This study aims to elucidate the mechanisms and control pathways of overburden environmental capacity loss during multi horizon mining of coal associated resources. In response to the coordinated development of coal, uranium, coalbed methane, and oil and gas resources in typical basins, the responses to overburden environmental disturbances induced by multi horizon resource development were analyzed. The concept of overburden environmental capacity was introduced to characterize the response limit and stability capacity of the geological environment under multi-horizon mining. A theoretical and technical framework for controlling environmental capacity loss was developed around the key processes of identification, assessment, control, and decision making. The results show that repeated mining and high-intensity disturbance intensify overburden movement, fracture propagation, and surface subsidence, thereby inducing instability of key strata load-bearing structures. The coupled evolution of stress, fracture, seepage, and energy fields further weakens the environmental carrying capacity of the overburden. A three-tier evaluation system was established by integrating near, intermediate, and far field disturbance criteria, capacity grading assessment, and identification of strongly disturbed zones. A technical pathway combining comprehensive assessment of capacity loss with global sensitivity analysis was developed. With minimization of environmental capacity loss as the optimization objective, the proposed framework supports optimization of mining layouts and proactive risk prevention and control. This study provides a theoretical basis and technical support for the safe, efficient, and coordinated development of coal associated resources and for green and low carbon mining.

Based on a typical middle coal seam with the upper and lower goafs in close-multiple coal seams in Qianjiaying coal mine, the characteristics of the damage degree and the fracture development of the interlayer coal-rock mass were analyzed and the mining feasibility of the middle coal seam with the upper and lower goafs was determined, using a combination method with physical simulation, numerical simulation, and on-site measurement. The results showed that: ① Due to the repeated mining of the upper and lower coal seams, the average damage degree of the interlayer coal-rock mass increased, indicating lower damage degree and good integrity of the interlayer coal-rock mass. ② The longitudinal fractures in the interlayer coal-rock mass developed to the immediate floor of the middle coal seam. Longitudinal fractures emerged in each stratum of the interlayer coal-rock mass. No through-fractures were observed in the roof and floor of middle coal seam, or the seam itself. This maintained good continuity and integrity of the seam. ③ On-site industrial tests on the mining of middle coal seam showed that the maximum and average shield support capacity remained stable between 20.16~28.88 MPa and 14.83~17.32 MPa. These values never exceeded the rated shield support capacity of ZY4800-13/32 shield.