LONGWALL MINING

METHOD

GOVINDA GAHINE
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
APPLICABILITY CONDITIONS
TERMINOLOGY
LONGWALL FACE
TYPES OF LONGWALL MINING METHOD
DEVELOPENT
FACTORS AFFECTING LENGTH OF FACE
EXTRACTION OF COAL
SHEARER
POWERED SUPPORT
ARMOURED FLEXIBLE CONVEYOR
REFERENCES
INTRODUCTION
In the method of secondary extraction known as longwall mining a
relatively long mining face (typically in the range 100 to 300m but
may be longer) is created by driving a roadway at right angles
between two roadways that form the sides of the longwall block, with
one rib of this new roadway forming the longwall face. Once the
longwall face equipment has been installed, coal can be extracted
along the full length of the face in slices of a given width (referred to
as a "web" of coal). The modern longwall face is supported by
hydraulically powered supports and these supports are progressively
moved across to support the newly extracted face as slices are taken,
allowing the section where the coal had previously been excavated and
supported to collapse (becoming a goaf). This process is repeated
continuously, web by web, thus completely removing a rectangular
block of coal, the length of the block depending on a number of factors
INTRODUCTION
 This is a form of underground coal mining where a
long wall of coal is mined in a single slice
(typically 0.6–1.0 m thick).
 The Longwall panel (the block of coal that is being
mined) is typically 3–4 km long and 250–400 m
wide.
 As a cut or slice is taken along the length of the
wall, the supports are collapsed, advanced closer
to the face, and re-engaged, allowing roof to cave
behind.
APPLICABILITY CONDITIONS
The longwall mining method was adopted in
working when:-
• Seams as thick as 0.7m are worked.
• Seams that are free from geological disturbances.
• Seams at depths greater than 400 meters.
• Working in a contiguous seam.
• The inclination of the seam should be flat to 20°.
• Seams are to be mechanized for larger planned
outputs.
APPLICABILITY CONDITIONS
• Seams are highly liable to spontaneous heating.
• For better production & productivity.
• Weaker seams or soft seams.
• Week hanging wall and footwall.
• A gassy seam of any degree can be worked by the
longwall mining method.
• Skilled manpower is necessary.
TERMINOLOGY
• Face: A long front from which the coal is won.
• Tail Gate: The roadway usually used for the supplies of
material and return air. It is also known as supply gate.
• Main Gate: The roadway used for transport of coal out
– bye and for the intake of air. It is also known as
Mother gate.
• Goaf Line: The line at which roof is intended to cave.
• Span: the width of the workings from the goaf line
supports to the face.
TERMINOLOGY
• Stable: A portion at the ends of a face specially
prepared to accommodate the machine to cut the face.
• Buttock: The portion of the face at its end from where
cutting starts.
• Face conveyor: The conveyor installed on the face.
• Stage loader: The conveyor which receives coal from
the face conveyor for its transport outbye.
• Face supports: The supports used on the face.
TERMINOLGY
LONGWALL FACE
Longwall faces may be single unit or double unit faces.
In the single unit face the two gates are used for the transport of coal
from the face; a conveyor serves the face. For the supply of the
material the respective gates at the flank of each face are used. Other
gate is used for travelling of men, intake air etc.
LONGWALL FACE
In the double unit face the central gate is used for the transport of coal
from both the faces; a common conveyor serves both the faces. For the
supply of the material the respective gates at the flank of each face are
used.
TYPES OF LONGWALL METHOD
There are two types of longwall mining method:
Longwall Advancing Method and
Longwall Retreating Method
In Longwall Advancing method, the face start point is close to the main
headings, usually leaving a barrier pillar to protect them. Once the face
equipment is installed, extraction commences working away from the
main headings towards the block limit. Obviously the main and tailgates
do not exist prior to the start of extraction and have to be formed at
each end of the face as mining progresses. The gate roads are effectively
in the goaf and a false rib has to be installed on one side, usually by
constructing a small pillar, sometimes using stone cut from the roof in
thin seams or using some type of cementitious material brought into
the mine. Such gate roads tend to require a very heavy support system
TYPES OF LONGWALL METHOD

