Developments in highwall mining

Journal Article · Wed Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1993 · World Mining Equipment

OSTI ID:142144

By definition, open cut mines are of finite extent and the highwall will reach a cut-off depth. Where the mined material continues in depth the decision must be taken as to whether an underground operation is justified. With relatively soft rock ores or coal, further extraction from the seam without additional stripping and without underground development work has been an attractive concept for at least fifty years. A technically and economically feasible technique, on the other hand, is a relatively recent development and today there are about a dozen High Wall Miners in operation -- one in Australia and the rest in the US. There was, however, a new incentive to develop highwall mining systems. It was shown that by making entries deeper than the auger norms of 150--180 feet it was possible substantially to increase the amount of coal available for recovery from any given length of exposed highwall. Since a US Bureau of Mines Study estimated that 18,000 miles of old prelaw strip working highwall bench exists in the Appalachian region of the eastern US, covering an estimated reserve of 20 billion tons, mining this coal economically is a very attractive proposition.

• OSTI ID: 142144
• Journal Information: World Mining Equipment, Journal Name: World Mining Equipment Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 17; ISSN WMEQDP; ISSN 0746-729X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
42 ENGINEERING
AUGER MINING
COAL MINES
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
DESIGN
MINING EQUIPMENT
OPERATING COST
SURFACE MINING