New way for green and low-carbon development of coal industry under the target of “daul-carbon”

Under the background of “dual-carbon” goal and current technological conditions, coal, waste and carbon constitute an impossible triangle in the coal industry which severely constrains its green, low-carbon, and sustainable development. Adhering to the principles of treating waste with waste and returning the waste to where it comes from, with a focus on the three-dimensional perspectives of damage reduction in coal mining, the functional utilization of mining waste, and low-carbon disposal of carbon in mining industry, this paper explores a synergistic development path for coal, waste and carbon. It provides a comprehensive solution to unravel the impossible triangle and promote the overall green, low-carbon development of coal industry. The specific contributions of this work include: ① Clarifying the scientific connotation of damage reduction in coal mining, the spatial combination characteristics of aquifers in the ecologically fragile areas, the movement patterns of overlying strata under the application of coal mining damage reduction techniques, and the surface deformation patterns resulting from overlying strata damage; proposing the original technologies of drilling-backfilling-retention for section pillar extraction, narrow strip mining with backfill, and backfilling behind fully-mechanized longwall face aiming to address the challenges posed by damage reduction mining; ② Interpreting the scientific connotation of functional utilization for mining waste; clarifying the scientific issues related to the modification methods and mechanisms of magnesium-coal-based solid waste material, the mechanisms of synergistic interactions among diverse solid wastes, and the properties control of total solid waste backfilling materials. These efforts have led to the establishment of a key technological system for the functional utilization of solid waste, with a core focus on the modification of solid waste raw materials, the development of solid waste-based cementitious materials, and the preparation of solid waste based backfilling materials; ③ Elucidating the scientific connotation of low-carbon disposal of carbon with a scientific practical framework and implementation pathway; clarifying some scientific issues related to mineralization material preparation, storage space construction, CO₂ storage and control mechanisms, the long-term environmental effects of CO₂ storage, and reservoir stability in the low-carbon disposal process of carbon. The scientific issues related to mineralization material preparation, seal space key technologies such as fractured space CO₂ storage and CO₂ sequestration through coal mine carbon solidification are explicitly defined which results in a new model for achieving a low-carbon CO₂ storage in coal mine goaf. Based on the green, low-carbon and sustainable development of coal industry, it is of great significance to collaboratively promote the damage reduction in coal mining, the functional utilization of mining waste, and the low-carbon disposal of carbon. This coordinated effort plays a crucial role in advancing the realization of the dual-carbon goal in the coal industry.