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What miners want

DUST, strata and better equipment utilisation – all areas that need major improvement in Australia’s longwall operations according to the nation’s miners.

Angie Tomlinson
What miners want

Published in June 2005 Australian Longwall Magazine

International Longwall News has been asking Australia’s miners, coal managers and researchers what major improvements they would like to see on longwall operations. This question has thrown up some interesting answers and some recurring themes.

Those surveyed, as part of the longwall larrikin segment over the past two years, range from mine managers, engineers, operators, consultants, researchers, head office management and suppliers – all of whom at one stage or another have worked at the coal face.

Dust

What emerged from respondents was a clear cry for action to improve airborne dust suppression and control. This area was overwhelmingly voted as being in need of improvement, with almost 40% of respondents identifying dust as a problem.

While many working on the face admit dust suppression and control has come a long way over the years, much still must be done to improve conditions.

“Compared to when I first started longwalling and to what is available now, dust suppression techniques have drastically improved. However, it is still nowhere near the expectations of all who operate on a longwall. I would like to see drastic market research to radically improve, reduce or remove the dust created during longwalling operations,” Newlands longwall superintendent Jim Canning said.

Broadmeadow’s Brett Moule comments are in a similar vein, saying the emphasis needed to be more on dust control than simply on improving equipment. “We make machines bigger, better, faster - the problem is they create more and more dust. Dust control is probably the single biggest issue everyone faces.”

Some solutions proffered by the respondents to reduce miners’ exposure to respirable dust included increased automation, better airborne dust control technology and increased research into the area.

“Until the fully automated remotely operated face is available, I would like to see more emphasis put on respirable dust suppression and control,” longwall consultant Chris Taylor said.

Strata control

Another common thread emerging in respondent’s answers addressed strata control, with several miners calling for better predictive roof monitoring.

Metropolitan Colliery longwall coordinator Steve Wilson said he would like to see face crews utilising leg pressure monitoring data on a shift-to-shift trending basis to foresee and react to possible roof problems before they occur.

Likewise, Newlands Northern underground production manager Allan Purse would like to see strata evaluation improved for the sake of safety and productivity. “Huge gains have been made in strata evaluation (seismic analyses) pre-mining. Continued development in this area will see huge returns.”

CSIRO's exploration and mining manager Mick Kelly said he would like to see greater emphasis on geotechnical controls and continuity, and less on increasing installed power.

Better analysis

Several respondents called for better analysis to increase production.

Safety in Mines Testing and Research Station (Simtars) principal mining engineer Martin Watkinson said he would like to see the optimisation of production by analysis and utilisation of the available information. Likewise, Joy international sales manager Paul Freeman said: “The quality of information flow of machine status and health to the mine surface is an area of significant attention.”

Keep it simple

KISS was the call of the day for electronics and equipment for many respondents – Keep It Simple, Stupid.

“Reliable, simple electronics that you don't need a rocket scientist to fault find. Keep it Simple, Stupid – don't just stick whistles and bells on things because we can,” Metropolitan’s Steve Wilson said.

Along with keeping equipment simpler, many respondents wanted to see original equipment manufacturers making machines smarter and not simply bigger.

“Longwall equipment has progressively become bigger, thus components have become heavier - just how much can one guy carry? Instead of bigger, let's get smarter,” former Cumnock No.1 mine manager Godfrey Adamthwaite said.

Newstan deputy Robert Irvine said he would also like to see lighter components: “On my wish list would be design engineering, smaller, lighter assessable replacement components such as DA rams, chock legs, ranging arm rams and shearer motors.”

Reaching a longwall’s potential

Many respondents believed the technology available today would suffice to meet output targets, and instead of concentrating on making equipment bigger, mines and suppliers needed to concentrate on utilising the equipment to its full potential.

“The industry doesn't need more improvements in the equipment right now – we need to get out of the current equipment what it is truly capable of already,” former Kestrel general manager Dan Teal said.

Outspoken advocate for increasing equipment utilisation in mines, consultant Brian Nicholls listed his wish list: “The equipment will do the job. Improve the availability – system running time. Improve the utilisation – cutting time at optimum cut rates. Manage the whole process better than we do now.”

THE SCORE

What major improvements would you like to see on longwall operations?

1) Dust control and suppression

2) Strata control

3) Reliable and simpler electronics and equipment

4) Smarter equipment, not bigger

5) Equipment optimisation

6) Automation

7) Training

8) Focus on development

9) Better analysis

10) Better gas monitoring

11) Focus on safety

12) Improvement in longwall change-outs

13) Improvements in belt structure removal

14) Better lighting

15) Information sharing between sectors

16) Improvements in horizon control

17) More input from operators in equipment design

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