Coal Mines In Poland Research Articles

Combining deep neural network and spatio-temporal clustering to automatically assess rockburst and seismic hazard – Case study from Marcel coal mine in Upper Silesian Basin, Poland

Mine induced seismic events are a major safety concern in mining and require careful monitoring and management to reduce their effects. Therefore, an essential step in assessing seismic and rock burst hazards is the analysis of mine seismicity. Recently, deep neural networks have been used to automatically determine seismic wave arrival times, surpassing human performance and allowing their use in seismic data analysis such as seismic event location and seismic energy calculation. In order to properly automate the rockburst and seismic hazard assessment deep neural network phase picker and a spatio-temporal clustering method were utilized. Seismic and rockburst hazards were statistically quantified using two-way contingency tables for two categorical variables: seismic energy level of mine tremors and number of clusters. Correlations between several spatio-temporal clusters and a statistical association between two categorical variables: seismic energy level and cluster number indicate an increase of seismic hazard in the Marcel hard coal mine in Poland. A new automated tool has been elaborated to automatically identify high-stress areas in mines in the form of spatio-temporal clusters.

Predictive Modeling of Conveyor Belt Deterioration in Coal Mines Using AI Techniques

Conveyor belts are vital for material transportation in coal mines due to their cost-effectiveness and versatility. These belts endure significant wear from harsh operating conditions, risking substantial financial losses if they fail. This study develops five artificial neural network (ANN) models to predict conveyor belt damage using 11 parameters from the Belchatow brown coal mine in Poland. The models target five outputs: number of repairs and cable cuts, cumulative number of repairs and cable cuts, and their ages. Various optimizers (Adam, Nadam, RMSprop, Adamax, and stochastic gradient descent or SGD) and activation functions (ReLU, Swish, sigmoid, tanh, Leaky ReLU, and softmax) were tested to find the optimal configurations. The predictive performance was evaluated using three error indicators against actual mine data. Superior models can forecast belt behavior under specific conditions, aiding proactive maintenance. The study also advocates for the Diagbelt+ system over human inspections for failure detection. This modeling approach enhances proactive maintenance, preventing total system breakdowns due to belt wear.

European Climate Policy in the Context of the Problem of Methane Emissions from Coal Mines in Poland

This paper presents a thorough examination of methane capture from Polish coal mines, contextualized within the framework of the European Union’s (EU) climate policy objectives. Through a strategic analysis encompassing the interior of coal mines, the surrounding environment, and the macro environment, this study elucidates the complex dynamics involved in methane emissions and capture initiatives. The key findings include a declining trend in absolute methane emissions since 2008, despite fluctuations in coal extraction volumes, and a relatively stable level of methane capture exceeding 300 million m3/year since 2014. The analysis underscores the critical role of government support, both in terms of financial incentives and streamlined regulatory processes, to facilitate the integration of methane capture technologies into coal mining operations. Collaboration through partnerships and stakeholder engagement emerges as essential for overcoming resource competition and ensuring the long-term success of methane capture projects. This paper also highlights the economic and environmental opportunities presented by methane reserves, emphasizing the importance of investment in efficient extraction technologies. Despite these advancements, challenges persist, particularly regarding the low efficiency of current de-methanation technologies. Recommendations for modernization and technological innovation are proposed to enhance methane capture efficiency and utilization.

Labor intensity as a strategic KPI for evaluating the efficiency of coal mines

In the face of the growing demands of the modern economy, 21st-century technology, and the challenges of Industry 4.0, the classical management of mining enterprises is not sufficient, and it is transforming into a process approach to the organization. The usage of the process management concept creates a situation for improving the organization at many levels, both at the strategy and operational levels. This provides an opportunity for a comprehensive view of the organization, but it is necessary to define indicators that determine the flexibility of operations, the achievement of profitability, and effective operational management. These indicators, called key performance indicators, focus on crucial aspects of the organization's activity that are fundamental to its current and future success. The contribution goal of the presented paper is to propose a new index for assessing the efficiency of coal mines, called the labor intensity index. The proposal is based on a previous three-area strategic analysis, including production indicators of coal mining companies, the state of coal mining in Poland, and economic factors affecting the current situation of the Polish coal mining industry. The analysis covered the period from 1988 to 2020. The use of new KPIs to assess performance in process terms is necessary to develop better new strategies for mining companies. It is particularly important in light of the industry's restructuring plans to restructure the mining industry and the far-reaching vision of decarbonizing the Polish energy sector.

