Assessment of Air Pollution in Opencast Coal Mining Due to Seasonal Effects and use of Surface Miner

This research investigates air pollution during opencast coal mining, focusing on Chhal Opencast Mine in the Raigarh Area, Chhattisgarh, India. Presently coal is fulfilling 55% of India's energy demand, significant expansions in mining have led to severe environmental degradation and health concerns. The study aims to analyze dust and gases such as NOx and SOx around mining areas, assess temporal changes in air pollution levels, and evaluate the impact of mine expansion on air quality. Despite lower overburden extraction with surface mining techniques, total air pollution may still increase, influenced by meteorological conditions and the mining geometry. Major Findings: In this study, the findings reveal that dust is the primary pollutant, with alarming concentrations of particulate matter (Suspended Particulate Matter, Respirable Particulate Matter, Fine Particulate Matter).