AMAX draglines dig more overburden with blast casting

Journal Article · Wed Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · Coal; (United States)

OSTI ID:6946323

Chironis, N P

Two of AMAX Coal Co.'s best-known surface mines in the Midwest are blast casting to improve dragline productivity- even though neither mine has pit conditions that are ideal for casting. The Delta mine at Harrisburg, Ill., and the Chinook mine at Brizil, Ind., are among the pacesetters in modifying casting to handle difficult geology. At both mines, two seams are involved and the highwalls are not exceptionally high. AMAX is implementing the casting method, however, because their economic studies have shown that they can obtain substantial increases in dragline productivity with accompanying reductions in overall operating costs. Until recently, both Delta and Chinook used conventional stripping methods. Overburden was blasted in place and every effort was made to hold the highwall intact for dragline operation. This conservative use of the power of explosives is now a thing of the past. This article describes the new method.

• OSTI ID: 6946323
• Journal Information: Coal; (United States), Journal Name: Coal; (United States) Vol. 25:6; ISSN COALE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
012020* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Surface Mining-- (1987-)
COAL DEPOSITS
COAL SEAMS
COMMINUTION
DRAGLINES
EARTHMOVING EQUIPMENT
ECONOMICS
ENGINEERING
EQUIPMENT
EXPLOSIVE FRACTURING
FRACTURING
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
MATERIALS HANDLING EQUIPMENT
MINERAL RESOURCES
MINING
MINING ENGINEERING
OVERBURDEN
PERFORMANCE
RESOURCES
SURFACE MINING