Integrated 3D geo-environmental assessment of acid-forming materials in historic coal waste piles for sustainable management.

Coal mining produces coal mine waste rock (CMWR), posing significant environmental risks, including acid mine drainage (AMD) if unmanaged. The Jerada Mine in eastern Morocco has accumulated CMWR since it began operations in 1936, with no rehabilitation efforts until 2001. This study assessed the stability of the T08 pile, which has been deposited over five decades across various oxidation zones.