AGE have been developing their chisel shaped pick technology since 1996 as an alternative to conventional conical bits. The first trials were conducted in 2000 at Myuna colliery near Newcastle in NSW on Joy 12CM12 and 12CM14 machines. (See related article for additional information.)

The current version being tested in field trials is the rock cutter pick Dp4, suitable for hard rock abrasive stratum.

Last year, with assistance from Austrade, the research and development company met with five major US mining companies to establish interest in setting up trials to demonstrate the technology. The outcome of this is that later this month AGE will be fitting picks onto a Joy 14CM continuous miner at the Peabody Energy bord and pillar mine, Willow Lake mine, in Illinois.

AGE have modified the sleeves to allow the picks to fit into existing blocks. The tests will be preceded by a pre-demonstration risk assessment and followed by the testing on May 25 and 26.

“We’ll be running with our picks for 24 hours and then with the industry standard for 24 hours,” said AGE chief corporate officer George Wawryck.

The tests will measure a range of parameters including dust, noise, machine vibration, and power consumption. The University of Missouri led by Larry Grayson will be completing the performance assessment on behalf of AGE. A cubic metre of coal will also be tested at the university for linear testing and pick wear rate.

A later demonstration at Consol Energy’s Mine 84 is expected sometime later this year, also on continuous miners. Wawryck and AGE chief executive officer, Albert Dawood are each carrying five picks with them to the US next week to assess whether they fit the profile of the CMs at Mine 84.

“Much of the credit for our success in getting these demonstration trials up and running should be given to Kevin Lamb and David Knapton of Austrade,” Wawryck said.

* An article on the results of the longwall trials will be published in the June edition of Australia’s Longwalls.