ANALYSIS AND REMEDIATION OF ENDOGENOUS FIRE AT LONGWALL TOTAL COAL THICKNESS MINING OF THE MAIN COAL SEAM IN RASPOTOČJE MINE OF ZENICA BROWN COAL MINES

Abstract

Mining of the thick coal layers that include roof caving operation can results in residual coal quantities in the gob as a potential threat causing occurence of spontaneous oxidation process, smoldering, and endogenous mine fire that can affect the safety and regular mine operations. Endogeneous fire occurences in Zenica coal mines are directly linked to complex natural conditions reflecting in complex geological conditions, great depth of mining, high methane content in coal seams, and tendency of coal to spontaneous oxidation process. The subject of the paper is the analysis of endogenous fire supression method applyed in conditions of complete coal thickness longwall mining in Raspotočje mine, that has been rehabilitiated upon the endogeneous fire and then reactivated. The following methods were used in fire fighting: passive fire fighting methods (sealing of the area affected by the fire), active method (injection of electrofilter ash) and ventilation methods. Furthermore additional data (position of gob area and sealing objects, air flow regulators, routes of possible air migration, suggested technical solutions, etc) were added in the linear and canonic schemes for the purpose of defining efficient solutions for fire fighting. Key words: endogenous fire, longwall mining, advancing mining, fire fighting.