The corrosion effect on supports used in underground mining operations generated by low-rank salt-bearing coals: the Central Anatolia case

The formations containing soluble salt structures are located on the upper sections of underground coal beds in Central Anatolia Region, where ground waters infiltrate into coal seams through faults and with other environmental factors that result in corrosion danger upon machinery/equipment employed within mining operations. In order to define the corrosion rates of steel component samples, tests performed with bore water representing regional underground hydrosphere, mine water for mining conditions, and pure water for control purposes. The corrosion mechanisms were implemented according to Standard Practice for Preparing, Cleaning, and Evaluating Corrosion Test Specimens-ASTM G1-03 (2011), and the microscopic images of steel surfaces have been examined ASTM G1-03, (2011). At the end of experiments, support steel sample mass loss is defined as lowest for bore water and highest for mine water and pure water. The rates of corrosion for bore water is 0.010, mine water 0.182, and pure water 0.180 (mm/year). Evidently, actual underground water corrosiveness is assessed as high; therefore, suggestions are developed for the mining enterprises to take into consideration for safe and secure operation in such environment.