LONGAWALL MINING METHOD

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Basics of Longwall Mining
 Presentation Profile

• Introduction
• Longwall Mining in India
• Longwall Method
• Longwall Equipment
• Longwall Strata Control
• Longwall Organisation
• Longwall Face Transfer
• Variants of Longwall – New concepts
• Longwall Performance in India
 Coal Mining in India

 India is the 3rd largest producer of coal in the world.

 Coal India limited (CIL) and Singareni Collieries Company limited
(SCCL) are two major public sector coal companies in India.
 Total coal production in India for the year 2009-10 is 531.67
MT.Total annual coal production from CIL for the year 2009-10 was
431.27 Mt and from SCCL, it was 50.422 Mt.
 CIL produces 81.12% of total Indian coal production and
contribution of SCCL is 9.48%. Other public sectors and private
sector contributes 8.97 %
 Around 89% of the out put from CIL comes from opencast mines.
Where as in SCCL it was 73%.
 Mining Methods..
• UNDER GROUND MINING
– Bord & Pillar (conventional hand section)
– Bord & Pillar (Semi-mechanized)
– Blasting Gallery method for thick seams
– Long wall Mining
– Continuous Miner
• OPEN CAST MINING
– Shovel and Dumper Combination
– Draglines
– In-pit Crusher-Conveyor systems
– Surface Miner
Existing U/G Technologies

SDL mechanization – where the gradient is 1 in 4 &

flatter.

LHD mechanization – where the gradient is 1 in 5 &

flatter.

Longwall – where the property is generally devoid

of faults.

Blasting Gallery – For thick seams and flatter than 1 in 5

Longwall in India
 Longwall in India

• First mechanized powered support longwall

caving face was introduced in August 1978 at
Moonidih, CIL.

• First Longwall face introduced in GDK.7 Incline

in September 1983 in SCCL.

• There is no much improvement taken place in

India in respect of Longwall technology due to
various reasons.
 Longwall in India
Reasons for less concentration on Longwalls in India
• Serious efforts not made perhaps due to
availability of alternate technologies.
• Upgrading not made when most of the world
improved in 90s.
• Spares management was poor.
• Coal India do not need due to opencast and flat
gradients.
• Use of indigenous spares of low quality is
increased, which deteriorated the condition of
faces.
Longwall Geometry - World

Width
Time Length (m)
(m)

1970‟s 150 1200

1980‟s 225 1800

Today 330 3000

LONGWALL - METHOD
 LONGWALL GENERAL LAYOUT

TOP Gate

FACE

Dip direction

Bottom Gate

- Longwall mining method includes drivage of two long roadways in coal and
joining them at the end by a perpendicular drivage forming a face.
 Different Longwall Methods
1. Longwall Advancing 2. Longwall Retreating
Method Method
Modern Longwall Plans in Australia
 Modern
Longwall
Plans in
Australia
Advantages of Longwall
Method
• High Recovery.
• Lower Operating Costs.
• Easier to Supervise.
• Easier to Train Miners.
• Works Under Weak Roof.
• Clean Coarse Product.
• Simple Ventilation.
 Disadvantages of Longwall
Method

• Small Problems = Big Production

Losses.

• Dust Control Difficult.

• Overloading Conveyor System.

 Retreat Longwall Mining
Advantages Over Advance Longwall Mining
• Reserves are “Proven” on Development
• Gateroads in the “Solid”
• Gateroad Development is Separate
• Water Easier to Control
• Recovering Equipment Easier
• Easier Ventilation
 Retreat Longwall Mining

Disadvantages Over Advance Longwall Mining

• Delay in getting production for

the preparation of first panel.
MAIN GATE WITH SWITCH TRAIN

C
H
O
C
K
S
LONGWALL METHOD

Retreat per day –5 meters/day

Production –3000 Tonnes/day
Thickness of 2.0 m to 3.5 m
POWERED ROOF SUPPORT AT LONGWALL FACE
 Cutting Sequences

