Day 2 Wednesday 7 February 2007 Session 4: Advanced Mining Coal Technology

Speech 4 Poland
Coal Mining in Poland in Complicated Geological Conditions

Dr. Jan Drzewiecki Head, Rockburst Prevention Laboratory Rockbursts & Rock Mechanics Division Central Mining Institute Poland

Coal mining in Poland in complicated geological conditions

Drzewiecki Jan
Central Mining Institute, Katowice, POLAND j.drzewiecki@gig.katowice.pl

ABSTRACT
In Poland hard coal is mined in complicated geological conditions. As a result, occurrence of a significant number of natural hazards in the work environment makes working underground an occupation with a high level of potential risk of accidents. Main natural hazards in hard coal mines embrace hazards connected with gas emission, fire, coal dust, seismicity and rockbursts, water and radioactive phenomena. These hazards should be regarded as dominating. Either their prevention or reduction has already become a fundamental subject of studies and research carried out by research and academic institutions and mines' managements. Technologies of reducing or preventing the mine hazards presented in this article determine the level of work safety in mines and aim to decrease the risk of a particular form of the hazard. Key words: geological condition, mining operations, mining hazards.

INTRODUCTION
Polish mining performs its production tasks in complicated geological conditions. Such conditions are a result of highly folded layers; numerous big faults with drops reaching even 200 meters and more; hundreds of small faults within exploitation fields, fading and stratification of exploited coal seam and underground water reservoirs. It should be stressed that, the fundamental system of coal-seam exploitation is the system with collapse of the ceiling with full mechanization of the casing and molding process. As a result, even in complicated geological conditions hazards stemming from structure of rock mass are not as dangerous as hazards connected with its local, mechanical and physical features. A typical feature of carboniferous rock mass in Poland is an increase, along with depth, of mechanical durability of rocks and coal; of methane amounts within beddings; of temperature; of appearance of radon gas in the mine-air; of appearance of earth waters and radon-bearing sediments. The above-mentioned make exploitation of coal-seams extremely dangerous, therefore extraction requires specific preventive undertakings in both preparatory and realization stage. Therefore, multi-directional preventive actions must be taken, including the active prevention, as an element of mining technologies, which should ensure at the workplaces either an acceptable or tolerable level of work safety. The assurance of safe work conditions means obviously an important element of production costs. The principal sources of these hazards in underground mining are [5]: gas hazard, related mainly to the occurrence of methane in coal seams or their surroundings, manifesting themselves in the form of methane ignition and explosions, and with outbursts and presence of carbon dioxide and outburst-like phenomena, fire hazard, related mainly to the susceptibility of coal seams to spontaneous ignition (endogenous fires), and to self ignition under the effect of an external source (exogenous fires), dust hazard, related to the occurrence of coal dust, and having a form of coal dust explosions, or manifesting themselves in the form of disease called pneumoconiosis, seismic and bump hazard, which manifests itself in occurrence of dynamic stress relieving, and in the case of bumps in damage to mine workings, water hazard, in the form of sudden inrush of water into mine workings, climatic hazard, resulting from the rise of original temperature of rock, in proportion to increasing depths of mining, radiation hazard, related to the occurrence of radon gas in the mine atmosphere, as well as radon- bearing water and sediment

The progressing process of exhaustion of deposits, resulting in the increasing mining depths and more and more complex geological conditions, give rise to continually increasing potential level of hazards existing in the mines. Their reduction or liquidation is performed with usage of adequate techniques which are designed either for each hazard individually or for a group of hazards that occur together in the area of the carried out exploitation.

