Document Type
Conference Paper
Publication Date
2011
Abstract
Longwall equipment has been constantly developed and has experienced improvements in cost, efficiency and production. The effect of improvements to overall longwall capacity has put an increasing strain on development operations. Development lag causes issues within mining operations and there are substantial flow-on costs, including higher unit costs, lower production and impacts to market relations. Longwall development processes and the factors that affect productivity are examined. A development program that could be used to simulate the advance of development and production in a longwall coal mine is described. With this tool, it is hoped that mine management can effectively and efficiently respond to changes in mining conditions and combat development lag. Additionally, the simulation package can be used as an educational and demonstration tool. The main feature of the program is to be able to accommodate differences in advance rates through the development and production panels and hence calculate and simulate a total time for both. The program allows the accommodation of changes in mining conditions as they are experienced.
Publication Details
M. S. Kizil, A. McAllister and R. Pascoe, Simulation of Development in Longwall Coal Mines, 11th Underground Coal Operators' Conference, University of Wollongong & the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 2011, 91-98.