Longwall Advancing method

TYPES OF LONGWALL METHOD
TYPES OF LONGWALL METHOD
TYPES OF LONGWALL METHOD

Longwall Retreating method

DEVELOPMENT
In the longwall advancing system, the development drivages are
comparatively less; all that is needed to keep the gate roads sufficiently
advanced so that face operation can proceed uninterrupted. But with
retreat mining development drivages assume much greater importance.
The followings are the steps involved for the development of longwall
face:
Development of Longwall face
Development of gate roads
Deployment of equipments
Setting of support system
Development of Ventilation System
Availability of Accessories
FACTORS AFFECTING LENGTH OF
LONGWALL FACE
The length of a longwall face depends on the following factors:
• Thickness of coal
• Dip of the strata
• Continuity of coal seam
• Presence of Geological Disturbances
• Required Production Rate
• Daily Advance rate
• Availability of Equipments
• Ventilation
• Capital Available
• Strata Control
EXTRACTION OF COAL
It has been stated that a longwall advances by cutting slices off
the block. This is relatively simple for hand worked faces and
with a coal plough, but with mechanized longwalls using
shearers the means of doing this is not as straightforward as it
would at first appear because of the complexity of the
equipment. To start with, the cutting machine has to cut into
the face after each slice is taken to line itself up to cut the next
web. It is incapable of cutting at right angles to the face, so has
to be eased in at an angle. This is achieved by "snaking" the
AFC on which the shearer travels, so that the cutter drum can
cut a wedge shaped section of coal until the full depth of the
web is attained.
EXTRACTION OF COAL
It is possible to cut a full web in one pass and to do this in either direction, a
process known as "Bi-directional or Bi-di cutting". An alternative is to cut in
one direction only, known as "Uni-directional or Uni-di cutting", often
actually cutting only part of the web height in one direction and the remainder
in the reverse direction. There are other more complicated processes involving
only taking half the web width in one pass and the remainder on the return.
At first glance Bi-di cutting would appear to be the quickest way to advance
and frequently this is the case. However there are advantages with the other
processes, relating to simplicity of operation, "steering" the face equipment,
effect on the coal haulage system, power requirements on the shearer, location
of operators in relation to dust sources, etc which can result in better
productivity overall. The best system will often be different for different
mines, particularly in different seam thicknesses and possibly even with
different personnel.
EXTRACTION OF COAL
The usual method of "steering" the face is to intentionally cut it
at an angle other than a right angle to the gate roads so one end
leads the other and the movement so caused counteracts the
unintentional movement which is occurring. The required
angle is created by cutting a "fly cut", whereby the AFC is set
up to a string line set to the required angle. A wedge shaped
web is thus cut. It may be necessary to take more than one fly
cut to achieve the desired angle.
Note that if too great an angle is present this can have the same
effect as curvature on the face where the equipment may not
reach the gate roads.
SHEARER
Longwall shearer shearers cut away the face of a coal seam in
longwall mining operations by mounting over an armored face
conveyor (AFC). They are equipped with cutting drums
positioned against the coal seam by ranging arms powered by
hydraulic rams. They can weigh more than 100 tons, travel at
speeds up to 30 m/min, and cut away slices of coal seams up
to 100 cm thick. They can also be called shearer loaders.
SHEARER
Types of Longwall Shearers
Longwall shearers consist of large cutting drums mounted to a slim
body. The cutting drums are used to cut a predetermined height of
coal across the face of the coal seam on each pass. The shearer loader
can be divided into three basic types.
Double-ended ranging drum shearers (DERS) are the largest and most
efficient type of shearer loader. The double-ended machine includes
two cutting drums mounted on ranging arms that can be positioned to
accommodate a range of seam thicknesses.
Single-ended ranging drum shearers (SERS) consist of a single cutting
drum mounted to a single raging arm. Typically two SERS are used
simultaneously to cut away the face of a coal seam.
SHEARER
Cutting methods of shearer:
Unidirectional cutting
In this method, the shearer cuts coal in one direction
only. The return trip is for loading and cleaning the floor
coal or travelling empty. During the return trip, the
shearer can pick up the coal
stump left at the bottom as a result of drill jumpings
during the cutting trip, hence the loading efficiency is
very high for this method. When the single ended
