The status and prospects of comprehensive utilization concerning large quantities of coal gangue solid waste located in the Shaanxi District of the Yellow River Basin

The Shaanxi District of the Yellow River Basin, as one of China’s primary coal production regions, is facing challenges including massive stockpiles of bulk coal gangue solid waste and low utilization rates. These issues impact ecological environment protection in mining areas, hinder the construction progress of the “Zero-Waste City” initiative within the region, and constrain green development and utilization of coal resources. This paper provides an in-depth summary and analysis of the geological background, physicochemical characteristics, and types of bulk coal gangue solid waste generated in the five major coal production areas of Shaanxi Province. It also systematically summarizes the pathways and methods for the comprehensive utilization of coal gangue solid waste. The analysis indicates that there are significant regional variations in the physicochemical properties and types of coal gangue in Shaanxi’s major coal-producing areas. In the comprehensive utilization of coal gangue solid waste, large-scale disposal methods are primarily focused on surface and underground disposal approaches, while resource-oriented utilization mainly involves building material preparation, mineral extraction, and chemical product development. In light of the geological environmental impacts resulting from coal resource extraction, as well as the interrelated factors such as regional natural geographical features and characteristics of solid waste, this paper proposes innovative high-value utilization methods for comprehensive coal-based solid waste management. These methods encompass geological disaster prevention and control, land reclamation, energy storage and recycling, and the integrated development and utilization of multiple solid wastes. The technical feasibility and underlying principles of these methods are thoroughly examined. Adhering to the principle of “using local materials and adapting to local conditions”, this study also outlines technical approaches for hierarchical and qualitative collaborative recycling of multiple solid wastes within the coal-electricity-chemical industry chain. The research content has significant guiding significance for achieving the multiple goals of efficient utilization of major solid wastes in the Shaanxi District of the Yellow River Basin, ecological environment protection, and optimizing the industrial layout within the region.