Source Discrimination of Mine Gushing Water Using Self-Organizing Feature Maps: A Case Study in Ningtiaota Coal Mine, Shaanxi, China

Currently, there is a contradiction between coal mining and protection of water resources, meaning that there is a need for an effective method for discriminating the source of mine gushing water. Ningtiaota Coal Mine is a typical and representative main coal mine in the Shennan mining area. Taking this coal mine as an example, the self-organizing feature map (SOM) approach was applied to source discrimination of mine gushing water. Fisher discriminant analysis, water temperature, and traditional hydrogeochemical discrimination methods, such as Piper and Gibbs diagrams, were also employed as auxiliary indicators to verify and analyze the results of the SOM approach. The results from the three methods showed that the source of all the gushing water samples was surface water. This study represents the innovative use of an SOM in source discrimination for the first time. This approach has the advantages of high precision, high efficiency, good visualization, and less human interference. It can quantify sources while also comprehensively considering their hydrogeochemical characteristics, and it is especially suitable for case studies with large sample sizes. This research provides a more satisfactory solution for water inrush traceability, water disaster prevention and control, ecological protection, coal mine safety, and policy intervention.