• Uni-directional
– The Shearer cuts the top section of the face
traveling to the Main gate
– The shield support is advanced behind the Shearer
leading drum
– The Shearer cuts the floor section of the face
traveling to the Tailgate
– The AFC is advanced behind the machine into the
new track
 Cutting Sequences

• Bi-directional
– The Shearer cuts the full section of the face
traveling in both directions
– The shield support is advanced behind the Shearer
leading drum
– The AFC is advanced immediately behind the
machine in both directions i.e. 10 pans behind the
trailing drum
 Cutting Sequences

Bi-directional
– TG to C 22, chocks & AFC both are advanced
– C-22 to MG only chocks are advanced when Shearer is
moving to MG
– Shearer is brought back to C-22, one sump is made at
MG
– AFC is advanced and straightened, second cut starts
from MG to TG
 PARAMETERS TO BE OBSERVED FOR SUCCESSFUL
OPERATION OF LONGWALL FACE

 Horizon control

 Creep control

 Face alignment and Strata control

 Support maintenance
 HORIZON CONTROL

 Horizon control is the maintenance of uniform

surface at floor and roof on both planes while
extracting the seam from a required section with
the minimum contamination of coal from
extraneous dirt

 Key features are of Horizon control are

 Maintenance of roof along the face line, line of

advance, level, and uniform natural parting between
seams
 Symmetry at level and to be provided at floor
 Steps in roof and floor is to be avoided.
 EFFECT OF HORIZON CONTROL ON
PERFORMANCE OF FACE

 If roof is weak the action of cutting will create rough

surfaces and lead to spalling and displacement of
immediate rock

 If roof is strong weak the action of cutting will rapidly

worn and damage the cutting tools

 Effective roof control by the power roof supports will

be reduced
 Creep
• Relative movement of the face equipment
(AFC,CHOCKS) with respect to the gate roads
central lines is called CREEP
Rams
Rams

Resultant
Resultant
Gravity

Gravity
 FACTORS INFLUENCING CREEP

 GRADIENT

 ANGLE OF SUPPORT PUSHING AFC

 MOVEMENT OF SHEARER/ CUTTING

SEQUENCE

 DIRECTION OF AFC ADVANCE

 CREEP CONTROL MEASURES

 INCREASE / DECREASE STAGGERING

 PROPER AFC ADVANCE PATTERN

 PROPER SUPPORTS ADVANCE PATTERN

 USING SIDE SHIELDS

 CHANGING THE CUTTING SEQUENCE

 EFFECTS OF CREEP

 AFC drive heads touching the barrier

 TG/MG junction bad roof

 Bottom cutting not up to face end

 BSL angle increases/ BSL discharge stool may

derail
 FACE ALIGNMENT

 AFC and power supports are to be kept straight as

possible

 Snaking of AFC will lead to tension of Chain

conveyors, damage the shearer guides and shoes.

 Bend face will lead to deterioration of roof control,

poor working condition at face.
 FACE ALIGNMENT

Causes of improper face alignment

 AFC not advancing fully

Due to conveyor advance ram/module by pass
Due to improper bottom cutting

Supports not advancing fully

Due to conveyor advance ram/module by pass
Due to improper bottom cutting
Due to heavy malma/ materiel between AFC &
supports
 PLAN & SECTION OF LW FACE FOR KNOWING FACE
fuelling growth… STRAIGHTNESS

top
gate

Bottom
gate

MG
TG

face

chocks
 SUPPORT HEALTH MONITORING

Hydraulic support health monitoring is being done as per a plan which

includes activities, and their periodicity.
• The Activities included are:
– Static tests with pressure gauges to know the faulty Hydraulic circuits
in the chocks.
– Yield valve testing.
– Chock in line filter checking
– Control modules and valves inspection
– Oil and water emulsion ratio monitoring
– Rate of flow of fluid from power pack
– Total pressure drop and flow drop from the gate road, having power
pack to other gate road
– Leakages in hydraulic system
LONGWALL - EQUIPMENT
 Equipment for Longwall
Mining
• Powered Face Supports
• Shearer
• Armored Face Conveyor
• Conveyor System
• Electricals & Communication
 PURPOSE OF POWERED SUPPORTS

