Research into the coal quality with a new selective mining technology of the waste rock accumulation in the mined-out area

Abstract

Purpose. The research purpose is to study the formation of quantitative-qualitative indicators of mined coal under conditions of dynamic changes in space and time with a new stope mining technology with waste rock accumulation in the underground mined-out area. Methods. The contours are formed for mining low-thickness coal reserves and extracting thicknesses, undercut rock volumes in the stoping and preparatory faces in the conditions of the Heroiiv Kosmosu mine. The average density values of coal, rock layers and wall rocks in the seam within the boundaries of mining contours are determined based on the geological data of wells and mining operations. The graphic basis is executed in the AutoCAD program. A digital spatial model of the С10t seam contours is used, according to the schedule for organizing stope and preparatory operations. The volumes of waste rocks and minerals involved in the formation of quantitative-qualitative rock mass indicators in a given time period are calculated. Findings. It has been determined that during mining of coal reserves from the studied mining area (equal to extraction site), the volume of production and the operational coal ash content in the mining technology with waste rock accumulation averages 376.5 thousand tons and 15.2%, while with traditional technology – 621.3 thousand tons and 46.7%. Nevertheless, it has been proven that in terms of energy equivalent, the value of mined coal using the mining technology with waste rock accumulation is higher by 7.4% than the traditional technology (9.6 TJ versus 8.9 TJ). Originality. For the first time, a mechanism for the formation of operational ash content and energy value of coal has been revealed when combining the processes of drifting operations to prepare reserves from new extraction pillars with associated stope operations into a new selective mining technology with waste rock accumulation in the mined-out area. Practical implications. An algorithm for predicting the operational ash content and quality of coal when using selective mining technology with waste rock accumulation in the mined-out area has been developed, which is important for the technical and economic indicators of coal mines.