Singh, Rajendra and Ram, Sahendra and Singh, Amit Kumar and Buragohain, J. (2004) Underground extraction of contiguous coal seams/sections consisting thin parting: a case study. Journal of the South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy , 104 (1). pp. 17-28. ISSN 0038-223X

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Abstract

Underground depillaring of contiguous coal seams/sections is a difficult problem, which becomes even more complex if the interburden/parting between them is thin. Conventionally, the depillaring with caving of contiguous seams/sections is done in descending order. However, if the parting is thin, the influence of the top sections/seams becomes extremely important for the safety and optimal exploitation of coal. Field investigations were carried out at Nowrozabad East mine where superimposed pillars of the Johilla top section were depillared above the developed pillars of the Johilla bottom section with a 3 m thick parting between the two sections. The competency of the 3 m thick parting (which consists of alternate layers of shale, sandstone and shaly sandstone) was improved by reinforcement (underpinning). The strata control investigations did not show any considerable instability problem of the 3 m thick reinforced parting and pillars of the bottom section due to top section depillaring. On the bases of this field investigation and a laboratory study on simulated models, simultaneous extraction of both the sections, along with reinforcement of the parting, was suggested for the geomining conditions of the Johilla top and bottom sections. Adopting the suggested simultaneous depillaring process, two sub panels of johilla top and bottom sections have successfully been extracted without any strata control problem. This paper presents this case study along with the results of the strata monitoring conducted to evaluate performance of the underground structures during the field trial.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: Thick Seam Mining
Divisions: UNSPECIFIED
Depositing User: Dr. Satyendra Kumar Singh
Date Deposited: 03 Dec 2011 09:29
Last Modified: 03 Dec 2011 09:29
URI: http://cimfr.csircentral.net/id/eprint/246

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