Longwall Mining Roof Supports

Roof support technology for longwall tailgates has changed dramatically during the past decade.

Longwall mining roof supports.

With longwall mining is a complex system understanding a few basic concepts will help to clarify the support design requirements. A mining method in which very long rectangular blocks of coal are defined during the development stage of the mine and then extracted in a single continuous operation by an automated cutting head moving parallel to the coal face when the coal is cut the working area is protected by a movable powered roof support system. Other roof supports longwall chocks or shields on modern longwalls are moved and relocated with the face equipment. As the face progresses the immediate roof above.

Longwall mining is a form of underground coal mining where a long wall of coal is mined in a single slice typically 0 6 1 0 m 2 ft 0 in 3 ft 3 in thick. Longwall mining equipment selection b face supports. Following a conventional cut with a shearer to about 3 m 9 8 ft the roof supports move forward and allow the caving coal to fall via controllable caving shields onto a second conveyor mounted gob side. Roof supports for special applications.

Our longwall top coal caving ltcc roof supports allow mining of seams up to 10 m 32 8 ft. The longwall panel the block of coal that is being mined is typically 3 4 km 1 9 2 5 mi long and 250 400 m 820 1 310 ft wide. Joy powered roof supports for high capacity longwall applications are custom designed to meet your exacting cycle and operating requirements. Ratings up to 1 750 tonnes widths of 1 5 1 75 and 2 05 meters.

While it is frequently argued correctly that all items on a longwall face have to be considered as parts of an integrated unit and be fully compatible it cannot be denied that poorly designed and inadequate roof supports are likely to have a greater effect on results than other items and. Adapted to the mining challenges faced by our customers today cat customized systems for longwall mining include hydraulic roof supports high horsepower shearers automated plow systems and armored face conveyors with intelligent drive technology controlled and supported by advanced longwall automation.