Environmental impact of oil shale mining

Oil shale mining has impact on the environment. In Estonia, 100 years of oil shale mining history provides sufficient experience and acknowledgement for estimating environmental impact for the future. The mining depth is increasing, and mining activities are moving from surface to underground mines. Environmental impact of oil shale mining with and without backfilling for 20, 24 and 28 Mt/y production rate was evaluated for the future and compared with the past. Ground stability, landscape properties, mining waste management, usage of resources and mining losses, water management with water quality and depression cones, noise and dust were analysed on 7-point impact points scale. The aim of this study was to create criteria for estimating environmental impact of oil shale mining.