Institut za rudarstvo i metalurgiju Bor

COMMITTEE OF UNDERGROUND EXPLOITATION OF YU ISSN: 1451-0162
THE MINERAL DEPOSITS UDK: 622
UDK: 622.337:504.045(045)=20
Dejan Sokolović*
RISK IDENTIFICATION IN THE MINE DESIGN, EXPLOITATION
AND COMBUSTION OF OIL SHALE
Abstract
Environmental protection at the recent level of development, both in developed and developing
countries, has became necessary, due to more intensive energy development, the impacts on it are
much more complex. The problem is particularly complex because a compromise between the
energy policy and environmental policy has to be achieved. Practically, all energy sources and
plants have more or less impact on the environment.
Development in production of primary and secondary energy contributes to the increased environment
pollution. Therefore, in all countries the legislative and other norms treat the protection
of air, water, soil, noise protection, etc., among other things, and power plants. The biggest impact
on the environment is the production of secondary energy, especially electricity in the power
plants. All problems of environment pollution are also present in the construction of thermal
power plants on oil shale, with perhaps greater intensity of pollution due to the quality and composition
of oil shale. This paper deals with harmful effect of exploitation and combustion of oil
shale on the environment and risk identification of risk in overall utilization of oil shale.
Key words: oil shale, environmental protection, exploitation, combustion, gasification
INTRODUCTION
Oil shales are the rock layers, which contain
the material that is practically the forerunner
of oil. When this material is overheated,
mainly kerogen, it could be distilled
from rocks in the oil. By enrichment and
refining of this distilled liquid material, various
kinds of useful fuel could be obtained.
Oil shale could be exploited by surface, underground
and using the modern methods of
underground gasification.
Depending on which technology is in
use, the exploitation and combustion of oil
shale is associated with large disturbances
and risks in the natural habitat, underground
* Ministry of Mining and Energy
and surface sources, air quality and climate.
The permanent impacts on topography and
flora and fauna are expected as the result of
commercial exploitation and processing of
oil shale.
In a case of surface exploitation, the
used, i.e. processed oil shale (waste) has a
great impact on contamination of underground
water (have dramatically higher
concentration of mineral salt than slate,
and may also contain other toxic substances).
In a case of underground (in-situ)
the exploitation, the process involves a
risk on groundwater contamination [3].
No 1,2010. 141
MINING ENGINEERING