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Which separate tasks are performed in conventional room-and-pillar coal mining?
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coal mining
Schematic diagram of an underground coal mine, showing surface facilities, access shafts, and room-and-pillar and longwall mining methods.
In the conventional system of room-and-pillar coal mining, the process is defined by a series of unit operations performed by separate machines and work crews. These distinct tasks include:
- Undercutting: Creating a horizontal cut at the bottom of the coal face to facilitate the breaking of the coal.
- Drilling: Boring holes into the coal face to prepare for the placement of explosives.
- Blasting: Using explosives to fragment the coal seam.
- Loading: Removing the broken coal from the face for transport.1
Following these extraction steps, the exposed roof is typically secured using roof bolting to ensure the safety of the miners and the stability of the underground environment.12