Unanticipated multiple seam stresses from pillar systems behaving as pseudo gob–case histories

Underground coal mining in the U.S. is conducted in numerous regions where previous workings exist above and/or below an actively mined seam. Miners know that overlying or underlying fully extracted coal areas, also known as gob regions, can result in abutment stresses that affect the active mining. If there was no full extraction, and the past mining consists entirely of intact pillars, the stresses on the active seam are usually minimal. However, experience has shown that in some situations there has been sufficient yielding in overlying or underlying pillar systems to cause stress transfer to the adjoining larger pillars or barriers, which in turn, transfer significant stresses onto the workings of the active seam. In other words, the overlying or underlying pillar system behaves as a ‘‘pseudo gob." The presence of a pseudo gob is often unexpected, and the consequences can be severe. This paper presents several case histories, summarized briefly below, that illustrate pseudo gob phenomenon:(1) pillar rib degradation at a West Virginia mine at 335 m depth that contributed to a rib roll fatality,(2) pillar rib deterioration at a Western Kentucky mine at 175 m depth that required pillar size adjustment and installation of supplemental bolting,(3) roof deterioration at an eastern Kentucky mine at 400 m depth that stopped mine advance and required redirecting the section development,(4) coal burst on development at an eastern Kentucky mine at 520 m depth that had no nearby pillar recovery, and(5) coal burst on development at a West Virginia mine at the relatively shallow depth of 335 m that also had no nearby pillar recovery. The paper provides guidance so that when an operation encounters a potential pseudo gob stress interaction the hazard can be mitigated based on an understanding of the mechanism encountered.     

Controlling the effect of a distant extremely thick igneous rock in overlying strata on coal mine disasters

Based on theoretical analysis, similarity simulation tests, numerical simulation analysis and field observations, we analyzed rock collapse and rules of fraction evolution of overlying rocks and studied the rules in controlling the effect of an extremely thick igneous rock, found above a main mining coal seam in an area prone to coal mine disasters in the Haizi Coal Mine. The results show that this igneous rock, called a "main key stratum", will not subside nor break for a long time, causing lower fractures and bed separations not to close. The presence of igneous rock plays an important role in rock bursts, mine floods, gas outburst and surface subsidence in coal mines. By analyzing the rules in controlling the effect of this igneous rock, we provide useful references for safety and high efficiency mining in coal mines under special geological conditions.     

Coal bursts that occur during development: A rock mechanics enigma

Coal bursts are typically associated with highly stressed coal.Most bursts occur during retreat mining(longwall mining or pillar recovery) in highly stressed locations like the tailgate corner of the longwall panel.Others are associated with multiple seam interactions.However, a small but significant percentage of coal bursts have occurred during development or in outby locations unaffected by active mining.Most development bursts have been relatively small, but some have been highly destructive.No theory of coal bursts can be complete if it does not account for this type of event.This paper focusses on the development mining coal burst experience in the US, putting it into the context of the entire US coal burst database.The first documented development coal burst occurred almost exactly 100 years ago during slope drivage at the Sunnyside Mine in Utah.Sunnyside subsequently had a long history of bursts, mainly during retreat mining but also during development.Several Colorado mines have also experienced multiple development bursts.Many, but by no means all, of the development bursts in these western US coalfields have been associated with known faults.In the Central Appalachian coalfields, most development bursts have occurred in multiple seam situations.In some of these cases, however, there was no retreat mining in either seam.The paper closes with some lessons from this history, with implications for preventing such events in the future.     

Fissure evolution and evaluation of pressure-relief gas drainage in the exploitation of super-remote protected seams

Based on nonlinearity contact theory and the geological structure of the Xieqiao Coal Mine in the newly developed Huainan coal field, rock movements, mining fissures and deformation of overlying strata were simulated by using the interface unit of FLAC3D to evaluate the pressure-relief gas drainage in the exploitation of super-remote protected seams. The simulation indicates that the height of the water flowing fractured zone is 54 m in the overlying strata above the protective layer. The maximum relative swelling deformation of the C 13 coal seam is 0.232%,while the mining height is 3.0 m and the distance from the B8 roof to the C13 floor is 129 m, which provides good agreement with a similar experiment and in situ results. The feasibility of exploitation of a super-remote protective coal seam and the performance of the pressure-relief gas drainage in a super-remote protected layer are evaluated by comparisons with practice projects. It demonstrates that the relieved gas in the super-remote protected layers could be better drained and it is feasible to exploit the B8 coal seam before the C13 super-remote protected coal seam. The method is applicable for the study of rock movements, mining fissures and deformation of the overburden, using the interface unit to analyze the contact problems in coal mines.     

