Coal and Metal (Surface and Underground) Mining - An Overview

COAL AND METAL (SURFACE AND UNDERGROUND) MINING – AN OVERVIEW

Mining has important economic, environmental, labour and social effects—both in the countries or regions where it is carried out and beyond. For many developing countries, mining accounts for a significant proportion of GDP and, often, for the bulk of foreign exchange earnings and foreign investment. The environmental impact of mining can be significant and long-lasting. There are many examples of good and bad practice in the management and rehabilitation of mined areas. The environmental effect of the use of minerals is becoming an important issue for the industry and its workforce. The debate on global warming, for example, could affect the use of coal in some areas; recycling lessens the amount of new material required; and the increasing use of non-mineral materials, such as plastics, affects the intensity of use of metals and minerals per unit of GDP. Competition, declining mineral grades, higher treatment costs, privatization and restructuring are each putting pressure on mining companies to reduce their costs and increase their productivity. The high capital intensity of much of the mining industry encourages mining companies to seek the maximum use of their equipment, calling in turn for more flexible and often more intensive work patterns. Employment is falling in many mining areas due to increased productivity, radical restructuring and privatization. These changes not only affect mineworkers who must find alternative employment; those remaining remaining in the industry are required to have more skills and more flexibility. Finding the balance between the desire of mining companies to cut costs and those of workers to safeguard their jobs has been a key issue throughout the world of mining. Mining communities must also adapt to new mining m ining operations, as well as to downsizing or closure. Mining is often considered to be a special industry involving close-knit communities and workers doing a dirty, dangerous job. Mining is also a sector where many at the top—managers and employers—are former miners or mining engineers with wide, first-hand experience of the issues that affect their enterprises and workforces. Moreover, Moreover, mineworkers have often been the elite of industrial workers and have frequently been at the forefront when political and social changes have taken place faster than was envisaged by the government of the day. About 23 billion tonnes of minerals, including coal, are produced each year. For high-value minerals, m inerals, the quantity of waste produced is many times that of the final product. For example, each ounce of gold is the result of dealing with about 12 tonnes of ore; each tonne of copper comes from about 30 tonnes of ore. For lower value materials (e.g., sand, gravel and clay)—which account for the bulk of the material mined—the amount of waste material that can be tolerated is minimal. It is safe to assume, however, that the world’s mines must produce at least twice the final amount required (excluding the removal of surface “overburden”, which is subsequently replaced and therefore handled twice). Globally, therefore, some 50 billion tonnes of ore are mined each year. This is the equivalent of digging a 1.5 metre deep hole the size of Switzerland every year. Employment

Mining is not a major employer. It accounts for about 1% of the world’s workforce—some 30 million people, 10 million of whom produce coal. However, for every mining job there is at least one job that is directly dependent on mining. In addition, it is estimated that at least 6 million people not included in the above figure work in small-scale mines. When one takes dependants into account, the number of people relying on mining for a living is likely to be about 300 million.

Partha Das Sharma, B.Tech(Hons.) in Mining Engineering; E.mail: sharmapd1@gma [email protected]; il.com; Website: http://miningandblasting.wordpress http://miningandblasting.wordpress.com/ .com/ Page 4


INDEX 1. PRELUDE 2. EXPLORATION 3. TYPES OF COAL MINING 4. TECHNIQUES IN UNDERGROU UNDERGROUND ND MINING 5. EQUIPMENT FOR UNDERGROUND MINING 6. UNDERGROUND COAL MINING 7. SURFACE MINING METHODS 8. SURFACE COAL MINING MANAGEMENT 9. BLASTING PRACTICES IN MINES 10. MINERAL DRESSING AND PROCESSING OF ORE 11. COAL PREPARATION PREPARATION 12. MINE AIR POLLUTION, DUST, AND RELATED OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES DISEASES 13. GROUND CONTROL IN UNDERGROUND MINES 14. VENTILATION AND COOLING IN UNDERGROUND MINES 15. LIGHTING IN UNDERGROU UNDERGROUND ND MINES 16. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT IN MINING 17. FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS IN MINES 18. DETECTION OF GASES 19. EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PREPAREDNESS 20. HEALTH HAZARDS OF MINING AND QUARRYING 21. ROBOTICS AND INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS IN MINING



1. PRELUDE Minerals and mineral products are the backbone of most industries. Some form of mining or quarrying is carried out in virtually every country in the world. Challenges before Mining Industry Products of the mining industry generate the majority of energy used, from electricity in homes to fuel in vehicles. Mined resources also serve as inputs for consumer goods and the processes and services provided by nearly all other industries, particularly in agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, utilities, communication, and construction. The mining industry contains five main industry segments, which are defined by the resources they produce: oil and gas extraction, coal mining, metal ore mining, non-metallic mineral mining & quarrying, and support activities for mining. Mining industry faces a number of challenges in the near future. Working conditions in mines, quarries, and well sites can be unusual and sometimes dangerous. Some of the mining challenges including quarrying closer to cities and civil structures and greater quarry depths with highwalls subjected to more rock stress and water pressure. In addition, more underground operations that are inherently more dangerous. They are damp and dark, and some can be very hot and noisy. In underground mining operations, unique dangers include the possibility of cave-in, mine fire, explosion, or exposure to harmful gases. In addition, dust generated by drilling in mines still places miners at risk of developing serious lung diseases. In mechanized system of mining, large, powerful sophisticated equipment moving thousands of tons of ore and rock, round the clock operation, poorly lighted entries, and adverse weather conditions all contribute to the hazardous nature of mining. Hazards arise from equipment design flaws, deficient mine design, or human error. The potential for health and safety risks introduced by new technologies must be addressed proactively. Of particular concern is to understand the system requirements and specifications and to address human interface issues involving the operation, maintenance, and repair of the equipment as well as the computerized control of equipment. Since a truly autonomous mining system is still a future vision, current mining machines will be used for many years. A continuous need exists to reduce equipment hazards, improve component and system reliabilities, and minimize the occurrence of unplanned catastrophic accidents. Moreover, loss of experienced mine workers due to retirement, an influx of new, inexperienced workers in more challenging mining conditions is one of the most important aspects. Effective training is needed to reduce injuries of both experienced and inexperienced workers from ever increasing diverse background. Mining challenges can be met with better training, using interactive mediums or even virtual reality techniques. The awareness and involvement of the whole workforce needs to be fostered by management, labour and government jointly identifying risk factors, selecting mining practices, implementing mining plans and engineering and administrative controls. Surface mining requires large areas of land to be temporarily disturbed. This raises a number of environmental challenges, including soil erosion, dust, noise and water pollution, and impacts on local biodiversity. Environmental clearance of Mining, Oil and Gas Fields Projects etc., is becoming more stringent everyday. That is understandable and acceptable, but what is more alarming is the lack of skill sets required to handle such challenges that can come from different agencies such as the department of environment, department of forest etc. By carefully pre-planning projects, implementing pollution control measures, monitoring the effects of mining and rehabilitating mined areas, the mining industry minimises the impact of its activities on the neighbouring community, the immediate environment and on long-term land capability. Recently, the mining agenda has changed, as the world has taken the carbon-cutting culture to its heart. New challenge is to implement measures to ensure mining operations sustainable, around the world.


Coal and Metal (Surface and Underground) Mining - An Overview

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