Lit Study on Low Seam Mining

Sets out the steps to establish a small scale coal mine in South Africa, from mineral rights and regulatory approvals through finance, mining and processing choices, marketing, and environmental management and closure. The information a new entrant needs sits in many separate places, so the guideline draws it together from practitioners rather than from any single published source.

Level of acid mine drainage disturbance explained more of the variation in diatom communities than any other factor, with pan type second and season not significant. Sulphate and calcium concentrations and sulphate to chloride ratios were higher in disturbed pans of every type. Pan type specific indices were tested against established riverine indices.

Fine coal was screened at small apertures while surface moisture stayed below about 5 per cent. Above that, fines adhered to the coarser particles and screening became very difficult. The dual vibrating polyurethane mats stopped blinding and clogging, so screening area stayed available, but the screen action still could not dislodge fines from very damp coal.

No single method gives a continuous, real time report on how a coal preparation plant is performing. Mass meters converted to yield values, on-line ash and moisture monitors, load cell chutes and automatic medium density control together supply most of what is needed. Measuring discard and slimes tonnages, particularly slimes disposal, remains the weakest point in plant accounting.