Spoil piles are produced routinely in open cut coal mines. Spoil piles may contain waste coal and other carbonaceous
horizons. Coal and carbonaceous materials react with oxygen in the atmosphere, producing heat. If the rate at which heat is
generated is greater than the rate at which heat can be dissipated, the temperature of the spoil pile rises. If the heating
remains unchecked, spontaneous combustion can occur. Spontaneous combustion poses significant safety, environmental
and economic problems if it should become established in spoil piles. Using the basic features of self heating in spoil, the
use of model is directed toward developing quantitative prediction of spontaneous combustion in open cut coal mine spoil
Piles.