Rock Mechanics Instrumentation Program for Kaiser Steel Corporation's demonstration of shield-type longwall supports at York Canyon Mine, Raton, New Mexico

Technical Report · Fri Jan 21 04:00:00 EST 1977

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6776988· OSTI ID:6776988

Gentry, D. W.

This report presents the results of a rock mechanics instrumentation program designed to determine the rock mass response due to longwall mining a thick coal seam utilizing shield-type supports at the York Canyon Mine near Raton, New Mexico. The data collected during this study is unique in that it represents the results from mining a super-critical longwall panel in a known geologic environment with cross-and along-panel topographic variations. Data from the program indicates the following: (1) Topography significantly influences the magnitude and distribution of surface movements. (2) The angle of draw decreases in topographic lows and also where cross panel slopes face outward from the panel centerline. (3) Subsidence started when the face was an average distance of 0.2h (h=depth) from a given surface point and was essentially complete when the face was 0.84h beyond the surface point. (4) Underground mining activity produced almost instantaneous surface movement and major surface subsidence ceased almost as soon as mining ceased. (5) Predicted subsidence over ridge tops was 17 to 21% greater than that actually measured. (6) No correlation could be established between coal hardness and panel power consumption. (7) The width of the pressure arch is apparently related to the depth of overburden. Pressure arch widths were 60% less than the widths predicted from other studies. (8) Total recorded entry convergence rarely exceeded 0.4-in. (9) With longwall face advance, the roof tends to move towards the face and towards the panel. The magnitude of movement is much less than anticipated.

• Research Organization: Colorado School of Mines, Golden (USA). Dept. of Mining Engineering
• OSTI ID: 6776988
• Report Number(s): FE-9067-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
012000* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Mining
58 GEOSCIENCES
580300 -- Mineralogy
Petrology
& Rock Mechanics-- (-1989)
COAL MINING
GEOLOGY
GROUND SUBSIDENCE
LONGWALL MINING
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MEASURING METHODS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MINING
NEW MEXICO
NORTH AMERICA
ROCK MECHANICS
ROCKS
SOUTHWEST REGION
STRATA CONTROL
STRESSES
TOPOGRAPHY
UNDERGROUND MINING
USA