GAS HAZARD
Methane is a gas that gives rise to high risk to an underground mine, in particular to the health and life of people. The main objective of methane- hazard control applied in the mines is to prevent the possibility of methane accumulation in the workings, in the volumes exceeding the admissible values, which, in consequence, leads to elimination of methane ignition or explosion, or origination of roof-adjacent accumulations or oxygen-free atmosphere [11]. The principal method to control hazardous accumulations of methane is ventilation of the workings, in order that methane concentration should not exceed the admissible values. The practice indicates that the most effective method to control methane emission is to collect through draining the coal seams, and taking out air-gas mixtures from the extracted spaces. Practical examples point out that the factor, which very advantageously affects the effectiveness of methane liberation from coal seams is their stress relieving as in stressrelieved seams the permeability of coal rises considerably, a hundred, or even a thousand times. The effective technologies for methane drainage of the rock mass must fulfill both the condition of increasing its permeability and of methane drainage itself. In this field, in Poland the following technologies are used [13, 14]: - advancing methane drainage, where the permeability of the rock mass in the undisturbed condition is sufficiently high, or the network of cracks and fissures in the rock mass is saturated with free methane under high pressure, fig 1 - methane drainage from over and underlying workings, fig 2 - methane drainage from the sealed goaf can be conducted by using the drill from behind the isolation stoppings (in Polish mining industry volume of methane just comes is about 40%). The advantageous conditions for conducting methane drainage from underground workings take place when: - the sequence of mining the longwalls in the extracted part is in accordance with the inclination of the seam, - ascending ventilation of the areas is used, - depression produced by methane drainage equipment will act in the same way as the ventilation depression, - methane drainage holes will not be in contact through fissures with the zone of direct roof fall. The principal layout schemes for drainage holes in this methane drainage technology in relation to the operating working are shown in Fig. 1.

Fig.1. Layout of drainage holes in the area of the longwall working a - advancing longwall, effectiveness up to 50%, b - retreating longwall with maintenance of the tail gate in the gob, effectiveness up to 4050%, c- retreating longwall with liquidation of the tail gate, effectiveness ca. 2030%, d - retreating longwall with two ventilation headings,

effectiveness ca. 40%, e - methane drainage using a drainage heading, effectiveness ca. 7080%, f - methane drainage by means of directional holes, effectiveness ca. 70%.

drainage heading for roof strata

longwall

drainage heading for floor

strata

drainage heading for floor strata

Fig.2. Location of drainage headings in relation to longwall working [8] An individual characteristic of the overlaying drainage is also origination of a free space in the rock mass, which is automatically used in compensating the rise of pressure caused, for instance, by sudden atmospheric changes or a seismic event.

FIRE HAZARD
A schematic diagram of prevention work in the domain of endogenous fires occurring in the mines, with the use of the latest technological developments in this field is shown in Fig.3

FAIURE-FREE CONDITION

Fire hazard prediction

Preparing programme of work in fire hazard prevention Yes Fire hazard monitoring coal temperature determination No Is coal temperature higher than critical temperature? Is coal temperature lower than critical temperature? No Yes Is coal temperature reduced?

No

Yes

Verification of work programme in fire prevention

Fire hazard assessment determination of heated coal location

Fig.3. Schematic diagram of the work in the domain of prevention of endogenous fires occurring in coal mines [2] The description of this process is based on the oxygen mass and energy balance which take place in a deposit in the course of low-temperature oxidation [2]. On the basis of developed computer forecasts, the following are determined: - probable course of variations of maximum temperature, and the distribution of oxygen concentration in the selfheated deposit of coal, - period of incubation and time of induction of the fire, - effect of oxygen concentration in the inflowing gases on the course of the self-heating process, - effect of the size of crushed coal on the course of the self-heating process. The main objective of modern monitoring of fire- hazard condition in a given mining region is desorption gas monitoring. Above the critical coal temperature desorption of C2H6, ethylene C2 H4, propane C3 H8 and propylene C3H6 and methane, nitrogen, water vapor increases [15]. The composition of gases emitted from the self-heating coal (carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen H2, ethylene C2 H4, propylene C3 H6 , acetylene C2 H2) gives a spectrum that is characteristic for a given development phase of the self-heating process and for a given temperature. It is thus possible to evaluate more precisely the fire hazard condition on the basis of results of analyses of chemical composition of gases occurring in selected locations in the mine. These analyses can be performed routinely through installing measuring sensors in the workings, or through periodical determining, in mine laboratories, after gas samples have been collected. The method described above can be successfully applied for precise monitoring of the fire hazard condition in Polish coal mines. To control fire hazard in the panels of longwalls driven with caving in coal seams various actions, technologies and means are used: for preventing the flow of air through goaf and broken coal pillars, sealing or isolation of workings and longwall goaf are used. for limiting the oxygen in the goaf gases feeding nitrogen or carbon dioxide are pumped into the goaf space (in recent years, the technology of fire prevention with the use of carbon dioxide have been successfully implemented in the Polish coal mining industry). for controlling spontaneous heating of coal in the pillars solid (loose) anti-pyrogenes are very useful (loose), gel, solution, and foam form, and recently even in the form of aerosols.

