Palaeo-karst collapse pillars in northern China and their damage to the geological environments

According to statistics, there are a total of 39 sites of palaeo-karst collapse pillars in Northern China, as well as 3,650 palaeo-karst collapse pillars. Through an overall survey and analysis of the distribution regularities and formation mechanisms of palaeo-karst collapse pillars in the northern coal mine regions, this paper found that the rock formation structures, geological structures, karst characters, underground hydrodynamic conditions of karst and neotectonic movement conditions are basic geological bases for the formation of karst collapse pillars and rule the distribution of them. Karst collapse pillars apparently have three south–north regularities in terms of distribution, and they have resulted in severe damages to geological resources and environment in their distribution areas: mine water inrush causing and coal resources damage and influencing the impounding of reservoirs as well as the stability of dam sites. Based on the basic geological features of palaeo-karst collapse pillars in northern China, this paper also introduces the new methods of integrated prospecting of successive approximation to determine hydraulic conductivity of palaeo-karst collapse pillars.