The concept of circular water value and its role in the design and implementation of circular desalination projects. The case of coal mines in Poland

Circular economy has become a popular subject, attracting attention from academics, practitioners, and policy-makers alike. However, despite the excitement surrounding it, the concept of circular economy has been criticized for being vague and having multiple interpretations from different fields. As a result, there is a lack of evidence and guidance for practitioners, making it difficult to put into practice. Our goal is to fill this gap by bridging the design and implementation of circular economy solutions in the water sector. Through an exploratory study of two case studies, we have shown the significance of what we call as “circular water value” in the context of coal mining. This value is strongly influenced by the chemistry, concentration levels and purity of these effluents. We compared the circular value of the two cases (ranging from 2.5 to 6 euros per cubic meter) to the cost of the novel treatment system, developed by the authors through the EU-funded project ZERO BRINE, to capture this value. This allowed us to evaluate the potential for circular economy implementation. We suggest that this circular transition can offer significant opportunities to coal mining regions in enabling a just transition implementation. This is a topic that is increasingly gaining interest among academic and practitioner communities, further triggered by the recently adopted Just Transition Mechanism. This mechanism secures targeted support of 55 billion euro for the period 2021–2027 for the most affected regions within Europe. The concept of “circular water value” introduced in this article can serve as a tool for exploring the creation of emerging circular value chains from coal mines, as well as for other wastewater treatment and resource recovery projects in general.

Trends in the Growth of Damage Extents in a Steel Conveyor Belt’s Core

The initial set of four measurements (scans) captures the failures occurring in the core of steel cable conveyor belt segments used in a lignite coal mine in Poland. These measurements utilize the DiagBelt+ magnetic system, enabling the analysis of averaged damage sizes. The scanning results allowed the analysis of complete changes in the failure sizes to a maximum of six different time intervals from 1 to 19 months. The cumulative increase in the length and width of the failure (their total extent in both directions) is a linear function of time. However, the inclination of the selected lines (growth speed) depends on the age of the belt segment at the time of its first scan. It is possible to find the best regression function of slope coefficients for the age of the belt segment. The obtained results are crucial for rational belt management, including reliable short-term forecasts of belt needs with the flow of time, indications of the best moments for belt segment replacements, and estimating the budget of the belting department.

Main objectives of the strategy, as well as motivations for the transformation of hard coal mining in Poland

Purpose: in the cognitive space, the article focuses on the issue of dynamically growing social awareness of the impact of hard coal on climate change - which determines the need to implement a strategy to abandon this raw material. The authors of the article also point out that in connection with this process - as the world strives for sustainable and more ecological development - the transformation of the hard coal mining sector becomes an inevitable challenge. Methodology: the theses presented in the article were verified using the following methods: literature review, critical analysis of literature, analysis and comparison of documents and an example of good practices. Resultat: properly managing the transformation of the hard coal mining sector is key to ensuring that it delivers long-term social and economic benefits - while minimizing the negative impact of the transformation on mining communities and workers in the hard coal mining sector. Therefore, a holistic approach is important in this space, taking into account the ecological, economic, political and social context of transformation. Originality: the transformation of mining is necessary due to the sustainable development goals, environmental protection and the fight against climate change. It is also a political challenge that requires well-thought-out investments, policies and regulations to minimize the negative socio-economic effects of the transformation and to use the development potential of the transformed areas in all their dimensions. Keywords: mining, strategy, transforming.