RISE OF FIRE HAZARD

Intensification fire hazard monitoring coal temperature determination

DUST HAZARD
Mining of coal and other mineral material by means of high-power machinery is connected with generation of large quantities of dust. An evaluation is assumed that it constitutes about 3% of the output. The main sources of dust in the mine are [10]: - operation of coal winning machinery, including longwall shearers and heading machines, - movement of powered supports, - transport of the output, including chutes. The dust hazard in mining where the use of mechanical mining has two distinctly differing aspects: explosiveness - the diameters of dust particles that are capable to cause explosion are in the range of 301000 m., noxiousness - the diameter of noxious dust particles is less than 30 m. There are various techniques for reduction of dust at the sources and reduction of the dust hazard through: pre - wetting of the coal seam mass (pumping up water into the seam), spraying of water using a hydraulic method with spraying nozzles, commonly called sprinkling, catching the airborne dust, most frequently through using special dust collecting equipment. The use of sprinkling nozzles on the rock mining machinery is also aimed at cooling the path cutter made in the rock, as it can be a source of methane ignition. At present, the machines without properly operating sprinkling system are not approved for operation. One of the useful ways to reduce the exposition of workers to dust in Polish mines is to use personal protective equipment in the form of half-masks. At present, the constructions of anti-dust half-masks ensure good protection of respiratory ways.

SEISMIC AND BUMP HAZARDS

The seismic hazard and related generic bump hazard are extremely difficult to predict. Very often the sources of this hazard occur not at a level of the mined deposit but in deposited above rock complexes, which makes it difficult to assess both the hazard condition and technological work related to its control. In Poland seismic hazard and related generic bump hazard are estimated with analytical methods or methods using knowledge of structure of the rock mass, its geomechanical features and results of measurements in situ, which are realized in a rock environment capable of storing energy of deformation. Counteracting such hazards is based on designing mining works in conditions of seismic hazard and bump hazard; on organizing works during their realization and on intervention methods. A full scheme of preventive actions in the domain of seismic and bump hazards is shown in Fig. 4 [6].

BUMP CONTROL METHODS

Bump combating methods
Geodetic Long term Active (Immediate)

Bump hazard state assessment methods

Analytical Mining Geophysical

Prognosis of stress concentration area Prognosis of seismic hazard Classification of bump hazard in a seam

Goemechanical identification of rock mass Identification of geological structure and past mining Observation of dynamic phenomena Small-diameter probiny

Seismological Seismoacoustic Seismic Geoelectric Radiometric Others

Rock mass displacement Closure of workings

Opening out and development of a seam Sequence, order and direction of mining Mining system (technology) Means and methods of supporting Organisational and legal measures

Seam or rock-mass destruction by blusting, water injection, destressing drilling

Controlling technology elements Organisational means Induciny bumps

Fig.4. Methods of bump hazard prevention Numerous scientific and academic institutions in Poland engage in the issue of estimation and prevention of seismic hazard and bump hazard. The Central Mining Institute has elaborated a number of its own solutions to this problem. These are mainly used in current projects carried out for mines. Knowledge of geomechanical features of a rock environment and of the exploited coal seam allows to estimate during exploitation its capability to generate dynamic events. This method is based on comparison of the module of coal decline of the exploited coal seam and the module of elasticity of ceiling and floor layers in its surrounding. The method does not except the seismic energy accompanying exploitation of the coal seam in the surrounding of the planned exploitation [1]. In the process of exploitation a level of seismic energy, which will occur in front of the mined coal seam, can be estimated for a given advance rate of longwall face. The method makes use of active rock mass volume located within the longwall face and changeable along with its advance rate. In the active rock mass volume a dynamic stratification or fracturing of bump-causing layers take place. The method allows to specify optimal intensity of exploitation for given geological and mining conditions and for given pressure of rocks on the exploited coal seam [3] A scheme of the active rock mass volume for advance rate of longwall face = 1m/day and 4m/day is shown in Fig. 5.

