Modern coal extraction methods with backfill

Los mtodos modernos de extraccin de carbn con

relleno
Jan Palarski
Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice Poland

Content
Introduction
European/Polish hard coal mining industry
Mine water and waste management
Backfill in Polish coal mines
Grouting technology in longwall operation
Conclusions
Prof. J. Palarski

CHARACTERISTICS OF POLISH HARD COAL

MINING INDUSTRY (2010)
UNIT
Hard Coal resources (recoverable resources)

(Bt)

40 (4)

Hard Coal Production (Lignite)

(Mt)

76,6 (58)

Domestic Consumption

(Mt)

70

Waste Production

(Mt)

34

Underground Waste Disposal (backfill, grouting of

gob, ... )
- waste rock + tailing + slime
-CCBs

(Mt)

4,0
2,7

(Mm3)

189

Total Chloride and Sulphate Loading

(Mt)

ca 1,5

Production of CCBs

(Mt)

13,0

Number of Longwalls

99

Number of Closed Mines (years 1989- 2009)

47

Length of Filling and Sealing Workings

(km)

ca 3700 (years 1993-2009)

Length of Filling Shaft

(km)

ca 110 (years 1993-2009)

Volume of Pumped Water and Sewages

Prof. JAN PALARSKI

Mining Methods

Longwall with Backfill

Longwall with Grouting of Gob

Prof. J. Palarski
SUT Gliwice, Pl

Methane in Longwall
Methane concentration tendency: gathering in roof cavities and gob and
creation of layer along the roof of working face (airways)

CH4
CH4
CH4

CH4
CH4

70%
CH4

70%
70%
CH44
CH

CH4

50%
CH4

25%
CH4

CH4

50%
CH4

70 100% CH4
25%
CH4

CH4
CH4

CH4

CIA
Longwall
NA
Prof. J. Palarski
SUT Gliwice, Pl

TECHNOLOGIES IN UNDERGROUND
MINING
Underground fill technologies
With use of mine waste & coal combustion by-products

Backfill

Backfill + CO2 injection

Grouting of caving area

Grouting + CO2 injection

Filling of abandoned mine workings

Filling of old shallow voids in the rock mass

Construction of backfill packs and plugs

Liquidation of mine shafts/Shafts filling

Extinguishing underground fires and fire hazard control

Prof. J. Palarski

BACKFILL MIXTURE
Material

Water

Fly Ash

Binder
Cement

Slag

Mine water

Sand

Salt content < 70 g/l

Fly ash
Blast furnace slag

Waste rock

Binder (Minova,UTEX
(Minova,UTEX))

Tailings

Ground waste glass

Natural pozzolans
Gypsum

Prof. J. Palarski

Fill Plant
WASHERY
REFUSE SILO
<2mm

TAILING
SILO

Feeder

Feeder

FLY ASH/
SLAG
GYPSUM
SILOS

CEMENT
SILO

Feeder

Feeder

pump

MIXER

ROCK
AGGREGATE
SILO (<40mm)

Prof. J. Palarski

WATER SILO

INSTRUMENTATION
AND CONTROL

SLURRY SILO

HOPPER

TO UNDERGROUND

FILL PLANT - 3000 m3/day

Fly ash discharge and storage

Prof. J. Palarski

Surface plant preparation of mixture

Prof. J. Palarski

GATE FILLING

Prof. J. Palarski

GROUTING OF CAVING
Fly ash

Tailings

Water

Method is based on longwall

with caving

Cavings area
to be filled
with grout

Longwall

Method allows to separate

extraction from filling process

Shaft

Grout transport
pipeline

Method doesnt need to keep

open room behind support

Prof. J. Palarski

GROUTING OF CAVING

Fill mixture:
fly ash, tailing, binders, polluted water (salted)
Advantages:
Reduction of spontaneous combustion,
Reduction of ventilation problems,
Reduction of surface damages,
Underground fines waste disposal.

Prof. J. Palarski

GROUTING TECHNOLOGY - THE SURFACE BOREHOLES

Mixture preparation
and injection plant

Pump

Boreholes

Grouting of gob area

Pillar

Prof. J. Palarski

FILLING OF WEBER VOID

Pipeline
Void

Sandstone

Shale
Mixture

Prof. J. Palarski

VOIDS FILLING IN UCG

Filling voids in UCG can be considered in order to
achieve following goals:

Reduction of subsidence, as in ordinary underground mining

Reduction of fracturing evolution to reduce the capacity of contaminants
migration paths

Isolation and stabilization of UCG residues to minimize groundwater
potential for absorption and transfer of contaminants

Limitation of underground generator space volume for improved
circulation and reaction of gases

Placement of chemical catalysts, absorbers, and other substances into
the UCG area for improvement of process efficiency and/or product gas
quality, sequestration of carbon dioxide and other reasons

Prof. J. Palarski

Gasification in a thick seam with use of vertical directed

caverns (VDC)

1coal seam, 2floor of the seam, 3overburden, 4oxidant well (directional), 5oxidant injection point, 6UCG active zone, 7
ash and residues falling on the floor of the caver, 8syngas well, 9backfilled cavern, 10liquidated well, 11filled redundant
part of oxidant well

Prof. J. Palarski

Super Daisy Shaft method gasification and filling

process

Prof. J. Palarski

Conclusion

Backfill and presented grouting technology can be

effective treatment alternatives for remediation of
solid mining waste, CCB-s and polluted mine water.

Prof. J. Palarski