Bucyrus International (BUCY)

Room and Pillar Mining

In room and pillar mining, hard coal or other mineral deposits are mined by cutting a network of “rooms” into the coal or mineral seam, leaving behind “pillars” of coal or other mineral to support the roof of the mine either temporarily or permanently. This mining method also requires several pieces of equipment that work together in a synchronized fashion; however, they are not mechanically connected to each other as in longwall mining. The process begins with the continuous miners cutting the coal or other mineral and conveying it through the machine’s conveyor. The coal or mineral is then discharged from the back of the continuous miner into haulage vehicles or mobile chain conveyors which transport it to a feeder (or feeder breaker if the material needs to be crushed or down-sized). The coal or mineral is then loaded on to a belt system, which takes the coal or mineral to the surface. As the continuous miner advances into the coal or mineral deposit, a roof bolter drills and installs roof bolts to secure the roof of the mine.

The pillars can equal to up to 50% of the total coal or mineral in the seam, although this coal or mineral can sometimes be recovered at a later stage, depending on geological conditions. Where this is viable, pillars are partially mined through by the continuous miner as mining retreats back towards the main entries. The room and pillar mining method is used if the coal or mineral deposit requires the mine operator to remove the coal or mineral in smaller and shallow panels. The required initial investment in equipment for one room and pillar mining unit is typically approximately $8.0 million and the corresponding average annual production is approximately 0.4 million tons.

Room and Pillar
Mining

In room and pillar mining, hard coal or other mineral deposits are mined by cutting a network of “rooms” into the coal
or mineral seam, leaving behind “pillars” of coal or other mineral to support the roof of the mine either temporarily or permanently. This mining method also requires several pieces of equipment that work together in a synchronized
fashion; however, they are not mechanically connected to each other as in longwall mining. The process begins with the continuous miners cutting the coal or other mineral and conveying it through the machine’s conveyor. The coal or mineral is
then discharged from the back of the continuous miner into haulage vehicles or mobile chain conveyors which transport it to a feeder (or feeder breaker if the material needs to be crushed or down-sized). The coal or mineral is then loaded on to a
belt system, which takes the coal or mineral to the surface. As the continuous miner advances into the coal or mineral deposit, a roof bolter drills and installs roof bolts to secure the roof of the mine.

Room and Pillar Mining

In room and pillar mining, hard coal or other mineral deposits are mined by cutting a network of “rooms” into the coal or mineral seam, leaving behind “pillars” of coal or other mineral to support the roof of the mine either temporarily or permanently in room and pillar mining. This mining method also requires several pieces of equipment that work together in a synchronized fashion; however, they are not mechanically connected to each other as in longwall mining. The process begins with the continuous miners cutting the coal or other mineral and conveying it through the machine’s conveyor. The coal or mineral is then discharged from the back of the continuous miner into haulage vehicles or mobile belt conveyors which transport it to a feeder (or feeder breaker if the material needs to be crushed or down-sized). The coal or mineral is then loaded on to a belt system, which takes the coal or mineral to the surface. As the continuous miner advances into the coal or mineral deposit, a roof bolter drills and installs roof bolts to secure the roof of the mine.

The pillars can equal to up to 50% of the total coal or mineral in the seam, although this coal or mineral can sometimes be recovered at a later stage, depending on geological conditions. Where this is viable, pillars are partially mined through by the continuous miner as mining retreats back towards the main entries. The room and pillar mining method is used if the coal or mineral deposit requires the mine operator to remove the coal or mineral in smaller and shallow panels. The required initial investment in equipment for one room and pillar mining unit is approximately $9.0 million, and the corresponding average annual production is approximately 0.4 million tons.

Room and Pillar Mining