Document Type
Conference Paper
Publication Date
2-2016
Abstract
Mine design and operating practices in European countries may differ significantly from those accepted in Australian mines. This paper describes work carried out to review longwall productivity and gas management at one European mine extracting multiple seams 900-1000 metres below the surface. The longwall panel that is the subject of this paper is extracting a 215 metre wide face in the 1.5 metre thick B seam, which is extracted prior to the main 3.0 metre thick A seam to assist with degassing. Gateroads developed to access the B seam longwall are single entry, developed using road headers and supported with steel arches. Additional timber cog support is installed in an attempt to reduce roadway closure due to abutment loading. Due in part to statutory limits on gas concentration and air velocity, longwall production at this mine is presently restricted to an average rate of approximately 700 t/d. Mine management were reluctant to consider significant mine design changes, such as two heading gateroads, therefore the investigation focused on determining the extent to which ventilation and gas emission impacted on longwall production performance and recommending actions to improve ventilation and gas management to support increased longwall production. Ventilation and gas emission modelling was used to evaluate the impact of changes to the longwall ventilation arrangement and partial pre-drainage of the B seam. Modelling demonstrated that increase in longwall production rate to 2200 t/dis easily achievable. A range of additional actions that support further increases in longwall productivity are listed.
Publication Details
Dennis Black, Applied Modelling of Ventilation and Gas Management to Increase Production in a Single Entry Longwall Panel, in Naj Aziz and Bob Kininmonth (eds.), Proceedings of the 16th Coal Operators' Conference, Mining Engineering, University of Wollongong, 10-12 February 2016, 288-296.