An Economic Evaluation of the Functioning of Hard Coal Mining in Poland in the Years 2016-2018

An Economic Evaluation of the Functioning of Hard Coal Mining in Poland in the Years 2016-2018

Study on the Usefulness of Lean Management Tools and Techniques in Coal Mines in Poland

The article presents research on the possibilities of utilising the Lean Management method to increase the profitability of coal mining operations through cost rationalisation and production optimisation. The Lean Management method has its roots in the automotive industry, but its significant benefits can allow it to be transferred to other industries. Based on the analysis of global literature describing examples of its application in general mining, as well as the authors’ own observations related to Polish hard coal mining, it was determined that the Lean Management method is not being utilised in this field. This article outlines the course and results of an original expert-mathematical study to assess the usefulness of specific Lean Management tools and techniques in hard coal mining. The study drew on knowledge obtained from selected, competent experts who demonstrated high levels of agreement in their assessments. Five core production areas were identified, and twelve widely used Lean Management tools and techniques were selected. The obtained assessments of the usefulness of Lean tools could serve as valuable guidance for mining management in the selection of methods for improving mining production in coal mines.

The analysis of dependence of the level of operational costs and production outputs upon geological and mining conditions in selected hard coal mines in Poland

The analysis of dependence of the level of operational costs and production outputs upon geological and mining conditions in selected hard coal mines in Poland

Case Study of Rock Bolting in a Deep Coal Mine in Poland

Case Study of Rock Bolting in a Deep Coal Mine in Poland

Assessing Geological and Mining Condition Nuisance and its Impact on the Cost of Exploitation in Hard Coal Mines with the Use of a Multi-Criterion Method

This article presents the use of a multi-criterion Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method to assess geological and mining condition nuisance in longwall mining operations in selected coal mines in Poland. For this purpose, a methodology has been developed which was used to calculate the operational nuisance indicator (WUe) in relation to the cost of mining coal in individual longwalls. Components of the aggregate operational nuisance indicator include four sub-indicators: the natural hazards indicator (UZN), an indicator describing the seam parameters (UPZ), an indicator describing the technical parameters (UT) and an environmental impact indicator (UŚ). In total, the impact of 28 different criteria, which formed particular components of the nuisance indicators were analysed. In total 471 longwalls in 11 coal mines were analysed, including 277 longwalls that were mined in the period of 2011 to 2016 and 194 longwalls scheduled for exploitation in the years 2017 to 2021. Correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationships between nuisance and the operating costs of longwalls. The analysis revealed a strong correlation between the level of nuisance and the operating costs of the longwalls under study. The design of the longwall schedule should therefore also take into account the nuisance arising from the geological and mining conditions of the operations. Selective operations management allows for the optimization of costs for mining in underground mines using the longwall system. This knowledge can also be used to reduce the total operating costs of mines as a result of abandoning the mining operations in entire longwalls or portions of longwalls that may be permanently unprofitable. Currently, underground mines do not employ this optimization method, which even more emphasizes the need for popularizing this approach.

The State and Conditions of the Future Functioning of Hard Coal Mining in Poland

The State and Conditions of the Future Functioning of Hard Coal Mining in Poland

Utilization of extracted carbonaceous shale waste in eco-friendly cementitious blends

This research concerns the analysis and application of extracted shale from mining waste at the Lubelski Węgiel „Bogdanka“ S.A. coal mine in Poland. Various analyses were performed on both raw and thermally activated forms of extracted shale, and then the thermally activated one was used as a partial cement substitute in a PC-based paste. In order to reduce the required additional energy, the activation temperature for the extracted shale was chosen to be 600 °C according to the simultaneous thermal analysis measurement. Chemical, mineralogical, physical, and morphological analyses, thermogravimetry, and pozzolanic activity tests of raw and thermally activated extracted shale were conducted. The Portland cement pastes containing either 10 wt%, 15 wt%, or 20 wt% of thermally activated extracted shale were compared to a reference plain cement paste. Cement pastes with the thermally activated extracted shale were studied in the fresh and also hardened state after 7, 28, and 90 days of setting. Furthermore, mechanical, structural, and microstructural properties were measured and compared with the reference. Simultaneous thermal analysis with a mass spectrometer (STA-MS), isothermal calorimetry, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and strength activity index (SAI) evaluation were used to assess the evolution and rate of the pozzolanic reaction. All the performed analyses confirmed the pozzolanic activity of the thermally treated extracted shale and its potential in cement industry applications. The extracted shale also acted partially as a microfiller. The use of calcined extracted shale reduced the porosity of the cement matrix and increased its flexural and compressive strength. For 90-day samples, a slight hindrance in the precipitation of final substances was observed as a result of different kinetics of hydration and pozzolanic reactions. Taking all of the results into consideration, the coal mining waste – calcined extracted shale – can find use as a partial cementitious substitute for up to 20 wt%.

