Evaluating environmental quality in Rujigou coalfield, China, using analytic hierarchy process.

Area of Science:

• Environmental science
• Mining engineering
• Geographic information systems

Background:

• Coal mining is a primary energy source but causes extensive environmental degradation.
• Assessing environmental quality is crucial for understanding and mitigating mining impacts.
• The Rujigou coalfield lacked prior environmental quality assessments.

Approach:

• Employed the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) for environmental quality assessment.
• Criteria selection involved literature review and extensive field surveys.
• Weighting of criteria was based on expert opinions, published literature, and field data.

Key Points:

• Air quality experiences the most significant degradation due to mining activities.
• Soil, water, landform, and vegetation also show considerable impacts.
• The AHP methodology provides a systematic approach to environmental evaluation.

Conclusions:

• The AHP methodology provides a systematic approach to environmental quality assessment in mining areas.
• Findings highlight critical areas for environmental management and policy intervention.
• The study offers valuable insights for policymakers and mine managers to address environmental challenges.