Coal and gas outburst dynamic system

Coal and gas outburst is an extremely complex dynamic disaster in coal mine production process which will damage casualties and equipment facilities, and disorder the ventilation system by suddenly ejecting a great amount of coal and gas into roadway or working face. This paper analyzed the interaction among the three essential elements of coal and gas outburst dynamic system. A stress-seepage-damage coupling model was established which can be used to simulate the evolution of the dynamical system, and then the size scale of coal and gas outburst dynamical system was investigated. Results show that the dynamical system is consisted of three essential elements, coal-gas medium(material basis), geology dynamic environment(internal motivation) and mining disturbance(external motivation). On the case of C13 coal seam in Panyi Mine, the dynamical system exists in the range of 8–12 m in front of advancing face. The size scale will be larger where there are large geologic structures. This research plays an important guiding role for developing measures of coal and gas outburst prediction and prevention.     

岱庄煤矿近距离煤层微量元素赋存特征研究

煤矿开采的主要对象是煤层,煤层对比清楚与否,直接影响煤矿安全生产和经济效益.岱庄煤矿3上1、3上及3下煤层相距较近,区分不明显,容易造成采掘巷道串层现象.对岱庄煤矿可采煤层中微量元素赋存特征开展研究,掌握不同煤层中微量元素的赋存状况,可很好地判断岱庄煤矿煤层层位,能有效避免地质构造等因素造成近距离煤层采掘串层现象,对合理设计开采方案和采掘进度有重大意义,从而为岱庄煤矿安全、高效生产提供科学依据和保障.     

Fuzzy Evaluation of Coal Seam Geological Condition of Fully-Mechanized Face in Ten-Million-Ton Mine

1 IntroductionWith the development of coal mining, the dif-ference in coal seam geological conditions will cer-tainly influence on the adaptability of coal miningtechnology and on coalface outputs, especially theeconomic indicators. To ensure a high efficiency ofcoal mining, coal seam geological conditions mustbe made clear. Fuzzy evaluation here is aiming atconcrete coal seam geological conditions with thecomprehensive view of coal mining. The main ideaof this evaluationis that a coalface is …     

Greenhouse gas emissions from shallow uncovered coal seams

This study discusses a method of quantifying emissions from surface coal mining that has been trialled in Australia. The method is based on direct measurement of surface emissions from uncovered coal seams in mine pits, concurrent measurement of residual gas content of blasted coal in mine pits, and measurement of pre-mining gas content of the same seam from cores retrieved from exploration boreholes drilled away from active mining. The results from one of the mines studied are presented in this paper. In this mine, the pre-mining gas content of the target seam was measured using cores from an exploration borehole away from active mining. Gas content varied from 0.7 to 0.8 m³/t and gas composition varied from 16% to 21% CH₄ (84–79% CO₂). In-pit measurements included seam surface emissions and residual gas content of blasted and ripped coal. Residual gas content varied from 0.09 to 0.15 m³/t, less than twofold across the mine pit. Composition of the residual gas was in general 90% CO₂ and 10% CH₄, with slight variation between samples. Coal seam surface emissions varied from 1.03 to 7.50 mL of CO₂-e per minute and per square meter of the coal seam surface, a sevenfold variation across the mine pit.     

Influential factors and control of water inrush in a coal seam as the main aquifer

In this paper, a combination of field measurement, theoretical analysis and numerical simulation were used to study the main control factors of coal mine water inrush in a main aquifer coal seam and its control scheme. On the basis of revealing and analyzing the coal seam as the main aquifer in western coal mine of Xiao Jihan coal mine, the simulation software of PHASE-2D was applied to analyze the water inflow under different influencing factors. The results showed that water inflow increases logarithmically with the coal seam thickness, increases as a power function with the permeability coefficient of the coal seam, and increases linearly with the coal seam burial depth and the head pressure; The evaluation model for the factors of coal seam water inrush was gained by using nonlinear regression analysis with SPSS. The mine water inrush risk evaluation partition within the scope of the mining field was obtained,through the engineering application in Xiao Jihan coal mine. To ensure the safe and efficient production of the mine, we studied the coal mine water disaster prevention and control measures of a main aquifer coal seam in aspects of roadway driving and coal seam mining.     

