Advances in Mining Science and Technology Series

This book contains high-quality papers from the principal mining research institutes of the USA, United Kingdom, India and South Africa, thus providing up-to-date coverage of underground mining and technology in the main mining areas of the world. The theme is mining in adverse conditions using state-of-the-art technology. A wide range of problems facing mining engineers is discussed, namely: thick seam working, mining under massive beds, highly productive room and pillar operations, water problems, ventilation, and electronics in longwall mining.

The escalating worldwide demand for energy has had the effect, among other things, of promoting the development of coal mining. In some countries specialist design offices were set up and students trained as specialists in mine design and construction. Poland, a country having mining traditions stretching over many centuries, is a good example, and has gained a place in the forefront, not only as a coal producer and exporter, but also as an originator and exporter of technical mining know-how. The author of this book has himself had 25 years of practical experience in mine design, in the supervision of mining investment implementation both at home and abroad, and also in directing the activities of the Chief Mine Design and Studies Office in Poland, plus more than 20 years' teaching experience in the training of mining engineers, in particular as head of the Mine Design Department of the Mining Faculty at the Silesian Polytechnic University in Gliwice. This vast wealth of experience has prompted him to write the present book which discusses the basic problems met with in the design of underground hard-coal mines. The author's primary aim has been to deal with all those questions in mine design which have not yet been answered in mining textbooks and which, from his own personal experience, he considers to be of importance. Accordingly, he presents the general principles governing the design of new mines and the reconstruction of working mines, the development of mining regions, the design of coal-preparation plant, and energy economy in mines. Making use of the broad experience gained by the Polish mining industry in the implementation of mining investment projects, he has quoted several examples of technical and organizational solutions which effectively shorten the mine construction cycle. The book is addressed chiefly to investors and engineers engaged in preparing plans for the development of mining regions, for the construction of new mines, and the reconstruction of existing mines and preparation plants, as well as to students in mining departments of technical schools and universities. The information offered here is of great practical value and may well stimulate the development of new ideas for design and implementation concepts.

Changes in size and power of available mining transport equipment, combined with improved means of control involving leaky feeder radio and computers, demands a new look at the problem of mine winding and transport. Such changes require the traditional mining engineer to have a much greater engineering application. This book is intended to satisfy that requirement. All the important means of transporting operatives and minerals are addressed, both below ground and on the surface. Safe, speedy and economic transport from the point of mineral extraction to leaving the mine is paramount. This work covers all aspects of the problem including: (1) the design and application of steel wire ropes to a variety of industrial applications, and the various drums and pulleys necessary; (2) a ready means of calculating output/throughput of various transport modes, and relating such to their power requirement; and (3) information on transport modes that enables the most suitable system for given conditions to be determined. A ``first principle'' approach has been adopted throughout, and extensive use of practical examples allows the solution of virtually all associated problems. Although formulae are used where necessary for an understanding of the content, the numerous tables included enable the practicing engineer to make short cuts to more quickly solve particular problems. In addition, the provision of a considerable number of operational constants, many not previously published, enable a more speedy and accurate solution to be effected. By comparing the calculated solutions to a particular problem, the most economic transport mode may be determined. Mining, mechanical and electrical engineers concerned with the safe movement of men or material will find this book of particular use, as will the student preparing for examinations on the subject.

Theoretical and technical problems of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) in mining are covered in this volume. EMC is discussed in three main groups of problems: sources (generation) of interference, propagation of interference in mining conditions, the influence of interferences on mining devices, particularly electronic devices used in deep coal mines. Propagation of interference and its influence on mining communication and signalling systems as well as on control systems of mining machines are discussed. Attention is paid to the influences of interference on dispatching sytems which give to the dispatcher some information about mining hazards. The book will be of interest to mining and electrical engineers.

Destined to become a major reference work, this book presents a wide range of specialist papers on the exploitation of coal mining wastes (minestone). Up-to-date developments and research results are reported from all over the world, providing a wealth of information for civil and mining engineers, environmentalists, and land reclamation specialists.

Both mining and electrical engineers need to bear in mind the following specific requirements of electrical applications in mining. 1) Economy of electrical plant and equipment in relation to the cost price of the extracted mineral ores, governed by the specific exploitation conditions, 2) Reliability of electrical plant and equipment for extractive operations, operational efficiency, and plant and personnel safety. 3) Special safeguards to counteract the additional hazards posed by the use of electric power, and by electrical phenomena in general. The book has been written along these lines, dealing with those topics which highlight the aspects of electrical engineering of relevance for mining engineers and aspects of mining operations that electrical engineers need, to meet the above-mentioned basic requirements governing the introduction and use of electrical plants and systems in mines. This book is intended as a text book and will be of use to students, and colleges as well as to mining and electrical engineers.

The main aim of this book is to offer an exposition of the principles and applications of an original method which was introduced by the authors, developed gradually in the course of time, and applied extensively in the most diverse fields of management in the mining industry and power engineering. It is a relatively universal method of mathematical model construction and application intended to aid managerial personnel at various management levels in decision-making situations, which are frequently characterized by complicated relations of a quantitative as well as logical character. The method, called by the authors simply the ``method of mathematical-logical modelling'' (MLM for short), is based upon an interesting and effective combination of tools from mathematical logic, Boolean algebra and computer programming. From the mathematical point of view it is based primarily on the construction and solution of systems of pseudo-Boolean equations and inequalities with a generalized logical structure. The principal features of the method are its universality, iterativity, interactivity, and advanced and broadly applicable software, coded in FORTRAN 77. Due in particular to these properties, MLM is a powerful tool for modelling real-life situations in the mining industry (and, naturally, in other fields of human activity as well). The exposition is illustrated by a considerable number of examples. Some of these are rather simple and aimed at helping the reader verify his correct understanding of the text. Other examples, especially in the second part of the book (Chapters 6, 7 and 8), are more complicated and extensive. In some instances they have the character of case studies and demonstrate typical approaches applied when modelling mining situations. The book will be of interest to a broad range of specialists working in the mining industry - research workers, designers, computer personnel, system analysts, management personnel at all managerial levels, and also undergraduate as well as graduate students.