average daily front advance p = 1m/day

average daily front advance p = 4m/day

Fig.5. Fragments of coal seams and sandstones in the active rock mass volume [9] Extensive introducing of geophysical methods and the digital recording of seismic events, and utilising the advanced computer-based procedures in the process of processing and interpretation of the results provide the base of the abovementioned progress [7] . One of the new solutions can be here the passive tomography, based on the data of the seismological records of seismic events induced by mining activities [12]. A model result is shown in Fig. 6.

Fig.6. Distribution of focal points of seismic tremors occurred after the map of velocity field of P wave was prepared

Polish experience in the range of methods and technologies to prevent objective hazards is very extensive and often takes into consideration the specificity of the extracted seam, and technical possibilities of implementing defined preventive actions. Among this group of actions also an adequate planning of mining operation should be rated, which includes the selection of parameters of the mining systems used. When speaking about new technologies of bump hazard control, a technology of directional fracturing of rock will be presented. Its essence relies on producing in the rock mass of spatially oriented fractures, which divide the rock strata into blocks or plates with defined dimensions and shapes [4]. Such a process is possible owing to making, in the surroundings of a borehole, the so-called incipient fracture with a strictly defined spatial orientation - Fig.7.

Nucleation fracture

The concept of action of the nucleation fracture

Fig.7. Essence of directional fracturing of rock [4] This fracture determines the direction of propagation of the proper separating fracture, the origination of which is forced with pressure of liquid pumped up into the hole, or pressure of blasting gases, in consequence of detonating an explosive charge. The ranges of stratification fractures, found in practice, produced in sandstone strata with mechanical strength up to 100 MPa are as large as 30 m in relation to the incipient fracture. The zone of cracks obtained in the course of classical blasting in such conditions reaches several meters in maximum, in relation to the blasthole. Directional fissuring of rock provides the possibility of simple, effective changing of technological properties of rock without excessive costs. Its realization is relatively simple, cheap, and safe. In principle, it does not require making use of special means and equipment. The schematic diagram for realization of this technology is shown in Fig.8.

Fig.8. Realization of directional fracturing in the mine The division of thick monolithic strata of strong rocks into thin plates and/or blocks makes possible to improve the bump hazard condition, to obtain better withdrawing capability of the roof, and to improve the maintenance of mine workings.

WATER HAZARD
The water hazard means the possibility of inrush of water (brine, lye) or mixture of water with loose material (sandwater) into the mine workings, thereby creating a hazard to the operation of a mining plant and its personnel. An important element in water hazard control is its recognition. At present, in this field modern programmes for modelling and simulation of hydro-geological situations are used, making it possible to identify the places of potential occurrence of water hazard. Different types of markers are used, such as fluorescein, rhodamine, uranine, and radioactive isotopes (tritium, chromium, indium, etc.). The last years mean also the confirmation of the use of geophysical methods (geoelectric, seismic, and occasionally gravimetry) in solving the problems related to hydrogeological safety of mines (location of faults, voids in the rock mass, evaluation of fissure density in counter-water pillars). The principal form of protecting the mines against the consequences of sudden water inflow into mine workings relies on permanent readiness of the main mine drainage system to receive an additional volume of water. Among the basic preventive actions the following should be counted: liquidation of sources of the hazard (backfilling or dewatering of water reservoir), advancing dewatering of water-bearing formations, use of special technologies of mine roadway drivage across the zones of watered faults, additional sealing of the rock mass behind the supports of endangered supports, protection of the workings by means of water stoppings or hydro-isolating plugs, use of borehole pumps for dewatering of liquidated mines, specifying safety pillars in the regions with high water hazard, temporary of permanent abandonment of mining in the regions with high risk of water hazard occurrence

