Assessment of the Single Pass Thick Seam Longwall Mining Method

Details

• Personal Author:
  Adam RFJ ; Douglas WJ
• Description:
  The objectives of the project are a review of the foreign experiences in longwall mining of thick seams, an evaluation of the US thick seam reserves, a mine design, equipment specifications, and an economic study for longwall mining in a single pass up to 16 feet in US conditions. The review of foreign experience shows a steady increase in the maximum height of extraction with several examples in the range of 13 to 15 feet. Longwall face equipment is available up to an 18 feet height of extraction, based upon shields support and shearer loader. There are important reserves of thick coal seams which can be mined by a longwall in a single pass (125 billion tons). In US conditions, a retreating face with a 16 foot height of extraction and a double entry system, driven 10 feet high, are proposed. The face stability can be improved by using a two bench face cut in good geological conditions. The economic study compares longwall mining with the room-and-pillar method. Longwall mining 16 feet high coal in a single pass can compete advantageously with room-and-pillar mining. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Economics Mining Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Coal Mines Coal Seams Comparative Evaluations Data Compilation Design Economic Analysis Global Aspects Longwall Mining Mining Equipment Room And Pillar Mining Specifications Technology Assessment Thickness

  More +
• Series:
  Mining Publications
• Publisher:
  U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Conference Publications ; Final Contract Report
• Place as Subject:
  District of Columbia ; OSHA Region 3 ; Pennsylvania
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  PRC - Pittsburgh Research Center
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-291
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:10000572
• NTIS Accession Number:
  DE83-001401
• Citation:
  Pittsburgh, PA: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, Contract C-14246, 1982 Apr; :1-291
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1982
• Performing Organization:
  Ketron, Inc., Wayne, Pennsylvania
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  Pittsburgh, PA: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, Contract C-14246
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:6b2839f503cc74640434a0081d6f0386931c2ddb8e8d6adf7bcea8e7d417a822167ee078737e9885819c4cdfc42fa9bcb1d4d3023dfd71b80c97d8d788bcc130
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/219362/cdc_219362_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 12.19 MB ]