The objective of this work was to perform a series of measurements of radon and thoron exhalation in the underground workings of an experimental coal mine. In the years 2012–2015, experiments on underground coal gasification were carried out in a coal mine, which caused, among other effects, damage to rock mass. Afterward, periodic increases in the concentration of potential alpha energy (PAEC) of radon decay products in the air were found, which could pose a hazard to miners. The question posed was whether the gasification experiment resulted in the increased migration of radon and thoron. If so, did it increase the radiation hazard to miners? The adaptation of the existing instrumentation to the specific conditions was conducted, and a series of measurements were made. It was found that the measured values of radon and thoron exhalation rates ranged from 3.0 up to 38 Bq·m⁻²·h⁻¹ for radon and from 500 up to 2000 Bq·m⁻²·h⁻¹ for thoron.

In this study, the shape and size of a combustion cavity with a fracture zone in the gasified coal seam was determined with the use of control boreholes and a ground-penetrating radar (BGPR) test. The underground coal gasification (UCG) field-scale experiment was performed in Carboniferous strata in coal seam 501 at a depth of approx. 460 m in the Wieczorek hard coal mine in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin, Poland. After the termination of the UCG reactor, five coring boreholes were drilled to identify the geometry of the resulting combustion cavity and the impact of the UCG process on the surrounding rock mass. Borehole ground-penetrating radar measurements were performed using a 100 MHz antenna in three boreholes with a length of about 40–50 m. This enabled the identification of the boundaries of the combustion cavity and the fracture zone in the coal seam. The fracture zones of rock layers and lithological borders near the control borehole were also depicted. As a result, the cavity was estimated to have a length of around 32 m, a width of around 7 m and a height of around 5 m. The analyses performed with the control boreholes and the BGPR provided sufficient information to determine the geometry of the combustion cavity and the fracture zone.

A significant problem in hard coal mining is the utilisation of ventilation air methane (VAM). Two basic methane combustion methods, thermal (homogeneous) and catalytic oxidation, are analysed in detail in this paper. Both processes are compared based on numerical simulations, applying the reaction kinetics developed in previous works, assuming a few typical monolithic reactor packings. The reactor’s mathematical model and kinetic equations are presented. The results are presented graphically as the temperature and reactant concentration distributions along the reactor, assuming different inlet methane concentrations in the VAM, inlet gas temperature and flow velocity. Interstage reactor cooling is simulated with a higher methane concentration for the catalytic process. The energetic problems of the process are analysed in terms of the heat recovery and resulting exergy, as well as the Carnot efficiency. The problem of toxic carbon monoxide emissions is also modelled and discussed, and the pros and cons of both VAM combustion methods are identified.

Underground locations can be used in various ways for scientific and economic purposes. One of the main factors influencing the safety level in the underground mine workings is natural radioactivity. The article presents research carried out on the natural radioactivity in shallow mine workings at the GIG Experimental Mine ‘Barbara’. The description of the natural radiation includes radon determination in the air, in situ gamma spectrometry, neutron flux measurements, and laboratory measurements of ^226,228Ra, ⁴⁰K, and ^234,238U isotopes using gamma and alpha spectrometry techniques. In the measurement chamber at the depth 46 m (122 m w.e.) in the sandstone layer, the photon flux registered at the 7–3150 keV energy range is equal to 17.6 ± 1.9 cm⁻²s⁻¹, the gamma-ray dose rate is 0.200 ± 0.029 µSv/h, and the thermal neutron flux is equal to (8.6 ± 1.1) × 10⁻⁶ cm⁻²s⁻¹. After closing the measurement chamber and turning off ventilation, a significant ingrowth of ²²²Rn content was observed, reaching the value of 4040 ± 150 Bq/m³. An increased gamma-ray flux and thermal neutron flux were observed in the investigated location.

Heritage and culture tourism involve features that commemorate a valued past. Mining heritage tourism allows visitors to experience the past, guided by former mining landscapes and engaging interactively with material artifacts. This paper introduces the CoalHeritage European project, focusing on the promotion of coal mining heritage through the production and design of the European Visual Map Journal (EVMJ). The EVMJ is a user-friendly, web-based, interactive storytelling platform that supports the transfer of industrial and geoheritage from former coal mining areas. It aims to collect and disseminate heritage assets from post-mining coal areas, informing stakeholders and promoting these sites as tourist destinations. To further enhance public awareness, several ESRI StoryMaps web apps are being created to highlight specific features of each case study across Europe. The aim of this work is to introduce coal mining heritage as a new term, present the coal heritage platform and its importance for disseminating coal heritage aspects to the public, describe the methodology used for its design, and provide a brief overview of its evolving content.

This study, conducted as part of the ROCCS project, investigates the potential of coal seams for CO₂ sequestration through in situ tests. The in situ tests, performed at Experimental Mine Barbara in Mikołów, Poland, involved injecting CO₂ through a horizontal well into a coal seam, with variable well lengths and injection parameters. The experiments included monitoring for CO₂ leakage and migration within the coal seam. The objective was to examine the correlation between the CO₂ injection rate and the coal–CO₂ contact area, monitoring for any potential leakage. The total mass of CO₂ injected was about 7700 kg. Significant leakage, probably due to the formation of preferential pathways, prevented pressure buildup in the injection well. The results provide insights into challenges regarding CO₂ injection into coal seams, with implications for the design of commercial-scale CO₂ storage installations.