CLIMATIC HAZARD
Mining operation in coal mines with increasing the power of coal winning and transporting machinery at deeper and deeper levels, where the original temperature of the rock is more and more often higher than 400 C causes that the problem of climatic hazard becomes more and more important. Modern solutions aiming at the improvements in thermal conditions of work proceed in the three directions, as follows: - central air conditioning (total cooling power is produced in one place (either on the surface or underground), and then the cooling medium (water or brine) is transported to the mine underground, with the use of thermally isolated pipes, to air coolers located in a working face, In Poland, such a modern type of central air conditioning operates at Pniwek mine). - utilisation of distributed cooling power along the line of workings by mounting along the longwall front a leaking, elastic air duct carrying cool air, small- size air coolers installed along the longwall front. In accordance with the experience of the Polish hard coal mining industry, this method of longwall air conditioning gives better results than classical air conditioning. It is more effective than the currently used classical air conditioning relying on locating, in a single place, units with high cooling power.

RADIATION HAZARD
In Polish mines, the principal measuring parameters for classification of workings in accordance with the level of radiation hazard are the following: concentration of the alpha potential energy of short-lived radon progeny, gamma dose rates and gamma doses, concentration of radium isotopes in the waters, radium activity in sediments. In the course of several years monitoring of mine workplaces, various measurements have been carried out, and some basic requirements concerning monitoring of individual sources of radiation established. The progress in the field of measuring techniques enforces distinctly the development of monitoring methods in the domain of radiation hazard. The methods of reduction and control of the radiation hazard are, in the case of hazard caused by radon progeny, connected with improvements in the effectiveness of the ventilation system, usually only in some parts of the mine. These are the actions in favour of assurance of leak tightness of parts of the extracted deposit or special equipment filtering the air with enhanced radon content. In the case of radon-bearing waters, one should mention the new technology of their cleaning from radium. The essence of this solution relies binding radium contained in mine waters with a chemical substance, adequately selected depending on the chemical composition of water. The precipitated sediment remains in inactive underground workings [16]. The solution implemented in Piast hard coal mine functions safely and with high effectiveness of cleaning of mine waters from radium.

CONCLUSIONS The presented solutions of counteracting fundamental natural hazards common in underground mining show that many methods, techniques and technologies may be used in dealing with them. Not each one already reaches perfection or is 100% efficient, but implementation of some of these methods in workplaces where these are not applied at all, may significantly improve the situation as far as safety in mines is concerned. Underground mining, especially coal-mining, is exposed to occurrence of numerous natural hazards. Prognoses indicate that striving for continuously deeper coal resources, will accordingly increase the risk of these hazards occurrence. At the same time constant development and improvement of hi-tech in exploitation, methods of making prognoses and counteracting natural hazards result in changing the degree of influence of several hazards. Hazards perceived as currently dominating remain at this position until methods of preventing them have been substantially improved, therefore is it hard to predict which hazard will determine safety of underground works in the future. It is also impossible to exclude subsequent activation of currently marginal hazards in Polish mines, which may be a consequence of complicated geological conditions and forthcoming technology connected with gasification of coal seams. Future problems of Polish mining in the perspective of next few decades have already been noticed and become a subject of research realized in research institutes and technical universities. Their results will determine the safety of work in coal mines for future generations of miners.
REFERENCES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. Bukowska M., 2005, Mechanical properties of carboniferous rocks in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin under uniaxial and triaxial compression tests, Journal of Mining Science, Vol. 41, No.2. Cygankiewicz J., 2004, New method for evaluating endogenous fire hazard at mine operating areas: Proceedings of the 3rd School of Mining Aerology. Ed. Polish Academy of Sciences. Drzewiecki J., 2004, Effect of longwall face advance rate on carboniferous rock strata dynamics and destruction, Ed. Central Mining Institute, Katowice Drzewiecki J., Kabesz J., 2003, Dynamic events in roof strata occurance and prevention, Proceedings of the 30th International Conference of Safety in Mines Research Institutes. Dubinski J. et al., 1999, Concentration of production and mining hazards. Ed. Central Mining Institute, Katowice. Dubinski J., Konopko W., 2000, Rockbursts Evaluation Prediction Fighting: Ed. Central Mining Institute, Katowice. Dubinski J., Konopko W., 2004, Rockbursts preventive measures undertaken in Polish mines: Proceedings of the 5th International Mining Forum. Ed. A.A. Balkema Publishers, Rotterdam, pp. 197-212. Dubinski J., 2005, New Safety Technologies In Underground mines: Proceedings of the 20ht Word Mining Congress & EXPO 2005, 7 -11 November 2005, Teheran, Iran. Dubiski J., Drzewiecki J.,2005, Relationship between advance rate exploitation and rock burst and methane emission Proceedings of the 31th International Conference of Safety in mines Research Institutes, Lebecki K., 2004, Dust Hazards in Mining: Ed. Central Mining Institute, Katowice. Lunarzewski L., 1994, Prediction of Gas Capture from Active Gas Resources for Coalbed Methane Utilisation. Conference of Coalbed Methane Utilisation, Ed. Central Mining Institute, Katowice Lurka A., 2005, Location of mining induced seismicity in zones of high P-wave velocity and in zones of high Pwave velocity gradient in Polish mines: Proceedings of the 6th International Symposium on Rockbursts and Seismicity in Mines. Ed. Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth. Lukowicz K., 1998, Using overlaying methane drainage of active longwalls goaf and its influence on methane hazard level in coal mines. Ph.D. Thesis, Central Mining Institute. Lukowicz K., Krause E., 2004, Methane drainage in Polsh hard coal mines achievements and outlook : Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Mining Hazard Problems. Ed. Central Mining Institute Van Heek H., Hodek W., 1994, Structure and pyrolysis behavior of different coals relevant model substances: Fuel 73. Wysocka, M., Chaupnik S., Molenda E., 2004, Radium removal from mine waters - 5 years of underground treatment installation, Proceedings of NORM IV Conference, Szczyrk, POLAND.

