Coaltech Research Association

Benefits of an Apiary at a Rehabilitation Site

Ian Mey

Desktop study based on literature, a stakeholder workshop and specialist consultation, assessing whether keeping bees on rehabilitating mine land pays, for closure teams weighing aftercare options.

What this report found

The financial benefit of bees to a rehabilitating site could not be modelled with confidence, and a field trial to show direct benefit is hard to configure because so many variables affect rehabilitation. Apiaries suit sites where bee friendly plants are established, the return coming through honey yield rather than measured gains in biodiversity or ground cover, at low establishment cost.

R1500,00

Description

Related Products

Simulation of Regional Collapses in Bord & Pillar Workings

BECK Engineering

2018

Three dimensional modelling of a documented subsidence event in the Witbank coalfield, aimed at reserves in the seam above old workings that current pillar strength formulae sterilise.

What this report foundFinite element simulation reproduced the rapid collapse of bord and pillar workings in the 2 Seam at a Witbank colliery, showing that progressive pillar...

R1500,00

R1500,00

BECK Engineering

What this report found

Finite element simulation reproduced the rapid collapse of bord and pillar workings in the 2 Seam at a Witbank colliery, showing that progressive pillar deterioration triggers snap through of a strong sandstone plate in the overburden. Too little was known about the chosen collapse to back out a real pillar safety factor, so the calibration goal was not met.

Demonstrate the efficiency of UAV-GPR for assessment of rehabilitation sites and detection of subsurface cavities

Michael van Schoor

2023

Field trials at two South African collieries comparing drone mounted ground penetrating radar against ground based surveys, for measuring rehabilitation soil thickness and locating shallow voids. For rehabilitation teams.

What this report foundGround based radar mapped rehabilitation soil profiles well enough to replace much of the auger sampling normally needed, and a 100 MHz system picked out...

R1500,00

R1500,00

Michael van Schoor

What this report found

Ground based radar mapped rehabilitation soil profiles well enough to replace much of the auger sampling normally needed, and a 100 MHz system picked out anomalies at about 5 to 6 m depth that were likely old mining voids and related subsidence. Penetration below roughly 6 m needs lower frequencies, which cost resolution and require larger antennas.

Can old bord-and-pillar workings be mapped from surface?

M van Schoor

2016

Desktop review updating two earlier assessments, weighing borehole scanning, robots and unmanned aerial platforms as routes to locating old workings ahead of opencast drilling and blasting.

What this report foundNo surface geophysical method can map individual bords and pillars at the depths typical of the Witbank coalfield, a limit the review attributed to physics...

R1500,00

R1500,00

M van Schoor

What this report found

No surface geophysical method can map individual bords and pillars at the depths typical of the Witbank coalfield, a limit the review attributed to physics rather than to technology, since the targets are small relative to their depth and conductive layers often lie above the seam. Borehole laser scanning remains the workable option, with sonar suited to flooded workings.

Shopping Basket