Abstract

Jharia coalfield is one of India's largest and most productive coal fields, home of the oldest-burning coal seam fires in the world. The paper highlights the time lapse combined study comprising Self-Potential (SP), Magnetic, and Electrical Resistivity Imaging (ERI) methods for delineation and mapping of coal fires their depths, extension, and propagation direction. Time lapse studies in 2013 and 2015 over East Basuria colliery were carried out using magnetic, self-potential (SP), and electrical resistivity imaging (ERI). Two SP, magnetic, and ERI profiles data were collected across the expected site in 2013 and 2015. Prominent negative SP and negative magnetic anomalies have been delineated with similar low resistivity anomaly in all profiles conforming to the active coal fire in different seams. In the year 2013, five prominent active/partial coal fire zones have been delineated in coal seams VIIIA/VIIIB/VII based on the combined analysis of SP, magnetic, and ERI are associated. Whereas, two prominent active fire zones and four prominent baked/burned out/fractured rock-mass zones have been identified, in the year of 2015. It is observed that coal-fire front is moving outward from central open coal mine pit; however, a prominent active firefront is moving towards the north-west part of the study area.