Mechanical Spark Electrostatic Property Testing Method

Abstract The article describes an attempt to assess the electrostatic properties of mechanical friction-induced sparking. Such sparks are the cause of numerous accidents in hard coal mines. The article summarizes accidents in hard coal mining in Poland in recent years. In most cases, the initials were mechanical sparks. Mechanical sparks contain energy, a part of which is related to their excess electrostatic charge, whereas the other part is of a different origin (kinetic or thermal energy, for example). The article tries to estimate how much of this energy is energy impact generated by electrostatics impact. It is hard to measure the dynamic electrostatic parameters like electric charge. Authors select four measuring methods. This test methods are prepared based on authors knowledge of electrostatic parameters and European standards dedicated to measure the electrostatics parameters. These circuits were prepared for four different spark parameters. Measurement methods of electrostatic field of sparks stream are not able to measure field potential of sparks. The measuring instruments do not have such a fast response time, adequate to the speed of the sparks. Spark generation and parameter measurement experiments were performed. The only method to determine the amount of electrostatic charge on sparks is to measure the entire charge by collecting sparks at the measuring electrode. The measuring system requires that the entire stream of sparks falls on the electrode. Tested transferred electrostatic charge of stream of sparks is about 10 nC. It means that this charge can be an effective ignition source for some explosive atmospheres. Electrostatic charge with Certain methods were rejected as inadequate following result analysis. A claim for one of the methods was submitted to the Patent Office of the Republic of Poland.

Fatigue Life of Compacted Wire Ropes for Applications in Deep Mining

Abstract Recent months have highlighted the progressing energy crisis across Europe in connection with the severe sanctions imposed on the import of hydrocarbons and coal from Russia. This is particularly visible in Poland, where over 40% of electricity is generated from coal, while in individual households it is the primary source of heat. This situation puts the already enigmatic plans of shutting down coal mining in Poland into question. Therefore, work aimed at increasing the extraction capacity of existing shafts while maintaining the highest level of operational safety is still valid. This article concerns the issues of the fatigue life of compacted ropes used as hoist ropes in mine shafts. The discussion regarding the use of these ropes among shaft hoist users has been going on for several years. This paper presents the unique results of compacted rope fatigue tests carried out at the Central Mining Institute in Katowice. In the authors’ view, these results and their interpretation should serve to clarify several important aspects that arouse the interest of users.

Mining dust as a health threat to employees of extraction departments of coal mines

Mining dust as a health threat to employees of extraction departments of coal mines

Analysis of the Scope for Reducing the Level of Energy Consumption of Crew Transport in an Underground Mining Plant Using a Conveyor Belt System Mining Plant

One of the main elements that shape the production process in an underground mining plant is, in the broadest sense of the word, transport. Currently, a large amount of rolling stock from cable cars or suspended railways is maintained in mining plants, along with extensive infrastructure used for transporting crew and materials. The development of conveyor belt transport systems, as well as system process management, is increasing efficiency levels. Mining transport is a complex process, requiring large amounts of energy, which incurs significant production costs. We conduct a comparative analysis of the human transport system using a suspended railway with belt transport at Lubelski Węgiel “Bogdanka” Spółka Akcyjna (the largest hard coal mine in Poland), in terms of energy efficiency levels. We found that the process of transporting the crew in an underground mining plant to the production site using a conveyor belt system was less energy-intensive, and therefore created less emissions than the currently used model based on suspended queues. The analyses for the above project were conducted according to a model that was based on the study and analysis phase of the project through to its implementation and transfer to operational activities. The analysis was carried out based on the created simulation model, taking into account all elements of the crew transport process to and from the mining area. The implementation of the technical solution allowed for nearly a threefold reduction in the level of energy consumption and emissivity. In the analyzed model, the energy consumption in the first phase of production was 3.04 kWh per employee using the diesel rails system and 1.13 per employee using the belt conveyor system.

