Objective The Dongsheng coalfield exhibits various types of mine water hazards, complex water filling mechanisms, and high water inflow with high total dissolved solids (TDS) content in mining areas. These characteristics pose challenges to the comprehensive utilization of mine water, severely restricting the safe, green, and efficient coal mining in the coalfield.

Methods This study aims to reveal the roof water filling characteristics of the Dongsheng coalfield and enhance the comprehensive utilization of mine water. Using methods including statistical analysis of drilling data, analytic hierarchy process, and hydrochemical tests, this study analyzed the strata, spatial distribution of aquifers, and the spatial configuration of aquifers and coal seams to be mined in the Dongsheng coalfield. Accordingly, it explored the characteristics of roof water hazards, the hydrochemical characteristics of mine water, and the ways of the reutilization of mine water.

Results and Conclusions  With an increase in the burial depth of coal seams, the overall water filling intensity of mines in the Dongsheng coalfield gradually increases from northeast to southwest. This is primarily attributed to the aquifers of the Jurassic Zhiluo Formation. Mining areas like Shendong and Wanli suffer various roof water hazards in shallowly buried, thin bedrocks. In contrast, mining areas like Khujirt and Nalinhe in the west are subjected to roof water hazards of single types in thick sandstones. The overall TDS content of mine water gradually increases from northeast to southwest with the burial depth of coal seams. The primary cause of this TDS content variation is that the shallowly buried zones are prone to be recharged by the Quaternary phreatic aquifers, whereas aquifers in the deep parts primarily receive lateral recharge and exhibit slow runoff. The comprehensive utilization of mine water in the Dongsheng coalfield can be divided into four modes: quality-based cascade utilization of water resources mines, coordinated allocation of water resources among mines, coordinated water purification and utilization of coal mines and chemical industry, and mining area-agriculture-ecology combined allocation and utilization of water resources. These mine water utilization modes can effectively reduce the demand of relevant water consumption sectors for water resources from surface and groundwater systems. This will help save at least 3 579.16×10⁴ m³ of water resources annually.