Simulation of recovery of upper remnant coal pillar while mining the ultra-close lower panel using longwall top coal caving

With the depletion of easily minable coal seams, less favorable reserves under adverse conditions have to be mined out to meet the market demand. Due to some historical reasons, large amount of remnant coal was left unrecovered. One such case history occurred with the remnant rectangular stripe coal pillars using partial extraction method at Guandi Mine, Shanxi Province, China. The challenge that the coal mine was facing was that there is an ultra-close coal seam right under it with an only 0.8–1.5 m sandstone dirt band in between. The simulation study was carried out to investigate the simultaneous recovery of upper remnant coal pillars while mining the ultra-close lower panel using longwall top coal caving(LTCC). The remnant coal pillar was induced to cave in as top coal in LTCC system. Physical modelling shows that the coal pillars are the abutments of the stress arch structure formed within the overburden strata. The stability of overhanging roof strata highly depends on the stability of the remnant coal pillars. And the gob development(roof strata cave-in) is intermittent with the cave-in of these coal pillars and the sandstone dirt band. FLAC3 D numerical modelling shows that the multi-seam interaction has a significant influence on mining-induced stress environment for mining of lower panels. The pattern of the stress evolution on the coal pillars with the advance of the lower working face was found. It is demonstrated that the stress relief of a remnant coal pillar enhances the caveability of the pillars and sandstone dirt band below.     

红菱煤矿开采保护层对 煤岩体透气性的数值模拟

以红菱煤矿保护层开采为工程实例,通过开采11#煤层,对存在煤与瓦斯突出的7#煤层和12#煤层进行 卸压,利用FLAC3D数值模拟中小同步开挖的渗透率变化情况,对保护层开采过程中煤岩体的渗透性进行了分 析,得出了煤岩体透气性变化规律。结果表明:煤岩体的透气性随着工作面推进不断增强;开采保护层上覆岩体 的渗透率明显比底板岩体的渗透率大;卸压效果越好,渗透率越大。     

煤层厚度变化区域矿震活动规律研究

为更有效地预防采掘期间深部煤层分叉或厚度变化区域冲击矿压的发生,以某矿回采工作面为工程实践背景,基于矿震活动在能量释放与震动频次方面的变化特征及在空间上的分布规律,分析了煤层分叉及煤层厚度变化对冲击矿压的影响。结果表明:在大能量矿震发生前,日震动频次连续处于高位而日释放能量较长时间维持低水平;在煤层厚度变化区域,矿震活动活跃,容易发生大能量矿震。通过对矿震进行"时间-空间"分析,可以确定矿震集中区域和能量积聚时间段,从而可对煤层厚度变化影响区域进行有针对性的卸压防冲工作。     

A semi-quantitative coal burst risk classification system

Safety is the highest priority in the mining industry as underground mining in particular poses high safety risks to its workers. In underground coal mines, coal bursts are one of the most catastrophic hazards, which involves sudden and violent dynamic coal mass failure with rapid ejection of the broken material into the mine workings. Despite decades of research, the contributing mechanisms of coal bursts are still not completely understood. Hence, it remains challenging to forecast coal bursts and quantify their likelihood of occurrence. However, a range of geological and geotechnical factors are associated with coal bursts and can increase the coal burst proneness. This paper introduces a semi-quantitative coal burst risk classification system, namely, BurstRisk. Based on back-analysis of case histories from Australia, China and the United States, BurstRisk classifies the coal burst risk into three categories:low, medium and high risk. In addition, it allows mining engineers to modify the weighting of the selected factors based on specific conditions. The risk classification charts introduced are for both longwall retreat and development sections of long-wall mining operations. This paper also provides a set of risk management strategies and control measures for effective coal burst mitigation.     

多煤层采区岩层移动相似材料的模拟研究

通过对平顶山煤业集团公司八矿多煤层采区同采条件下,下部煤层开采对上部煤层开采影响的相似材料模拟试验结果的分析,得出了下组煤层开采时上覆岩层的移动及变形规律、有关岩层移动参数、上组煤层巷道变形预计方法及采动影响的时空关系．     

多煤层采区岩层移动相似材料的模拟研究

通过对平顶山煤业集团公司八矿多煤层采区同采条件下,下部煤层开采对上部煤层开采影响的相似材料模拟试验结果的分析,得出了下组煤层开采时上覆岩层的移动及变形规律、有关岩层移动参数、上组煤层巷道变形预计方法及采动影响的时空关系     

Risk assessment of fault water inrush during deep mining

With the gradual depletion of shallow coal resources, the Yanzhou mine in China will enter the lower coal seam mining phase. However, as mining depth increases, lower coal seam mining in Yanzhou is threatened by water inrush in the Benxi Formation limestone and Ordovician limestone. The existing prediction models for the water burst at the bottom of the coal seam are less accurate than expected owing to various controlling factors and their intrinsic links. By analyzing the hydrogeological exploration data of the Baodian lower seam and combining the results of the water inrush coefficient method and the Yanzhou mine pressure seepage test, an evaluation model of the seepage barrier capacity of the fault was established. The evaluation results show the water of the underlying limestone aquifer in the Baodian mine area mainly threatens the lower coal mining through the fault fracture zone. The security of mining above confined aquifer in the Baodian mine area gradually decreases from southwest to northeast. By comparing the water inrush coefficient method and the evaluation model of fault impermeability, the results show the evaluation model based on seepage barrier conditions is closer to the actual situation when analyzing the water breakout situation at the working face.     

