# A Review of the Impact of Spontaneous Combustion on Slope Stability in Coal Mine Waste Dumps
## 5 Discussion
In the case of active dumping sites, excavation operations can also disrupt the continuity of waste disposal activities, requiring careful planning and coordination to minimize operational downtime. Additionally, handling and relocating burning or heated materials pose safety risks to workers and require appropriate protective measures. Given these challenges, excavation should be carefully planned in conjunction with other fire mitigation strategies, such as controlled compaction, surface sealing, and the continuous monitoring of temperature and gas emissions, to ensure a comprehensive and sustainable approach to spontaneous combustion management. Practically, there is no single control measure that has been proven to be completely reliable or successful. The effective control of spontaneous combustion is usually achieved by using a combination of techniques. Hence, developing eco-friendly mitigation techniques is critical for the long-term management of spontaneous combustion in mine waste dumps. **Climate Change**: Self-heating in mine waste dumps is strongly influenced by ambient conditions such as temperature, wind, rainfall (including snowfall), and atmospheric pressure. These environmental factors play an important role in the onset of spontaneous combustion. The increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events due to climate change can exacerbate the risk of spontaneous combustion in mine waste dumps. Rising temperatures, prolonged dry periods, intense rainfall, and unpredictable weather events can all alter the moisture content, air circulation, and temperature gradients within the dump. This can accelerate self-heating processes, leading to an increased risk of combustion and further impacting the stability of the dump slope. In the context of climate change, these effects are likely to become more pronounced, necessitating adaptive management strategies for the safe handling and monitoring of mine waste dumps. Currently, the effects of extreme weather events due to climate change on combustion remain understudied. **Alternative approach on mine waste dump management**: Energy from the combustion process can be used as a continuous geothermal heat source. The combustion process releases greenhouse gases, contributing to air pollution, acid rain, and climate change. Additionally, it produces particulate matter and toxic heavy metals, which can degrade air quality and pose health risks. From a geotechnical perspective, spontaneous combustion within mine waste dumps can lead to thermal fractures, increased permeability, ground subsidence, and structural instability. The heat generated alters the physical and chemical properties of surrounding materials, potentially weakening the dump structure and influencing water flow patterns. Despite a number of negative impacts, spontaneous combustion is a significant source of energy. Controlled combustion can remain an essential energy source for district heating systems or industrial applications, where its steady heat output is harnessed for efficient thermal energy production. Similar concepts have been explored in municipal solid waste landfills to optimize energy recovery [187; 188; 189]. Moreover, although various technologies have been tested and implemented to mitigate spontaneous combustion in mine waste dumps, long-term success remains elusive. Frequent spontaneous combustion events continue to be observed in mine waste dumps worldwide, highlighting the persistent challenge of controlling these events. Given the high cost and uncertain effectiveness of traditional hazard mitigation strategies, a shift in perspective may be necessary. Instead of solely focusing on extinguishing and eliminating spontaneous combustion-induced hazards, a more pragmatic approach could involve hazard awareness, risk control, and the strategic utilization of the generated heat. Maximizing the energy potential of controlled combustion could provide tangible benefits to surrounding communities, turning an environmental and safety challenge into a potential energy resource.