Coal Mining & Risk Assessment

01. Understand Your Site

A Coal Mining Risk Assessment (CMRA) is generally required as a condition of planning to determine whether a site is at risk from past mining activities, which may cause unstable ground or harmful ground gas generation.

We conduct an in-house initial assessment to determine a pragmatic, cost effective investigation for your specific site.

Based on your requirements we will advise if a desk based or intrusive investigation is required.

02. Desk Based Study

A desk based study provides a cost effective approach to determining potential sources of ground gas at the site or within the surrounding area. We will:

Obtain regulatory information from the coal authority. e.g. A Consultants Report and abandonment plans;
Review BGS Geological Mapping, Historical Maps, information from the Durham Mining Museum and from BGS boreholes.

This information is collated and reviewed to provide a desk-based Coal Mining Risk Assessment.

03. Intrusive Investigation

If the desk based assessment identifies the site is at risk then an intrusive site investigation is required.

A Coal Authority permit is obtained, which gives permission to progress boreholes at the site into coal seams which belong to the authority.

The investigation will include:

The progression of boreholes to identify shallow coal seams or historic coal mine workings beneath the site.‍

During the investigation the boreholes are monitored for ground gases for health and safety.

04. Provide Advice

The final risk is determined and cost-effective, commercial advice is provided, enabling you to make informed decisions.

If worked coal seams are identified then further works can include the stabilisation of the ground through the grouting of the seams i.e. injection of concrete.