• To resist vertical loading

• To resist lateral movement
• To provide protection from waste flushing
• To advance the AFC/snaking
• To be self advancing
• To provide a safe working are for the operations
• To provide a safe travelling path along the face line
• To provide for adequate ventilation through the face area
 Canopy
fuelling growth…

Face sprag

Legs 4x800Tcapacity (at yield load)

POWERED ROOF SUPPORT (PRS)
AT
lemniscate GDK-9&10A
linkage Support width: 1.5m
Support resistance: 105 After cut
Tip clearance: 0.35m
Setting pressure: 345 bar
Yielding pressure: 435 bar

Base Relay bar

Powered Roof Supports (Two legged)
PRS AT LONGWALL FACE

Capacity -4x450 T to 4x800 T

Thickness of -2.0 m to 3.5 m
Weight -12 T to 20T
Width -1.5m
Armored Face Conveyor
 FUNCTIONS OF THE AFC

 To transport coal from face to outbye transport

system

 To provide a track for mounting the Shearer

 Connection for attachment of the roof supports

 To provide easy advance of Power roof

supports
Armoured Face Conveyor
(1 pan set)
Shearer working at Longwall Face
SHEARER WORKING AT LONGWALL FACE

Capacity -2x375 Kw
Thickness of 2.0 m to 4.5 m
Web -0.63/0.85
Drum Dia -1.6 to 1.83m
Length -10m
fuelling growth… SHEARER

 Shearer is preferred normally for seams

more than 2.0m with single or double
ranging arm.
 For cutting the coal and loading the coal
onto the AFC
Shearer -
Front Half
Shearer -
Rear Half
Shearer Drum
Cutter Bits with Spray
Conveyor Belts
 PLOUGH

 Plough is successful in working of thin seams up to

50cm in combination with self advanced power
supports system under suitable conditions

 Soft coal ploughing is applied in seams up to 3.0m

with great success
 PLOUGH
fuelling growth…
Equipment Specifications – GDK10A Incline
LONGWALL – STRATA CONTROL
fuelling growth…
STRATA MONITORING

• GATE ROADS
– Convergence at every 5 m interval.
– Load on supports at every 10 m interval.
– Bed separation
– Pillar stress

• FACE
– Face convergence.
– Chock pressures of every chock.
– Stress in font of the face.
• Goaf Monitoring
 STRATA CONTROL PLAN OF
A LONGWALL PANEL
1000 m

120 m
Barrier Pillar

Top Gate 50 L X C L C L
X

RETREAT
INDEX:

GOAF
C Convergence Station
Longwall Panel dimensions
L Load Cell 1000 m x 115 m
X Extensometers
S Stress cell

FACE
S S

Bottom Gate 53 L X X C L C L
1000 m

200 m

120 m

Barrier Pillar
Not to scale
 Gate Road ways studies –
Strata monitoring

• Convergence indicators
• Load cells
• Tell tales
• Stress capsules 35
Cum.CONVERGENCE in Tail gate
of a Longwall Panel

30
25

Cum.Convergence in mm
20
15
10
5
0

10.0m

30.0m

50.0m

70.0m

90.0m

110.0m

130.0m

150.0m

170.0m

190.0m

210.0m

230.0m

250.0m

270.0m

290.0m

310.0m

330.0m

350.0m

370.0m

390.0m

410.0m

430.0m
LOCATION in mts

BARRIER GOAF BARRIER GOAF

UNDER LYING SEAM
fuelling growth…
fuelling growth…
fuelling growth…
fuelling growth…
fuelling growth…
The maximum convergence depends
on the following factors

 Caving properties of the strong bed causing

weightings, indicated by the Caving Index
Number „I‟ of the strong bed.
 Thickness of cavable beds forming the
immediate roof in between strong bed and the
coal seam in terms of height of extraction.
 Resistance offered by the support system.
Convergence and Roof Degradation at
Longwall Weightings(GDK.10A)
Maximum Expected Roof
Convergence Condition
Upto 60 mm/m Convergence within permissible
limit

Above 60 upto 100 mm/m Minor roof fracturing increasing

with the value of convergence

Above 100 upto 160 mm/m Significant roof fracturing and

roof degradation. Seriousness
increasing with increase in
convergence

Above 160 mm/m Rock fall zone.

