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The western mining regions of China, known for shallow-buried and high-intensity mining activities, face significant ecological threats due to damage to loose strata and the surface. The evolution of fissures within the loose layer is a critical issue for surface ecological environment protection in coal mining areas. The study employed field measurements, mechanical experiments, numerical simulations, and theoretical analysis, using the 'triaxial consolidation without drainage' experiment to assess the physical and mechanical properties of various strata in the loose layer. Additionally, the PFC2D numerical simulation software was employed to construct a numerical model that elucidates the damage mechanisms and reveals the evolution of loose layer fissures and the development of ground cracks. The research findings indicate that during shallow-buried high-intensity mining loose layer fissures undergo a dynamic evolution process characterized by "vertical extension-continuous penetration-lateral expansion". As the working face advances, these fissures eventually propagate to the surface, forming ground cracks. The strong force chains within the overlying rock (or soil) layers develop in the form of an "inverted catenary arch". As the arch foot and the middle of the arch overlap, fissures propagate along these strong force chains to the surface, resulting in ground cracks. The study elucidates the surface damage patterns in shallow-buried, high-intensity mining, offering theoretical insights for harmonizing coal mining safety with ecological conservation in fragile regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) is a highly promising process for synthesizing ammonia and holds great potential to replace the traditional Haber–Bosch process. Here, we report a novel flower-shaped ZnS/CoS composite electrocatalyst for the NRR. Remarkably, the ZnS/CoS-105 heterojunction catalyst achieved an NH3 yield rate of 20.42 μg h−1 mgcat.−1 and a faradaic efficiency (FE) of 11.83% at −0.45 V VS. RHE in an aqueous 0.1 M Na2SO4 solution. In addition, ZnS/CoS-105 showed remarkable stability (up to 24 h) for the NRR process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In particular, the secondary development of overlying strata fractures can easily lead to the upper goaf, resulting in gas and water gathered in the goaf entering the working face of the lower coal seam through the overlying strata fractures, threatening the safety of coal mine production. Security risks may arise. To further understand the caving and evolution law of overlying strata during repeated mining in extremely close distance coal seam down mining, 9# coal and 10# coal in the Nanyaotou Coal Industry were used as the engineering background. The caving characteristics and fracture evolution law of overlying strata during single and repeated mining were analyzed through similar material simulation tests. Based on fractal geometry theory, the relationship between the advancing distance of the working face and the fractal dimension of the overlying strata fracture is established to reflect the changing trend of fracture development. The calculation formula is derived from the tensile rate of rock strata to predict the development height of water-conducting fractures. The results show that the overlying strata failure structure is mainly a "hinged structure" and a "step structure," which respectively promotes and inhibits the development of overlying strata fractures. Repeated mining causes mininginduced fractures in the lower coal seam to pass through the goaf of the upper coal seam and develop more vigorously in the upper coal seam, and the fractal dimension can effectively reflect the development of overlying strata fractures. The height of the water-conducting fracture zone increases in four stages: incubation, gradual increase, further gradual increase, and stability, eventually stopping development under the influence of the key layer (thick mudstone) bearing the load above. The development height of water-conducting fractures predicted by on-site water injection measurement is similar to that predicted by simulation experiments and theoretical calculations, verifying the feasibility of predicting the development height of water-conducting fractures through simulation tests and theoretical analysis. This study provides a reference for coal seam mining under similar conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing frequency and intensity of coal and gas outburst disasters under deep mining conditions, studying the outburst mechanism of occurrence has great significance for outbursts prevention and control. The evolution law of coal and gas outbursts under different gas pressure is proposed. The outbursts law is analyzed utilizing the self-developed simulation experiment system of coal and gas outbursts, and the simulation experiment is carried out under the gas pressure of 0.45, 0.8, and 1.5 MPa. In the experiment, the gas pressure drops curves, the relative intensity change, the interval distribution of coal powder, and the evolution of outburst hole and the migration rate of coal powder are analyzed. The results indicate