Navajo mine; Multiple seam dragline stripping
The Navajo mine is exclusively a multiple-seam surface coal mine located in the northwest corner of New Mexico. The property is situated entirely on the Navajo Indian Reservation. It is owned and operated by the Broken Hill Propriety Co. Ltd., of Melbourne, Australia. The mine began production in January 1963 with a long-term fuel supply agreement with the Four Corners power plant. The 2175 MW nominal generating capacity of the Four Corners power plant consumes 7.2 Mt to 7.7 Mt/a (8 million to 8.5 million stpy) of coal. The Navajo Mine has estimated reserves totaling 1 Gt (1.1 billion st) of strip minable coal. Only about one-third of that total is presently committed to the generating station. As development continued over the years, mining operations advanced into more complex geologic areas to satisfy the utility's demand for coal. This case study of the fourth production cut highlights a variety of dragline stripping techniques including highwall bench (overburden) side cast, intermediate highwall bench (parting-interburden) side cast and spoilside bench (partings-interburden) stripping methods. The Dixon Pit offers considerable challenges in the surface recovery of up to seven seams of coal within the 1432 m (4700 ft) of total pit length.
- OSTI ID:
- 6500548
- Journal Information:
- Mining Engineering (Littleton, Colorado); (USA), Journal Name: Mining Engineering (Littleton, Colorado); (USA) Vol. 42:10; ISSN MIENA; ISSN 0026-5187
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Blast designs to improve dragline stripping rates. Final report
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Related Subjects
012020* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Surface Mining-- (1987-)
015000 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Economic
Industrial
& Business Aspects
COAL MINES
FEDERAL REGION VI
MINES
MINING
NEW MEXICO
NORTH AMERICA
PRODUCTIVITY
SURFACE MINING
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
USA