Description
This comprehensive technical book on highwall mining covers theory and practice coupled with practical examples and design aspects. It contains eight extensive chapters elaborating broad-spectrum functionalities of highwall mining and its operational aspects, covering world scenario, economic potential, methods of coal extraction, design methodology including empirical web pillar design, numerical modelling for stress analysis, safety factor for web pillars, panel and barrier design, small-and large-scale numerical modelling, multiple seam interaction and design, coal web pillar strength, equivalent width concept, laboratory testing, new web pillar strength formula, effect of weak bands in coal seam, slope stability, safety and ground monitoring, hazards and regulatory requirements, case examples, norms and guidelines for practice. It also summarizes the results of research carried out by the CSIR Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CSIR-CIMFR), India and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia on the subject.
The book will equip readers in understanding the complex, multiple seam scenarios for highwall mining, and its design for maximum coal recovery from any given site with better economics, which will aid the mining companies in extracting locked-up coal following the safety norms to avoid hazards and minimise instability issues. A large number of case studies is included to illustrate the application of numerical modelling for prior estimation and viability of highwall mining operations under varying geomining conditions.
The book will be of interest to professionals and academics in the field of mining engineering specifically, but will also interest civil, geomechanical and geological engineers as well as rock mechanics professionals.
Table of Contents
1 Highwall mining: world scenarios
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Operation and new developments
1.3 International status
2 Geological characterisation for highwall mining operations
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Framework for site characterisation
2.3 Domain block delineation for highwall mining
2.4 Determination of data uncertainty
2.5 Recommendation for identification of highwall mining blocks
3 Design formulations for web pillar and entry span
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Pillar strength formulae
3.3 Equivalent width concept
3.4 Comparison of pillar strength estimation approaches
3.5 Span stability
3.6 Application of numerical modelling tools
4 Indian case studies
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Site A
4.3 Site B
4.4 Site C
4.5 Site D
4.6 Performance analysis of highwall mining at OCP-II and MOCP
4.7 Conclusions
5 Structural mapping
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Framework for structural mapping and modelling
5.3 Digital mapping and analysis
5.4 Blast damage
5.5 Structure analysis
5.6 Structural modelling
5.7 Siromodel
5.8 Case study at a highwall mining site
5.9 Concluding remarks
6 Australian design guidelines and case studies
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Brief history of highwall mining in Australia
6.3 Scope of the chapter
6.4 Feasibility study for highwall mining
6.5 Site investigation requirements and methods
6.6 Span stability assessment
6.7 Layout design
6.8 Case study
6.9 Monitoring of highwall mining operations
6.10 Summary
7 Highwall mining hazards and mitigation
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Geotechnical hazards
7.3 Examples of highwall failures
7.4 Impact of nearby blasting on highwall entries and slopes
7.5 Backfilling methods of highwall mining entries
8 Design and operational guidelines
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Web pillar strength estimation
8.3 Estimation of load on web pillar
8.4 Determination of factor of safety
8.5 Multi-seam mining
8.6 Highwall stability
8.7 Highwall inspection and monitoring
8.8 Identification of geological and structure features
8.9 Entry stability
8.10 Sequence of multiple seam extraction
8.11 Seam gas
8.12 Plans and sections
8.13 Highwall mining equipment
8.14 Additional safety requirements
