Using pillar-free mining technologies in gently dipping and self-ignitable coal seams

Abstract

Gently dipping coal seams of the Kuznetsk Coal Basin are cut exclusively by longwalls with preliminary drivage of twin gate ways. At the same time, the source of self-ignition in mines is pillars of coal left in mined-out areas. Endogenous fire hazard grows with higher losses of loose coal in mined-out areas due to a persistent increase in mining depth and in size of longwalls. This research aims at development of an alternative mining technology for gently dipping coal seams to reduce the risk of initiation of self-ignition sources in mined-out areas and at the determination of parameters of the technology elements as functions of coal seam thickness and mining depth. A new concept of preparatory works and actual mining in selfignitable coal seams is described. The study results obtained with numerical modeling of the stress-state behavior of rock mass and the developed technology elements at different stages of longwalling are presented. The studies show that endogenous fire hazard is reduced by means of extraction of coal pillar on the same line with face and due to elimination of aerological connection between the operating longwall and earlier mined-out area owing to construction of a separation belt made of solidifying materials between them. The cross-effect of the widths of the solidifying material belt and coal pillar as the elements of the developed technology is estimated.