CRITERIA FOR SELECTING

METHODS OF EXTRACTION
OF STEEPLY DIPPING COAL
SEAM
BY VIKAS RAIKA
114MN0567

Facts and figures about coal reserve

and its exploitation trend in india
reveals that the future of the industry
lies with underground mining of coal.
However ,parameters like: steepness
are becoming more important wih
changing geo-mining condition of the
mines.

GEO-MINING CONDITIONS
Steep coal seem of the country are
thick and thin and are stuck below
hard and massive formations of
jhariya coalfield to highly folded,soft
and fragile formations of makum
coalfield. Majority of the steep seam
consist good quality of coal .

Problems
1.Steeply dipping coal mass is
observed to be fragile due to their
vicinity
Of the faults and under the influrnce
of folds.
2.Poor mechanisation and
automation.
3.Complex rockmass behaviour

steep coal seams with competent rock mass

formations adopted different mining methods

Inclined slicing
1. incline slicing with caving
2. incline slicing with stowing
Horizontal slicing

INTRODUCTION
In case of inclined slicing, the slices are taken
parallel to the bedding plane. It may be worked
either in ascending order or in descending order.
While descending order of inclined slicing can be
done with or without stowing, inclined slicing with
ascending order must be done in conjunction with
stowing. Although method of mining may either
be bord and pillar or longwall, longwall method is
universally preferred for its productivity as it
justifies the cost involved in inclined slicing
technique.

APPLICABILITY OF INCLINED SLICING

Inclined slicing with descending order with stowing is not
normally practiced unless the roof conditions are bad and
the coal seam is highly prone to spontaneous heating.
However, if the fill material has suitable property to
impart stability to the roof of the slices, this can be
applied to seams with appreciable thickness. Generally,
inclined slicing is practiced in the gently dipping coal
seams although there are instances when this is applied in
the semi-steep coal seams too. For steep seams, however,
horizontal slicing is preferred over inclined slicing.

Inclined slicing in descending order with caving

applicability
I Maximum seam inclination 35o; seams steeper than
this will result in caved stone sliding down the face
area.
ii. Easily caveable roof (roof with beds less than 3m
thick and compressive strength up to 500 kg cm -2.
iii.Seams with regular thickness
iv. Seam thickness up to 9m; seams thicker than this
will require more than 3 slices while artificial roofing
through wire netting lasts up to 3 slices.
v.The coal may be hard.

The seam was divided in 5 slices, each of 2.4m thick and the bottom 4.8m was taken by a
slice at the floor and sublevel caving of overlying 2.4m coal(Fig. 1).

1 Division of 12.4 metre thick seam into

slices for descending slicing method with
caving at Gidi A Colliery, Karanpura Coalfield
(R. D. Singh, 1997)

Fig.2 Location of gate roads in descending

slicing method with caving at Gidi A Colliery,
Karanpura Coalfield (R. D. Singh, 1997)

INCLINED SLICING IN DESCENDING ORDER WITH

STOWING
Inclined slicing in descending order with stowing is
done when coal seam is broken and the roof does not
cave easily and the seam is prone to spontaneous
heating. Working of a thick seam inclined at 30 oby
inclined slicing in descending order with stowing is

Fig. 3 Inclined slicing in descending order with stowing

(R. D. Singh, 1997)

HORIZONTAL SLICING

INTRODUCTION
In this case the slicesare taken parallel to horizontal plane. The length of
face is equal to the horizontal thickness of the seam.
It is generally applied to thick (> 1.5m thick) and steep seams and in some
inclined seams having sufficient thickness. It can be applied to deposits of
any shape containing both hard and weak coals and seams with small
incubation period and high rate of firedamp emission. Stability of rock is
not an important factor for this method.
Horizontal slicing can be done both in ascending order and in descending
order. When it is done in ascending order, goaf must be filled. Although
method of mining may either be bord and pillar or longwall, longwall
method is universally preferred for its productivity as it justifies the cost
involved in horizontal slicing technique. Horizontal slicing in ascending
order with sand stowing is predominantly used all around the world.
Seam is accessed by driving roads in the footwall and cross cuts driven
from the footwall to the seam. Siting main access road in footwall makes it
more stable and therefore requires less maintenance and helps in easy
sealing of the panel in case of occurrence of fire in the workings.