ranging drum shearer is used,
and if the mining height is larger than the drum
diameter and the roof coal sticks to the roof, the forward
trip cuts the top portion of the seam and the return trip
Cutting methods of shearer:
Bidirectional cutting
In this method, the shearer cuts coal in both directions
thus a complete mining cycle is established both during
the forward trip and return trip. A complete mining cycle
includes the extraction of the whole seam height,
followed by advance of both the conveyor and the
powered supports. Under normal conditions, the leading
drum cuts the upper 70% of the seam and the rear drum
cuts the remaining bottom and cleans up the floor coal.
Under special conditions, the leading drum may be used
to cut the bottom coal while the rear drum cuts the
upper coal seam such as when parting is located, then
leading drum is used to undercut the parting otherwise
POWERED SUPPORTS
• Hydraulic powered roof supports are self advancing structures which are
interconnected along the length of the longwall face. Each unit along the line is
also connected to each pan of the AFC.
• The function of the powered supports are to:
• To control strata deformation, fracture and movement around the coal face,
• To maintain a safe and coal producing working environment,
• To limit the amount of roof to floor convergence,
• To prevent broken rock from entering the work area, and
• To secure and advance all plant on the coal face including the roof supports.
• Each support structure consist of a roof canopy connected to a base via a shield
and leminscate linkages. Side shields mounted to the canopy prevents excessive
debris falling into the work space during support advancement. The hydraulic
legs of a each type of support are inclined or splayed at an angle. This is to
prevent the legs from buckling under the immense loads that they support. In
Australia, the most comon types of supports used are :
• Chock shield supports
• Shield Supports
POWERED SUPPORTS
Each support structure consist of a roof canopy
connected to a base via a shield and leminscate
linkages. Side shields mounted to the canopy prevents
excessive debris falling into the work space during
support advancement. The hydraulic legs of a each
type of support are inclined or splayed at an angle. This
is to prevent the legs from buckling under the immense
loads that they support. In Australia, the most common
types of supports used are :
Chock shield supports
Shield Supports
POWERED SUPPORTS
The hydraulic props and chocks of open circuit system can be
retracted from their installed place by hydraulic pressure and
with the help of hydraulic ramps, they can be placed back at the
new place with the help of hydraulic pressure.
The hydraulic pressure of hydraulic props and hydraulic ramps
is supplied by a pump located near the face. In longwall coal
mines where wooden props or pegs are not used, self
advancing or walking support is used. 4 leg and 6 leg canopy
supports
Some companies use 2,4, and 6 hydraulic props mounted on a
single hard base to support the roof. Such a group of hydraulic
props can withstand heavy roof pressure.
POWERED SUPPORTS
6 leg hydraulic props are specially used for coal seams
with thickness between 1450 - 2360 mm. 4 leg support
is smaller than 6 leg support and is available for yield
loads up to 310 tonne, 590 tonne, and 728 tonne.
It works as canopy for armored chain conveyor and coal
cutting machine, shearer etc. There is a gap of 70 - 150
mm between two units of these supports. This provides
better ground control to the entire coal seam. These
hydraulic props can be moved back and forth and
installed at the right place with automation systems.
POWERED SUPPORTS
ARMOURED FLEXIBLE CONVEYOR
In longwall coal mining the coal cut down by the shearer is transported
by armoured face chain conveyor (AFC) which is laid across the full face
width to the head entry T – junction, where it is transferred to the entry
belt conveyor through the mobile stage loader.
The armoured face conveyor has large carrying capacity. It is
structurally very strong bendable and low in body height. It serves not
only as a guide rail for the shearer, but also as the pivot for support
advance.
It transports the coal at a speed in excess of 1 m/s. However some face
conveyors are running at speeds as high as 1.6 m/s. Generally the
power and capacity of AFC are reflected by the motor size, pan width
and chain size.
ARMOURED FLEXIBLE CONVEYOR
Components:
ARMOURED FLEXIBLE CONVEYOR
REFERENCES
• Das, S.K., “ Modern Coal Mining Technology” Skylark
Publication Dhanbad
• Deshmukh, D.J. “Elements of Mining Technology Vol – 2”
Denett & Co. Nagpur
• Hartman, H.L., Introductory Mining Engineering” John Wily
and Sons New York
• Hustrulid, W, “Underground Mining Methods” Taylor and
Francis New York.
• Singh, R.D., “ Principle and Practices of Modern Coal Mining”
New age publication New Delhi.