POTENTIAL IMPACT OF MINING ACTIVITY ON XIN’AN KARST

Xin’an Karst system, located in the southeast of Shanxi Province, China, is noted for its availability of Ordovician karst water resources. The karst water is the main water resources for local domestic, industrial, agricultural and mining water use. Since 1980s, local Xin’an Basin Management Agence dedicated to the integral management of Xin’an Karst System. The new round National Water Resources Assessment in 2005 showed that the Xin’an Karst System can reach water balance and pose great potential water use. The continuous drawdowns of karst system are mainly dominated by dry period of weather. The south Qinshui Coalfield belongs to the North China Permo-Carboniferous Coalfield and is mined by Lu’an Mining Group. Lu’an Mining Group is one of the main water users of Xin’an Karst system. This article assessed the status of the Karst system, observed the water use patterns of mining, and investigated the trend of karst water regime by hydrochemical and isotopic method. The result shows that the karst hydrogeologic cycle is obviously accelerated and karst is developed downwardly in mining area by intensive mining water use. Actually, the potential use of karst water is limited