HORIZONTAL SLICING IN ASCENDING ORDER

In India horizontal slicing is practiced in Sudamdih Colliery. The
mine is also designed on horizon mining system. In horizon
mining system drivages/drifts in stone is made horizontally
connecting the shafts so that locomotive can run through them.
Thereafter coal seams are worked out by any method of workings.
In Sudamdih Colliery there are three horizons.
It is just like cut and fill method in hard rock mining. The
development drifts are driven in the footwall and crosscuts are
driven into the seams at prescribed intervals. As each horizontal
lift is completed, the mined-out area is pneumatically or
hydraulically stowed. Due to the high development and stowing
costs, the ascending method of horizontal slicing is predominantly
used where massive non-caving roofs occur and sometimes where
surface disturbance must be minimized.

Fig. 2 Method of extraction by horizontal

slicing(S. K. Das, 1994)

DISADVANTAGES
HORIZONTAL

OF

SLICING
Following disadvantages are
associated
slicing:

with

horizontal

CASE STUDY>>>>>>>>>>>>>

INCLINED SLICING IN DESCENDING ORDER WITH CAVING

Usually longwall retreating method is adopted for inclined slicing in descending order with caving.
Method
Roads are driven in firm ground and planned to serve more than one slice. These should
preferably be located in rock so that in case of fire, the panel could be easily sealed off. Level
haulage roadways and airways are made to serve all the slices and are usually driven in coal.
Independent development openings are driven in each slice commensurate with the method of
working. After the slice is extracted and caved/stowed, some time is allowed for the strata to
settle down. Independent development roadways are then driven for next slice except the level
entries. Normally all slices are worked simultaneously so that both gate roads are sunk
Normal
practicewith
is to the
form
the false
the wire
netting
on thecontinuous
steel strips.advance
Wire
simultaneously
advance
of roof
the with
respective
slices.
Thislaid
ensures
of
netting
lasts
up
to
3
slices
and
offer
more
flexibility
in
operation.
Sometimes
in
the
both the gate roads corresponding to the advance of respective slices.
formation of the roof of the lower slices, advantage of stone bands is taken if they exist in
suitable thickness. However, timbering below the band must be so regulated that the band
does not disintegrate.

Case study: Gidi A Colliery, Karanpura Coalfield, India

Geo-Mining Parameter
Seam Thickness : 12 m
Dip : 1 in 3 to 1 in 5
Cover : 70 m
Seam
worked
:
Sirka
seam
Strata above : 1.5m thick shale capped
by bedded sandstone
Strata below : Shale at the floor
Compressive strength of the coal : 243 kg cm-2
Compressive strength of roof rock : 711 kg cm-2
Length of the face : 90 m
Face support : 42 tonne friction props
and hinged type roof bars

seam was divided in 5 slices, each of 2.4m thick and the bottom 4.8m was taken by a slice at the
sublevel caving of overlying 2.4m coal(Fig. 1).

Fig.1 Division of 12.4 metre thick seam into slices for descending slicing method with
caving at Gidi A Colliery,Karanpura Coalfield (R. D. Singh, 1997)

The seam was opened out by three surface inclines: two

along the roof at 16m apart and one along the floor placed
centrally. One of the roof inclines was used for the supply of
the material and the other for the return of air. Gate roads
were driven from the roof inclines to the limit of the panel
and the first slice was opened out between these gate roads.
Entry to the second slice was made by sinking the existing
entries to the first slice to the level of the second slice. New
gate roads were driven and the second slice face was driven
underneath the netting and second slice face was started
form the end of the panel where the first slice ended leaving
6m solid coal from the end for the purpose of securing the
artificial roofing. The gate road was driven leaving 4.5m of rib
from the edge of the

first slice gate road so that the wire netting remained in position which was laid in the first floor
of the first slice. After the second slice was extracted, the entry to the third slice was obtained
the same way as for the second slice. A fresh top gate was driven for the third slice 2m away
from the edge of the second slice top gate (Fig. 2).

Fig.2 Location of gate roads in descending

slicing method with caving at Gidi A Colliery,
Karanpura Coalfield (R. D. Singh, 1997)

THANK YOU!!