Background and Methods To mitigate the contradiction between abundant coal resources and scarce water resources in China, this study proposes a collaborative management and control solution for groundwater protection, treatment, and utilization in coal mining areas. From a theoretical perspective, this study investigates the propagation chains of both the coal mining disturbance to groundwater and the responses of groundwater systems to engineering interventions. Furthermore, it elucidates the core idea, scientific connotation, and technical architecture of the collaborative management and control and explores key technologies involved.

Results and Conclusions A technical system based on accurate prediction and precise monitoring, covering treatment-protection combination, treatment-utilization combination, and protection-utilization allocation, is established. Accordingly, key technologies for the collaborative management and control are developed: the prediction and monitoring technology for hydrogeological conditions of coal mining; technology for cutting off water using diaphragm wall-based lateral curtains in shallowly buried areas; technology for cutting off water using lateral curtains through borehole grouting in moderately buried areas; advanced regional treatment of water inrushes from coal seam floor aquifers through grouting; control and drainage technology for water in coal seam roof aquifers; technology for mine water drainage combined with water supply; technology for category- and quality-based mine water treatment; technology for quality-based mine water utilization, and technology for the evaluation and allocation optimization of water resources in mining areas. These technologies collectively contribute to the dual constraints, i.e., safety guarantee and water resource protection, on coal mining under the premise of water conservation. A collaborative management and control platform for groundwater protection, treatment, and utilization in coal mining areas is established. This platform, combined with system hardware for the dynamic monitoring of roof and floor failure processes induced by mining disturbance, along with the dynamic monitoring of water inflow and water quality in mines, enables the closed-loop management and control of groundwater in mining areas throughout the whole process from source protection to monitoring and early warning, then to water disaster prevention and control, and then to resource utilization. This platform provides a technical carrier and practical support for the collaborative management and control of groundwater in mining areas, further demonstrating the practical significance of the collaborative management and control system. The results of this study hold great significance for systematically addressing the coal-water contradiction in coal mining areas and supporting the safe, efficient, and green coal resource exploitation in China.