS -96/ RMS method);
- seismic tomography to identify geological disorders in coal seams (faults, washouts);
- passive tomography - reconstruction of the velocity field of seismic waves on the basis of the recorded rock mass tremors by the mines’ seismological networks - in order to assess the seismic hazard from layers prone to bursting;
- evaluation of seismic and burst hazard in mining excavation using the seismological and seismoacoustic methods;
- forecasting of seismic hazard basis on seismoacoustic and seismological observations;
- evaluation of the seismic effect of blasting works in underground and open-pit mines (quarries) and from other seismic vibration;
- forecasting the influence of mining tremors on buildings and the surface environment, including assessments of the effects of vibrations using the Mining Seismic Intensity Scale GSIS-2017;
- design and production of seismometric apparatous AMAX-GSIS for seismic intensity monitoring, with software for interpretation according to the GSIS-2017 scale.
The scope of research and expertise:
- geophysical and geological work documentation and projects for the purpose of diagnosing the geological-engineering and geotechnical conditions;
- reviews and expert opinions on the construction suitability+of post-mining areas;
- research and reviews for assessing post-mining hazards;
- research and assessment of the hazard of mass movements (hollows, landslides, karst);
- research and projects on the conditioning of the construction of areas altered by mining activities;
- research for the purposes of soil, land and groundwater pollution diagnosis;
- research for the purposes of diagnosing geotechnical conditions and leaks in land and concrete hydro-technical buildings;
- non-destructive testing for the purposes of diagnosing the structure and technical condition of the building;
- research for the purposes of diagnosing the thermal state of coal production waste dumps.
- rock mass and surface deformation prediction caused by underground exploitation;
- evaluation of mining impact on various elements of land use;
- risk assessment of discontinuous deformation occurrence in mining areas;
- determination and verification of the mining area boundaries;
- boundaries determination of areas requiring transformation or reclamation, with particular consideration given to the risk of water flooding as a consequence of natural water flow restoration;
- categorisation of mining areas in terms of the predicted mining surface deformation;
- flooding risk assessment of mining and post-mining areas;
- assessment and categorisation of post-mining areas suitability for spatial planning, including building development in particular;
- optimisation of underground mining exploitation projects in terms of the surface and its land use protection;
- verification of mining plant operation plans in terms of the surface protection and the compatibility with local spatial planning;
- classification of industrial mineral resources with consideration given to the surface and its land use protection;
- determination and verification of safety pillar boundaries.
