The continuous miner technology (CMT) is being adopted extensively in underground coal mines of India as Mass Production Technology (MPT). This technology potentially eliminates the two-unit operating, namely the drilling and blasting. This elimination helps for better strata control and avoids the drillers working in unsafe conditions, maybe under the loose coal roof. This CMT improves the quality of the coal extracted and increases the output per man shift (OMS) by reducing the deployment of face crew. It also reduces the accident as it is operated by remote and workforce exposure to faces is limited. The method also helps for better roof and side control, thus preventing side and roof fall danger. With the changing time now, continuous miners of different heights are available, which helps for optimum use of technology to mine out varying insitu height of coal seam. This paper discusses the performance of the CMT in the Sarpi mine and compares the technology available globally.

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Depillaring by conventional techniques created many irregular shaped pillars, mainly located at shallow depths in different coalfields of India. Continuous Miner Technology (CMT) has been introduced to extract these coal pillars scientifically with safety and productivity with greater depth. Leaving a proper sized rib or snook is a legal requirement as it decides the efficiency and safety of the pillar. However, CMT of square/rectangular shaped pillars created irregular shaped rib and snook. With the conventional empirical formula it is difficult to estimate the strength of such ribs or snooks. These ribs or snooks should be of sufficient size to protect the adjacent slicing operation and junction as well as they should fail in a controlled manner when machines shift inside the extraction. Field studies of different mines found several factors affecting the design of rib or snook. They are various types of induced stress, geological disturbances, manner of extraction etc. Proper assessment of the performance of different sizes and shapes of ribs and snooks in the field is complex due to the problematic underground mining environment for depillaring. For successful operation of the CMT required to study every depending parameter scientifically. Therefore, a numerical model is conducted to estimate the factor of safety of rib and snook to calculate the rib and snook stability. Results of field and simulation studies are presented and discussed in this paper to determine the rib’s stability in the continuous miner panel to create a safe environment for the men and machines.

The continuous miner technology (CMT) is being adopted extensively in underground coal mines of India as Mass Production Technology (MPT). This technology potentially eliminates the two-unit operating, namely the drilling and blasting. This elimination helps for better strata control and avoids the drillers working in unsafe conditions, maybe under the loose coal roof. This CMT improves the quality of the coal extracted and increases the output per man shift (OMS) by reducing the deployment of face crew. It also reduces the accident as it is operated by remote and workforce exposure to faces is limited. The method also helps for better roof and side control, thus preventing side and roof fall danger. With the changing time now, continuous miners of different heights are available, which helps for optimum use of technology to mine out varying insitu height of coal seam. This paper discusses the performance of the CMT in the Sarpi mine and compares the technology available globally.