Slickenside occurrence in coal mine roof of the Valley Camp No. 3 mine near Wheeling, West Virginia
Technical Report
·
OSTI ID:5955901
Slickensides are glossy, striated surfaces commonly found n the mine roof shales. Because slickensides have very little cohesive strength, they represent planes of weakness in the mine roof thereby contributing to roof failure, which may result in injuries or fatalities. Falls related to slickensides also require costly cleanup and result in production losses. The Bureau of Mines has investigated the occurrence of slickensides in mine roof in the Pittsburgh coalbed in a portion of the Valley Camp No. 3 mine in southwestern Pennsylvania to improve the potential for prediction of slickensided zones and determine the orientations of the most prominent slickensided planes. Two distinct types of slickensides were identified; those which were associated with clay veins observed in the coalbed (genetic), and those which were unrelated to any visible structure (nongenetic). The study draws three conclusions: (1) nongenetic slicksides are not the result of tectonic forces, (2) both genetic and nongenetic slickensides tend to dip at an angle of 30/sup 0/, and (3) genetic slickensides tend to be aligned parallel to the trend of the clay vein and usually dip toward the center of the clay vein. A schematic roof bolting plan is presented that may provide improved roof support where slickensides are present. Roof stability could be improved by supplemental bolting in the direction normal to the plane of slickensides.
- Research Organization:
- Bureau of Mines, Pittsburgh, PA (USA). Pittsburgh Mining and Safety Research Center
- OSTI ID:
- 5955901
- Report Number(s):
- BM-RI-8365
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Geologic structures that affect coal-mine roof stability
Chemical analysis of slickensides from coal mine roof shale. [5 refs]
Clay veins: Their occurrence, characteristics, and support
Conference
·
Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991
· AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States)
·
OSTI ID:5850922
Chemical analysis of slickensides from coal mine roof shale. [5 refs]
Technical Report
·
Mon Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1973
·
OSTI ID:7354208
Clay veins: Their occurrence, characteristics, and support
Book
·
Wed Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1986
·
OSTI ID:6965472