Supression and Control of Coal Dust in Underground Continuous Miner Sections

Mines already provide substantial training and their junior managers were found motivated and committed, yet development at this level remains problematic. Gaps sat in commercial exposure, financial and accounting skills, industrial relations, quality standards, administration and project management. The report sets out the attributes to screen for at appointment and a framework that makes candidates responsible for their own development.

Compares labour intensive mechanised drill and blast underground mining with capital intensive bord and pillar using continuous miners, and adds the option of substituting locally made goods for imported supplies. Input data came from two mines running both types of section under comparable geological conditions, covering worker numbers, skill profiles, cost structures and import dependence, then calibrated to industry totals to drive a socio-economic model.

A modified alkaline barium calcium process was tested on coal mine acid drainage, using calcium hydroxide neutralisation, hydrogen sulphide metal removal and barium carbonate sulphate removal. Gypsum formation during water treatment fell by 80 per cent, cutting the sludge sent to costly downstream processing to a fifth. Temperature, reaction time, reagent ratios and feed particle size affected thermal treatment of the sludge.