10

Coal mining in Poland in complicated geological conditions

DSc. eng. Jan Drzewiecki Central Mining Institute Katowice, POLAND

Location of mining basins in Poland

Rus sia

POZNAC

Konin A da mw

W ARSZ AWA

LGOM
Turw

LZW
B echa t w

DZW GZW
KRAKW

Slovakia

The risk to health and life of miners in underground mines is much higher than in the case of open-pit mines. Its consequences of: specific environment of underground workplaces, occurrence of various natural hazards. The underground hard coal mining, can be most fully presented new technologies in the sphere of development of underground mining safety.

GEOLOGICAL MAP OF THE UPPER SALISIAN COAL BASIN

VARIATION OF NATURAL HAZARDS LEVEL IN THE MINING AREAS OF THE UPPER SILESIAN COAL BASIN

Mines being closed Safe mines with low hazard level

CZECH REPUBLIC

Mines with medium hazard level Mines with high hazard level Mines with the highest hazard level

Characteristics of Polish hard coal mines

# 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Indicator Coal production (millions tones) Employment (thousands) Number of mines Number of active longwalls Work efficiency, tonnes/workday Average depth of exploitation, m Total number of accidents Total number of fatalities Years

1989 177,4 407 70 861 3,957 510 13 365 87

1995 135,4 272 63 415 4,869 560 11 159 36

2000 102,2 155 42 183 6,635 600 2 756 28

2005 97,1 123 33 130 8,011 645 2 116 15

Main natural hazards in the underground work environment

Gas hazards Fire hazard Dust hazard Seismic and rock burst hazard Water hazard Climatic hazard Radiation hazard
Ro ck ha bur za rd st

Methane hazard
e Fir rd za ha

r ate rd W za ha

C li ha m a z a t ic rd

Dust explosion hazard

GAS HAZARD The role of ventilation systems Monitoring of the methane emission processes spatial and temporal control Drainage of coal seams the most effective method ! The most important advancing methane drainage technologies : - methane drainage from operating workings, - methane drainage of the goaf.