Green coal mining technique integrating mining-dressing-gas draining-backfilling-mining

Aiming to address the following major engineering issues faced by the Pingdingshan No. 12 mine:(1) difficulty in implementing auxiliary lifting because of its depth(i.e., beyond 1000 m);(2) highly gassy main coal seam with low permeability;(3) unstable overlying coal seam without suitable conditions for implementing conventional mining techniques for protective coal seam; and(4) predominant reliance on ‘‘under three" coal resources to ensure production output. This study proposes an integrated, closed-cycle mining-dressing-gas draining-backfilling-mining(MDGBM) technique. The proposed approach involves the mining of protective coal seam, underground dressing of coal and gangue(UDCG), pressure relief and gas drainage before extraction, and backfilling and mining of the protected coal seam. A system for draining gas and mining the protective seam in the rock stratum is designed and implemented based on the geological conditions. This system helps in realizing pressure relief and gas drainage from the protective seam before extraction. Accordingly, another system, which is connected to the existing production system, is established for the UDCG based on the dense medium-shallow trough process. The mixed mining workface is designed to accommodate both solid backfill and conventional fully mechanized coal mining, thereby facilitating coal mining, USCG, and backfilling. The results show that: The mixed mining workface length for the Ji15-31010 protected seam was 220 m with coal production capacity 1.2 million tons per year, while the backfill capacity of gangue was 0.5 million tons per year. The gas pressure decreased from 1.78 to 0.35 MPa, and the total amount of safely mined coal was 1.34 million tons. The process of simultaneously exploiting coal and draining gas was found to be safe, efficient, and green.This process also yielded significant economic benefits.     

地面群孔瓦斯抽采技术应用研究

为保证新集一矿突出煤层13-1煤北中央采区的安全开采,先后开采131103、131105等11-2煤层工作面作为保护层。首先在上述两个工作面共布置了6个地面钻孔,建立了地面群孔瓦斯抽采系统,预抽采动区被保护层13-1煤瓦斯。接下来对地面钻孔抽采瓦斯参数进行了考察,主要包括基于示踪技术考察了131105工作面采动卸压地面钻孔走向及倾向瓦斯抽采半径,统计分析被保护层瓦斯抽采率,同时就地面群孔与井下底板巷穿层钻孔瓦斯抽采两种方法进行了抽采率、工程费用等方面的对比。研究结果表明：新集一矿的地层条件下地面钻孔抽采煤层卸压瓦斯沿煤层倾向和走向的抽采半径分别不小于160m和240m;采动区地面群孔瓦斯抽采率达35%以上;地面钻孔相对比井下底板巷,在抽采瓦斯方面具有技术上可靠、安全、经济等优点。     

Coal and rock fissure evolution and distribution characteristics of multi-seam mining

Henan Pingdingshan No.10 mine is prone to both coal and gas outbursts. The E_9–10 coal seam is the main coal-producing seam but has poor quality ventilation, thus making it relatively difficult for gas extraction. The F₁₅ coal seam, at its lower section, is not prone to coal and gas outbursts. The average seam separation distance of 150 m is greater than the upper limit for underside protective seam mining. Based on borehole imaging technology for field exploration of coal and rock fracture characteristics and discrete element numerical simulation, we have studied the evolution laws and distribution characteristics of the coal and rock fissure field between these two coal seams. By analysis of the influential effect of group F coal mining on the E_9–10 coal seam, we have shown that a number of small fissures also develop in the area some 150 m above the overlying strata. The width and number of the fissures also increase with the extent of mining activity. Most of the fissures develop at a low angle or even parallel to the strata. The results show that the mining of the F₁₅ coal seam has the effect of improving the permeability of the E_9–10 coal seam.     

Overburden fracture evolution laws and water-controlling technologies in mining very thick coal seam under water-rich roof

Considering the danger of water inrush in mining very thick coal seam under water-rich roof in Majialiang Coal Mine, the universal discrete element (UDEC) software was used to simulate the overburden fracture evolution laws when mining 4# coal seam. Besides, this study researched on the influence of face advancing length, speed and mining height on the height of the water flowing fractured zones (HWFFZ), and analyzed the correlation of face advancing length and change rules of aquifer water levels and goaf water inflow. Based on those mentioned above, this research proposed the following water-controlling technologies: draining the roof water before mining, draining goaf water, reasonable advancing speed and mining thickness. These water-controlling technologies were successfully used in the field, thus ensured safely mining the very thick coal seam under water-rich roof.