 Face monitoring–
Strata monitoring

• Leg Pressures
• Leg Closures
• Face Convergence
PRESSURE SURVEY
Continuous Pressure Recorder in Mid Face
of a Longwall Panel
40
Yield Pressure

35

30
PRESSURE (M pa)
25

Setting Pressure
20

15
111
119
141
163
180
198
220
237
259
279
305
324
345
369
386
412
33.6
39.3
56.2
74.1
95.4

FACE RETREAT in mts

 Rated Support Resistance

The Rated Support Resistance should

take into account the following
deficiencies during the actual operation.
1. Leakage in leg circuit
2. Setting load deficiencies
3. Miscellaneous (deviation from normal
span, premature bleeding of leg
circuits, etc.)
 Goaf monitoring – Strata monitoring

• Remote convergence indicator

• Multi Point Borehole Extensometer
(MPBEx)
CAVING OF THE STRATA WITH RESPECT TO FACE PROGRESS
sensors
SURFACE
SOIL-2.7m

YellowSST 8m

Light Brown Anc4 - 15m

SST-7m 36m

Hard Brown
Anc3 -26m
SST-17m
25m

Anc2 -37.5m
Grey & Brown 13.5m
SST-12m
Anc 1- 45m
6m
Shaly Coal3m

68.0m
80.0m
141m
Face progress Anchor1 Anchor2 Anchor3 Anchor4 Remarks
 Longwall Caving Diagram

Main Overburden

Immediate Roof
Hc F Dc T Cl Ro
A
Gob

Shield
Hs Coal Support

Floor
Hs = Seam Height Dc = Depth of Cut Ro = Rear Overhang
Hc = Caving Height A = Caving Angle T = Canopy Tip to Face
Cl = Canopy Length F = Forward Zone Sw = Shield Width (not shown)
 Longwall Caving

Cut after cut, shear after shear the AFC &

subsequently Chock shield supports will be advanced
and the immediate roof rock above caves in.
 Main Fall

- As the retreat further proceeds substantial area of main

roof rock forms a plate & caves in by imposing load on
supports, known as main weighting.
Periodic Fall
LONGWALL – ORGANISATION
Organisation Chart
 MANPOWER

Pre shift General Shift

1. EE/AE 1 1. Overman 1
2. Mech. Charge Hand 1 2. Mining Sirdar 1
3. Overman 1 3. Gate Road Support 6
4. Mining Sirdar 1 4. Face Supporting
5. Shearer F+3 (Bamboo bolting &
6. AFC & BSL F+5 Fore polling etc.) 8
7. Power pack & Chocks F+3 5. Face Cleaning 10
8. Switch train & 6. Slush Tanks cleaning
U/Frame Shifting F+7 along M.G. 6
9. GBC F+4 7. Material transport 6
10. Miscellaneous 9 --------
------------- 38
40
 MANPOWER

Production Shift
1. Under Manager 1
2. Engineer 1
3. Overman 1
4. Mining Sirdar 1
5. Shearer Operator 2
6. Multi Job Workmen 9
7. Face fitters 3
8. Face Electricians 1
9. Outbye belt Fitters 1
10. Outbye Electricians 1
11. Helpers 6
12. Conveyor Operators 6
13. Misc/cleaning 4
-------------
37
LONGWALL – FACE TRANSFER
 MESHING

• Wire meshing is laid in roof from 12 to 15m

behind the face stop line with individual roof
bolts for 5 to 8m and later on along with W-
straps/Channel for balance portion at 1m
interval.
• Maximum height will be extracted for the last 8m
from face stop line, sothat enough clearance is
there for PRS passing underneath the line
supports.
• After stoppage of the face, meshing and bolting
is done to the face also.
 DISMANTLING