METANE DRAINAGE FROM UNDERGROUND WORKINGS

Layout of drainage holes in the area of the longwall working
a. b.
a - advancing longwall, effectiveness up to 50%, b - retreating longwall with maintenance of the tail gate in the goaf effectiveness up to 4050%, c - retreating longwall with liquidation of tail gate, effectiveness ca. 2030%, d - retreating longwall with two ventilation headings, effectiveness ca. 40%, e - methane drainage using a drainage heading, effectiveness ca. 7080%, f - methane drainage by means of directional holes, effectiveness ca. 70%.

C.

d.

e.

f.

OVERLYING METANE DRAINAGE FROM UNDERGROUND WORKINGS

drainage heading for roof strata

Overlaying drainage is a particularly effective in the conditions of presence of very high methane hazard the effectiveness is at a level of 7080%

longwall

drainage heading for floor strata drainage heading for floor strata

Location of drainage headings in relation to longwall working

FIRE HAZARD
concerning endogenous fires

I. Methods of fire hazard prediction and selection of the preventive measures II. Methods of the fire hazard monitoring III. Technologies and measures for the fire hazard control

Sketch diagram of the approach to the prevention of endogenous fires occurring in coal mines
FAIURE-FREE CONDITION
Fire hazard prediction

Preparing the programme of fire hazard prevention Yes Monitoring of fire hazard coal temperature determination No No Is coal temperature lower than critical temperature? Yes Is coal temperature reduced? Intensification fire hazard monitoring coal temperature determination Verification of the work programme of fire prevention

Is coal temperature higher than critical temperature? Yes

No

Fire hazard assessment determination of heated coal location

RISE OF FIRE HAZARD

Methods of fire hazard monitoring

Phases of the process of self-heating of coal, and accompanying physical and chemical processes

Temperature, T

Combustion of methane
Combustion of methane

Oxidation
Pyrolisis Combustion of coal Intensive oxidation Low-temperature oxidation

Tz

Fire Fighting the fire Fire hazard Prophylactic measures

Distillation of mobile phase Desorption

Tz Tz

Tkr Tp

Normal situation Preventative measures

(vaporisation) Time, t

Technologies and measures to control fire hazard The main objective :

Preventing the flow of air through goaf and pillars with broken coal, and limiting the conditions that favour the development of a centre of fire

Basic technologies:
- sealing or isolation of old workings and longwalls goaf, - feeding nitrogen or carbon dioxide into the goaf space, - technologies that use anti- pyrogenes.

METHANE AND FIRE HAZARD MONITORING AND VENTILATION CONTROL SYSTEM

S urface Underground

METHANE AND FIRE HAZARD MONITORING AND VENTILATION CONTROL SYSTEM

Instrumentation for determining of temperature changes in coal during the process of self-heating

DUST HAZARD
The main sources of dust in the mine

- operation of coal winning machinery, including longwall shearers and heading machines, - movement of powered supports, - transport of the output, including chutes.
Two aspects of dust hazard :
- explosiveness relating to mines extracting flammable minerals with the use of mechanical mining - dust particles in range of 30 1000 m, - noxiousness, relating to all the mines extracting rock by means of mechanical method dust particles less than 30 m (respirable dust less 10 m)

TECHNOLOGIES FOR DUST HAZARD REDUCTION

-

binding of dust with water using various techniques,

* pre - wetting of the coal seam, * spraying of water using a hydraulic method (sprinkling)

suction of dust with air stream,

* catching the airborne dust, most frequently through using special dust collecting equipment.

binding of dust with chemical means,

- dust collection.
1 Dust collector; 2 Coanda duct ; Exhausting duct set ; 4 Duct set ; Electrical fan ; 6 Air outflow chamber; Forcing duct ; M 1 5 methanemeters 3 5 7

Dust collecting installation in forcing ventilation system

SEISMIC AND ROCK BURST HAZARD

Rock burst control methods
Rock burst hazard state assessment methods Rock burst combating methods

Analytical
Prognosis of stress concentration area Prognosis of seismic hazard

Mining
Goemechanical identification of rock muss

Geophysical

Geodetic

Long term

Active (Immediate)