that (1) the gas pressure detected by the No. 4 gas pressure sensor starts to drop first; (2) the gas pressure is positively proportional to the relative outburst intensity. When the gas pressure increases from 0.45 to 0.80 MPa and then to 1.5 MPa, the farthest outburst distance of coal powder increases from 10 to 15 m and then to 21 m, and the corresponding relative outburst intensity increases from 22.94% to 35.74% and then to 45.73%, respectively. (3) The average proportion of coal particles size less than 0.28 mm and larger than 1 mm under each corresponding outburst interval is 40.75% and 22.53%, respectively. Experimental results show that the gas pressure plays an essential role in the secondary crushing and pulverization of coal samples during the outburst process. (4) The throwing velocity of the pulverized coal is increased with the gas pressure near the outburst hole. When the gas pressure is 0.8 MPa, the throwing velocity of pulverized coal reaches the maximum value of 32.40 m/s. (5) The dimensional characteristics and the location initiation of the outburst hole are obtained. The results showed that the outburst process of coal is mainly in two failure forms: pulverization and spallation. The research results provide a theoretical basis and test data support for the prevention and control of coal and gas outburst disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerical forward modelling and laboratory experiments suggest that autogenic factors in the sediment routing system serve as long‐pass filters, preserving only orbital cycles with a period exceeding the compensation timescale, Tc, or thickness in the depth domain exceeding the compensation depth scale, Hc. For a specific orbital cycle with a certain period, this preservation in alluvial strata occurs unless it exhibits a sufficiently large amplitude. This study stratigraphically confirms, for the first time, the long‐pass filtering of autogenic dynamics using elemental data from the alluvial–lacustrine Sifangtai and Mingshui formations in the Songliao Basin. Spectral analysis of the Si and Zr series in coarse‐grained sediments reveals no cyclic signal with thicknesses below the estimated lower limits of Hc. This implies that the spatial storage threshold for orbital cycles in proxies of the coarse‐grained sediment component is equal to or less than Hc. However, cyclic signals of obliquity and precession with smaller thicknesses are identified in Ti, Fe and Al enriched in the fine‐grained sediment components of the stratigraphy. Notably, previously reported proxies preserving high‐frequency orbital cycles are derived from fine‐grained sediment components, differing from the sedimentation rate series used in the reported experimental studies. Therefore, the authors hypothesize a grain‐size component‐dependent storage threshold, suggesting that the storage threshold of orbital cycles in proxies associated with fine‐grained components is lower. This hypothesis arises from the weaker effect of autogenic dynamics on the content of fine‐grained sediment components transported to the sampling site by a suspended load compared to coarser components that are subjected to stronger autogenic dynamics within or near channels. The hypothesis and model presented propose a dynamic process elucidating the nuanced roles of autogenic dynamics in preserving orbital cycles. This perspective, considering sediment composition, inspires prioritizing proxies enriched in the fine‐grained fraction for identifying allogenic cycles in alluvial strata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying the evolution law of overlying rock fissures and predicting the development height of water-conducting fissure zones is the key to preventing roof water damage, protecting mine water resources, and realizing the safe and sustainable development of the mine. To study the overburden fracture evolution law of coal mining under aquifer conditions, the 1402 working face of Longwangzhuang Mine in Shaanmian Coalfield serves as the engineering background based on the Fractal Theory and similar simulation technology; this paper analyzes the fracture evolution of overburden rock and the development law of Water-Conducting Fracture Zone (WCFZ) during the advancing of working face, and further puts forward a model for the location discrimination of overburden fracture based on plate theory. The results indicate that post-mining, overburden rock failure assumes a trapezoidal shape, and fractures around the cutting hole and the side of the working face fully develop, while those in the middle of the goaf tend to compact. The distribution of the fracture network of mining strata at different advancing distances has good self-similarity, and the fractal dimension of the fracture network of overlying rock can be divided into three stages: ascending dimension, decreasing dimension, and stable phase. The II 1 coal seam fracture does not spread to the Sandstone Fissure Confined Aquifer. These findings provide strategic guidance for protecting mine aquifer water resources, preventing and controlling roof water inrush, and ensuring safe and sustainable production within the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]