Multi seam mining in the west

Conference · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:171668

Moon, M R ^[1]

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1. Energy West Mining Company, Huntington, UT (United States)

Energy West Mining Company operates two mines in central Utah that supply coal for the PacifiCorp thermal power plants in Carbon and Emery Counties. During the past 25 years, mining has consisted of multiple seam operations utilizing room and pillar, and longwall mining methods. Early multiple seam mining took place at the Deseret, Beehive and Little Dove mines utilizing room and pillar methods. In the late 70`s and early 80`s longwall mining was introduced at the Deer Creek and Wilberg-Cottonwood Mines and multiple seam mining, using this technique, has continued to the present time. The multiple seam mining in the Cottonwood Mine, in the Hiawatha (lower) seam, is projected to be completed by the late 1995. Extraction of the lower seam is not scheduled to begin in the Deer Creek Mine until after the year 2000. The present Energy West operation consists of 2 longwalls and 5 continuous miner sections producing 7.5 million to 8.0 million tons annually. Current mining utilizes continuous miners for development of mains, bleeder and gate road entries in preparation for longwall extraction. The high overburden thickness, massive sandstone formations and strong coal results in adverse ground conditions. The mining system that has been developed to operate in this environment is a two entry gate road system with yield pillars. The mains are developed with multiple entries utilizing rigid pillars and large barrier pillars to protect the entries from mining induced stress.

• OSTI ID: 171668
• Report Number(s): CONF-9506114--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
COAL MINING
COAL SEAMS
CONTINUOUS MINERS
GEOLOGY
LEADING ABSTRACT
LONGWALL MINING
ROOM AND PILLAR MINING