Seismological Seismoacustic

Rock mass displacement Closure of workings

Opening out and development of a seam

Seam or rock-mass destriction by blusting, water injection, destressing drilling

Identification of geological structure and past mining

Seismic Geoelectric Radiometric Others

Sequence, order and direction of mining

Controlling technology elements Organisational means Induciny rock burst

Classification of rock burst hazard in a seam

Observation of dynamic phenomena Small-diametr pribing

Mining system (technology) Means and methods of supporting Organisational and legal measures

New technologies for seismicity and rock burst hazard mitigation

Stage I. Analysis of geological and mining data including : - rock mass structure, - natural geological dislocations, - past mining effects. Stage II. Selection of strata that are capable to accumulate energy, together with evaluation of their physico-mechanical parameters. Stage III. Determination of the stress conditions on the horizon of selected strata, together with identification of high-pressure regions. Stage IV. Forecast of seismic energy emitted through cracking selected strata for the assumed range of mining advance, on the horizon of the stratum and in the surroundings of the working. Stage V. Determination of the mean daily longwall advance with defined parameters, at selected sections of the longwall panel.

New technologies for seismicity and rock burst hazard assessment

average daily front advance p = 1 m/day

average daily front advance p = 4 m/day

New methods for seismicity and rock burst hazard assessment

Extensive introducing of geophysical methods
4200 4100 4000 3900 3800 3700 3600 3500 3400 3300 3200 3100 3000 2900 15200 15300 15400

4600 4500 4400 4300

. 306/507
15500 15600 15700 15800 15900 16000

. 306/507

4200 4100 4000 3900 3800 3700 3600 3500

Distribution of focal points of seismic tremors occurred when the map of velocity field of P wave was prepared

New solutions - the passive seismic tomography

Directional fracturing technology

Nucleation fracture

The concept of action of the nucleation fracture

WATER HAZARD

Recognition of the hazard

- modern software for modelling

and simulation of hydro geological situations,

- new markers for identification of water origin, - applying of geophysical methods (geoelectric, seismic, etc.)

Basic preventive technologies for water hazard

Liquidation of sources of the hazard,

Advancing dewatering of water-bearing formations, Use of special technologies of mine roadway drivage across the zones of watered faults, Protection of the workings by means of water stoppings or hydroisolating plugs, Specifying safety pillars in the regions with high water hazard, Temporary of permanent abandonment of mining in the regions with high risk of water hazard occurrence.

CLIMATIC HAZARD

Directions of the improvements in thermal conditions of underground work environment

central air conditioning,

- air conditioning at a given work post, - utilization of distributed cooling power along the line of workings,

Underground facilities of the central air conditioning system in coal mine Pniwek - Poland

RADIATION HAZARD
The main sources of natural radiation in underground mines
- short - lived radon progeny,

- radium-bearing mine waters, - wastes with enhanced radioactivity, precipitated out of radium-bearing waters.

The basic elements of new technologies

monitoring and assessment of all sources of natural radiation at the workplaces, application of mitigation measures.

Technology of cleaning waters from radium.

The view of the underground treatment station for cleaning waters from radium in the Piast Colliery

CONCLUSIONS
1. Underground mining is subject to occurrence of many natural hazards stemming from structure and physical features of rock mass. There are numerous methods, techniques and technologies in the field of counteracting basic natural hazards that occur in underground mining. Their implementation may considerably improve work safety in mines.

2.

CONCLUSIONS
3. Steady development of modern exploitation technologies, methods of estimating and counteracting natural hazards result in changing the degree of influence of particular hazards. 4. Hazards perceived as currently dominating remain at this position until methods of preventing them have been substantially improved, therefore it is hard to predict which hazard will determine safety of underground works in the future.

CONCLUSIONS
5. It is impossible to exclude subsequent activation of currently marginal hazards in Polish mines, which may be a consequence of complicated geological conditions and forthcoming technology i.e. connected with gasification of coal seams. 6. Future problems of Polish mining in the perspective of next few decades have already been noticed and become a subject of research realized in research institutes and technical universities. Their results will determine the safety of work in coal mines for future generations of miners.

CENTRAL MINING INSTITUTE

40-166 Katowice, pl. Gwarkw 1 POLAND

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