Application of a geographic information system (GIS) for selecting the location of a coal wastes dump - a case study

The Gheshlagh mining region, which includes more than ten active and several abandoned coal mines, is one of the most significant regions for coal mining in northern Iran. Due to the lack of more suitable ecological and environmental strategies for coal wastes management from these mines, a large amount of wastes has been dumped in the vicinity of the mines. The primary purpose of this research is to propose a new methodology for selecting a site for coal waste piles applying GIS in the Gheshlagh region. For this, the coal waste piles have been firstly detected by field observations and based on environmental aspects. All the required maps, including farmlands, surface streams such as seasonal rivers, forests, and residential areas have been run in the ArcView software package. Finally, the best location of the site for dumping the coal wastes with an area of 27 hectares has been detected and suggested in the Gheshlagh coal region using the IDRISI software package considering environmental and economic aspects. These studies are beneficial for mine planners to reduce the environmental issues nearby the mining operations.