QEMSCAN® automated mineralogical analysis of PM2.5 and PM4: A preliminary study of underground coal mine dust from Poland and Slovenia

Determining the physical and chemical properties of airborne dusts in occupational settings is essential for assessing their potential toxicity as well as the effectiveness of respiratory protective equipment and dust mitigation measures. Here, we report the first successful QEMSCAN® automated mineralogical analysis of potentially toxic PM4 and PM2.5 dust from deep coal mines in Poland and Slovenia. QEMSCAN® was setup to automatically delimit 100,000 ‘particles’ per sample, based on average atomic number contrast, subject these to X-ray elemental analysis at points in a grid pattern (0.5 µm spacing), assign a mineral name to each point and then output the results as particle size, shape, mineralogy and mineral associations data and as mineral maps. The dusts were prepared as dispersions on a polyethylene sheet so that coal particles, with a slightly higher BSE signal, could be recognized from their substrate. Samples were analyzed repeatedly and in different orientations to determine the effects of sample geometry and topography. QEMSCAN® mineral identifications were manually checked using standard SEM X-ray elemental analysis. From a pilot study of Polish and Slovenian coal dust samples, PM4 and PM2.5 contain varying proportions of coal, quartz and other silicates, sulphides, sulphates, carbonates, oxides and other minerals, and notable concentrations of fly-ash particles. That some of these components may be toxic when inhaled, particularly the quartz and fly-ash, highlights the need for larger scale and wider ranging studies. The further potential of the newly developed QEMSCAN® methodology is discussed.

Challenges of the polish coal mining industry on its way to innovative and sustainable development

This paper refers to the current energy situation in the European Union (EU) countries with a particular focus on energy produced from renewable energy sources and coal – sources that provide opportunities for balancing the energy of the region. The strengths and weaknesses of coal mining in Poland were also identified, along with its opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis). Innovative and sustainable development based on the Triple Helix Model (THM), as well as the Open innovation (OI) concept and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles were identified as opportunities for its sustainable development. The combination of these solutions should enable sustainable development of the industry, preserving its economic and social importance and reducing its negative impact on the environment. The use of new clean technologies in the operation and combustion of coal should reduce emissions of harmful substances into the environment. Intensive and government-supported cooperation between the scientific and research community and industry should significantly facilitate these processes. Another aspect important for the changes to be introduced is the social factor, for which the current situation represents an opportunity to preserve jobs in the mining industry, but also a challenge for its sustainable development. These seemingly mutually exclusive elements should form the basis of a new opening for Polish and European mining as an innovative industry based on knowledge and preserving the basic principles of ESG. The paper also outlines the most significant challenges facing the Polish mining industry on its way to innovative development. The article provides a new and relevant to the current reality perspective on the Polish mining industry in the context of the entire EU, for which the current geopolitical situation forces the necessity of setting a new direction of development. The geopolitical changes that have recently taken place in the global economy such as the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic and the armed conflict within Ukraine have caused very great turbulence in the energy market. Enthusiasm and uncritical adoption of green concepts in the EU has caused, along with the reduction of gas and coal imports from Russia, turbulence in the energy market. This situation has created a great opportunity for the development of the mining industry in Poland, which has not yet managed, following the example of other EU countries, to extinguish the industry. In order to take advantage of this opportunity and obtain a permanent place in the energy mix in the EU, it is necessary to rapidly develop the mining industry in a sustainable manner based on innovative solutions.