• All the equipment in the face are dismantled

except chocks and loaded on to the GMT (Gyro
Machine Trolley) and transported to surface of
new face.
• Shearer is dismantled into two parts for easy
transport.
• AFC pansets were dismantled in such a way that
5 pansets together forms a unit for loading onto
GMT.
• Similarly BSL, Belt sections are dismantled and
loaded on GMT.
 CHOCKS TRANSPORT

• PRS turning is done generally from dip to

raise and 2 buttress supports are used as
goaf edge supports at dip most point of
the face.

• PRS are being marched with self hydraulic

power upto loading station and shifted on
to GMT for further transport to surface or
to new face.
 SALVAGING OPERATIONS
9 ROWS OF BOLTING WITH W-STRAPS (1.8M LENGTH)

4 ROWS OF BOLTS
1.20 M LENGTHS

SIDE
BOLTING
G
F
A
C
E

WIRE MESH

1. 1st 6.50M length 4 rows bolting (1.5M) at 2.0M interval with point anchoring with
one capsule per bolt.
2. 2nd 6.5 M length 8/9 rows bolting (1.8M) with W-Straps full column grouting 3-4
capsules per bolt.
3. 30CM mesh overlapping,
(not to scale)
 FACE SIDE MESHING WITH W-STRAPS

1. 2 rows of bolting (1.8M, inclined) at 1.5M interval.

2. Interval between rows 1.5 M
3. Mesh with W-straps

0.8 m

1.5 m

1.0 m

1.5 m
(NOT TO SCALE)
 CHOCKS TURNING -- POSITION NO.1

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 CHOCKS TURNING -- POSITION NO.2

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 CHOCKS TURNING -- POSITION NO.3

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 CHOCKS TURNING -- POSITION NO.4

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Variants of Longwall Mining
(NEW CONCEPTS)
Punch Longwall
- Developing longwall panels directly off high walls of OC
Punch Entries Design Principles
Pit boundary

Mesh highwall
highwall

Punch entries
Front view along the highwall

Pit boundary
Pit boundary

Punch entries - Mesh

entrance 20 m
Mesh Small artificial bench
away from
highwall highwall – created between highwall
punch entries

Section near punch entry Section between punch entries

Punch Longwall Mining ~ Beltana
Punch Longwall Mining ~ Broadmeadow
PUNCH ENTRIES
Beltana Mine, Australia
Punch Longwall

Advantages
• Step change in cost and productivity
• More production capacity
• High productivity & low cost
• Longer term and higher % of reserves extraction
• Easy logistics – near surface
• High gate road development rates feasible
• Higher and faster returns on investment
• Total investment ~ $100 million – compared with >
$300 millions UG
 LONGWALL TOP COAL CAVING

 This Method is similar to Longwall. It is more popular

in China and recently introduced in Australia.
 Suitable for thick seams up to 10.0m
 Extraction by Longwall is done in bottom section up
to 3.0m height.
 Top coal is taken after advancing the supports on to
another Chain Conveyor at the rear.
Longwall Top Coal Caving (LTCC)
Longwall Top Coal Caving (LTCC)
Longwall Top Coal Caving (LTCC)
Advantages of LTCC

• Increased resource recovery in thick seams (> 75%)

• Lower face working height (better face control)
• Improved spontaneous combustion control
• More efficient capital utilisation/ financial
performance
• Reduced operating costs
• Improved production consistency
• Less gate road development requirements
• Some dust and gas issues
LONGWALL – INDIAN PERFORMANCE
 INDIAN LONGWALL
- PAST EXPERIENCE:
- Introduction of advanced technology system in Indian
coal mining industry marked a major step with the
installation of first mechanized Longwall Powered support
face at Moonidih in August 1978.

