Contribution of Quaternary geology to planning and management of open pit coal mines

Le résumé fourni par la source

This chapter focuses on the contribution of this science to the prediction and management of mine highwall stability problems in glacially thrust bedrock and is one of the products of an interdisciplinary study, involving Quaternary geology, hydrogeology and surface geophysics. It also focuses on knowledge gained during regional surficial geology mapping and Quaternary stratigraphy projects run over the last 5 to 10 years, and more recently research focusing directly on open pit coal mine highwall stability. The chapter describes conditions typical of the glaciated portion of the Great Plains of North America. The western plains are almost entirely covered by glacial sediment and slope gradually toward the northeast. Deformation terrain, or glaciotectonic terrain, consists of masses of bedrock and/or previously deposited glacial sediment that have been transported, more or less intact, by the glaciers. The deformation consists of large scale folding and/or faulting, and small scale crushing.

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