Wang Peng, Li Fan, Lu Kai, Huang Wei
College of Geology and Environment, Xi'an University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, 710054, Shaanxi, China.
Sci Rep. 2025 May 7;15(1):15905. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-00442-3.
Groundwater serves as a vital water resource for human society, yet it also plays a significant role in geological- and engineering-related hazards, such as landslides, tunnel collapses, and mining-related issues. Detecting water-rich zones and groundwater seepage pathways is essential for mitigating these risks. The Xiaogangou Coal Mine, located in a low- to mid-mountainous region at the northern foot of the Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang, China, contains multiple coal seams distributed at a depth of approximately 600 m. Surface infiltration from two rivers in the area has resulted in water-rich zones within the medium to coarse sandstone layers between these coal seams, posing a potential threat to mining operations and construction activities. In this study, geophysical methods, including transient electromagnetic surveys, electrical resistivity tomography, and self-potential measurements, were employed to investigate the extent of these water-rich zones and identify primary infiltration pathways. The transient electromagnetic data facilitated the construction of a three-dimensional geoelectric model of the mine, from which the planar distribution of resistivity in the medium to coarse sandstone layers-likely reservoirs of groundwater-was derived. Combining low-resistivity anomaly zones with geological and drilling data allowed for the delineation of water-rich areas. Additionally, two self-potential profiles along the rivers were used to map surface electric potential distributions, which, in conjunction with two-dimensional resistivity data from overlapping electrical resistivity tomography profiles, revealed the main infiltration points and seepage channels. The results from the three geophysical techniques corroborated one another, delineating the extent of the aquifer and demonstrating that the rivers recharge the groundwater through rock weathering and structural fractures. The subsequent post-processing of these detection results facilitated the construction of a comprehensive three-dimensional model of the groundwater system. This study highlights the efficacy of geoelectric methods in detecting water-rich zones and infiltration pathways in complex hydrogeological settings.
地下水是人类社会至关重要的水资源，但它在地质和工程相关灾害中也起着重要作用，如山体滑坡、隧道坍塌和采矿相关问题。探测富水区域和地下水渗流路径对于降低这些风险至关重要。小沟煤矿位于中国新疆天山北麓的低山至中山地区，有多个煤层分布在约600米深处。该地区两条河流的地表径流导致煤层之间的中粗砂岩层内出现富水区域，对采矿作业和建设活动构成潜在威胁。在本研究中，采用了包括瞬变电磁勘探、电阻率层析成像和自然电位测量在内的地球物理方法，以调查这些富水区域的范围并确定主要渗流路径。瞬变电磁数据有助于构建矿井的三维地电模型，从中得出中粗砂岩层（可能是地下水储层）电阻率的平面分布。将低电阻率异常区与地质和钻探数据相结合，可划定富水区域。此外，沿河流的两条自然电位剖面用于绘制地表电位分布，结合重叠电阻率层析成像剖面的二维电阻率数据，揭示了主要渗流点和渗流通道。三种地球物理技术的结果相互印证，划定了含水层范围，并表明河流通过岩石风化和构造裂缝对地下水进行补给。对这些探测结果的后续处理有助于构建地下水系统的综合三维模型。本研究突出了地电方法在复杂水文地质环境中探测富水区域和渗流路径的有效性。