- In between 1978 to 1985, a major number of first

generation Longwall faces started through out India in
various mines of CIL such as Moonidih, Jhanjra, Seetalpur,
Dhemomain and Pathakhera Colliery and in SCCL at GDK-
7 & VK-7 Incline.
 INDIAN LONGWALL
- PAST EXPERIENCE:

- Churcha Longwall face failed due to dynamic

loading.
- Jhanjra with shallow depth Longwall working face
ran into acute spares problem.
- Kottadih face failed after successful completion of
two Longwall panels due to dynamic loading and
underrated capacity of supports.
- GDK.11A failed due to underrated capacity of
supports.
 LONGWALL- SCCL
- PAST EXPERIENCE:
Longwall technology was introduced in
Seven mines of SCCL. Their performance
has been:

• GDK-10A, JK-5 and VK-7 Incline gave

consistently good results, and

• The other four mines GDK-7, GDK-9, GDK-

11A and PVK suffered mainly due to non
availability of sufficient geological data.
 INDIAN LONGWALL

MAIN REASON :
Insufficient geo-technical investigations
resulted in surprises by encountering major
geological disturbances while working the
longwalls. Thus effecting the performance of
Longwalls to the maximum extent.
 INDIAN LONGWALL
- PRESENT & FUTURE :
- With the likely reduction of contribution from Open
cast and the more or less stagnant production from
Underground by Conventional methods, it is time
that an impetus is given to boost Long wall
Technology to able to meet the future energy needs
of the country.

- On the positive side, coal companies have now

gained sufficient experiences right from senior
executive level to front line workforce to be able to
plan, execute and work longwall faces. What are
required are proper geo-technical
investigations for effective layout of longwall
panels.
 NEED FOR LONGWALL
• Coal deposits amenable for opencut mining in India are
depleting at a faster rate.
• Mechanized underground mining is becoming important as
substitute to opencut mining due to:
– Increasing stripping ratios,
– Environmental restrictions,
– Problems in diverting forest land
– Rehabilitation and resettlement issues.

• Semi-mechanisation with Side dump loaders, Load Haul

Dumpers or Continuous Miner is difficult in seams steeper
than 1 in 4 (>140)
• Longwall is the proven underground bulk production
technology for deep and steep seam conditions.
REASONS FOR POOR PERFORMANCE
OF LONGWALL

>Large expansion in opencast mining in the past

two decades provided cheaper and safe method
for bulk coal production and as a result long wall
had to take back seat.

> Clear strategies were not pursued for its

sustenance as there was mixed results from long
wall in the early years of its introduction.
REASONS FOR POOR PERFORMANCE
OF LONGWALL
>Long walls were introduced mostly in the blocks
left over by working Bord and pillar method.
Clean and extensive blocks have not been
identified. Even the smaller blocks, which were
identified, were of inferior grade coal.
>Long wall had to co exist with the conventional
mining in most of the mines, which caused
management problems.
>There were some deficiencies in the imported
spares management and the supplies were not
reaching in time.
REASONS FOR POOR PERFORMANCE
OF LONGWALL

>Coal companies were sensitive to the failures of

a few long wall faces and were not prepared to
risk huge investments.

>Development could not keep pace with the

extraction of Long wall panels, slow progress in
dip has delayed the formation of Long wall
panels and affected the performance.
FUTURE REQUIREMENTS

- Longwall should be promoted as a

technology mission.

- A high level thrust group could be constitute

at national level to promote, coordinate and
interact different aspects related to Longwall
technology.
FUTURE REQUIREMENTS
- Huge investments incurred on different
operations for extraction of coal from greater
depths in future can be attained by imposing
a special cess on present OC production or
from other sources.

- R&D efforts are to be doubled.

- Efforts are required by the policy makers to

transform ideas into actions.
FUTURE REQUIREMENTS
- Foreign participation is required for
extraction of thin seams and steeply
inclined seams.

- The manufacturing companies of India

such as MAMC and Jessop are to be
reconstructed/ re-organized.

- More number of longwall blocks are to be

identified to assure the market for
manufacturers.