Determination and optimisation of pillar size in underground mining through numerical methods

Abstract

A joint research and development project is underway by Oviedo School of Mines (University of Oviedo), Duro Felguera (spanish mining equipment manufacturer) and GAN (Mexican company owner of underground coal mines at Coahuila). Its scope is to optimise coal pillar sizes and number of entries for typical 250 m wide longwalls on flat coal seams. Numerical modelling together with conventional methods have been used to improve longwall layout, evolving to arch shaped gate entries from the current rectangular roof bolted entries. Initial results from the numerical models have been compared to conventional methods, later extensive in-situ monitoring will provide fine calibration of the models.