Influence of hydrological factors on the development of the Tyubegatan potassium salt deposit (Republic of Uzbekistan)

Abstract

The development of the Tyubegatan potash deposit, characterized by a complex tectonic environment, inevitably faces a number of factors affecting safety and organization of the production process. One of these is the occurrence of emergency water seepage in the workings, caused by precipitation infiltrating through the cover deposits via systems of vertical fractures. The intensity and frequency of these water seepage events are related, among other factors, to the hydrological and hydrochemical characteristics of surface water bodies in the area of the deposit’s mining allotment. Hydrological calculations allowed us to estimate the long-term average surface water inflow from the catchment area near the primary mining site, which amounted to 43 m³/h. Maximum water inflows (over 180 m³/h) were recorded in early June 2012 and late May 2018 and coincided with rare rain floods. Hydrochemical studies, including laboratory analysis, showed that the total mineralization of most streams and springs in the study area (1-10 g/L) is significantly lower than that of mine waters (over 300 g/L). This indicates active dissolution of salt-containing rocks. To minimize surface water infiltration into the mine workings, deepening and straightening work is proposed to create a channel for the Tyushsay River downstream along the entire length of the mining allotment. To prevent emergencies resulting from a sharp increase in surface runoff infiltration caused by heavy rainfall, the implementation of continuous automated monitoring of hydrometeorological parameters is recommended.