Longwall mining in Western Pennsylvania -
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Enlarged area High- Quality N Waynesburg 19 40 19 88 88 51 51 Enlow Fork Shoemaker Shoemaker Balley Eighty-four Dilworth Emerald Blacksville #2 Cumberland Washington Bridgeville WASHINGTON ALLEGHENY GREENE Gastonville Bentleyville Masontown 79 79 70 70 40 Maple Creek High- Quality Westland Vesta Gateway Warwick Humphrey #7 Blacksville #1 Canonsburg Ground level Mine floor Pillars of coal Steel shields to protect the miners from the loose rocks above and behind. Shearer Conveyor belt Raw coal Machine operator “Panel” of coal to be mined using the longwall technique. The area can range from 800 to 1,500 feet wide and up to 3 miles long. Elevator/ventilation shaft (exhaust fan helps air flow) Steve Thomas/Post-Gazette Intake air Return air Source: Consol Longwall mining in Western Pennsylvania Subsidence in which the overlying rock and other material falls into the void where coal has been removed results from longwall mining. As the longwall system advances, the mine roof caves in behind the steel shields. Pillars are in the “mains” development part of the mine. The coal is removed through those passages and good air/bad air is exchanged, also miners travel through those passages. Steel shields to protect the miners from the loose rocks above and behind. Active and closed mines Subsidence In longwall mining, a very large block or “panel” of coal is isolated by the development of entries and crosscuts. Special mining and roof support equipment is then set up along the working face. This working face can be anywhere from 800 to 1,500 feet wide. The coal is mined by a longwall mining machine that moves across the face. Mined coal is then hauled by a chain conveyor along the length of the face. The roof is supported by special hydraulic supports called chocks and shields that are advanced as the mining progresses. An ‘under’ view Active Closed RAG: • Cumberland Mine • Emerald Mine Consol • Bailey Mine • Blacksville No. 1 • Dilworth • Eighty-Four Mine • Enlow Fork Mine • Humphrey No. 7 • Vesta: Originally J&L Steel, then A.T. Massey Coal. • Westland Maple Creek Mining, Inc. • High Quality Mine Consol (WV) • Blacksville #2 • Shoemaker Duquesne Light Co. • Warwick No. 3 Gateway Coal Co. • Gateway Coal Mine floor Ground level
Transcript of Longwall mining in Western Pennsylvania -
Enlarged area
High-Quality
N
Waynesburg
1940
19
88
88
51
51
Enlow Fork
Shoemaker
Shoemaker
Balley
Eighty-four
Dilworth
Emerald
Blacksville #2
Cumberland
Washington
Bridgeville
W A S H I N G T O N
A L L E G H E N Y
G R E E N E
Gastonville
Bentleyville
Masontown
79
79
70 70
40
MapleCreek
High-Quality
Westland
Vesta
Gateway
Warwick
Humphrey #7
Blacksville #1
Canonsburg
Ground level
Mine floor
Pillarsof coal
Steel shields to protect the miners fromthe loose rocks aboveand behind.
Shearer
Conveyor belt
Raw coal
Machineoperator
“Panel” of coal to be mined using thelongwall technique.The area can range from 800 to 1,500 feetwide and up to 3 miles long.
Elevator/ventilation shaft(exhaust fan helps air flow)
Steve Thomas/Post-Gazette
Intake air
Ret
urn
air
Source: Consol
Longwall mining in Western Pennsylvania
Subsidence in which the overlying rock and other materialfalls into the void where coal has been removed resultsfrom longwall mining. As the longwall system advances,the mine roof caves in behind the steel shields.
G : graphic : Science : July2003 : Longwall Mining : “longwall_mining.FH9”
Pillars are in the “mains” developmentpart of the mine. The coal is removedthrough those passages and goodair/bad air is exchanged, also minerstravel through those passages.
Steel shields to protect the miners fromthe loose rocks aboveand behind.
Active and closed minesSubsidence
In longwall mining, a very large block or “panel” ofcoal is isolated by the development of entries andcrosscuts. Special mining and roof support equipmentis then set up along the working face. This working facecan be anywhere from 800 to 1,500 feet wide.
The coal is mined by a longwall mining machine thatmoves across the face. Mined coal is then hauled by achain conveyor along the length of the face. The roof issupported by special hydraulic supports called chocksand shields that are advanced as the mining progresses.
An ‘under’ view
Active Closed
RAG:• Cumberland Mine• Emerald Mine
Consol• Bailey Mine• Blacksville No. 1• Dilworth• Eighty-Four Mine• Enlow Fork Mine• Humphrey No. 7• Vesta:
Originally J&L Steel,then A.T. Massey Coal.
• Westland
Maple CreekMining, Inc.• High Quality Mine
Consol (WV)• Blacksville #2• Shoemaker
Duquesne Light Co.• Warwick No. 3
Gateway Coal Co.• Gateway
Coal
Mine floor
Ground level
