Coal Mining Equipment

Coal mining consists of the removing or extraction of the earth’s coal which is utilized as fuel. Coal mines are in conjunction also known as collieries. There are diverse methods of coal extraction and sophisticated coal mining equipment is utilized in the process. The expense that is involved in coal extraction from a coal seam is directly related to the depth and quality of the seams along with the geology and environmental issues of the land that is to be mined. Such as which occurs with the mining of other minerals, like that of gold, the development of coal mining is usually distinguished by whether the operation can be done on the surface or underground. Most of the coal reserves in the world can be recovered by underground mining and at the moment around two thirds of hard coal production around the world comes from underground mines. There are many coals that are extracted from the surface as well as from underground mines that need washing in what is known as a coal preparation plant. If the seams of the coal are close to the surface the process for extracting is denominated strip mining. This process exposes the coal through the development of a strip or open pit. While the coal is exposed and extracted, the overburden from the coal that is still covered fills the last pit and the strip continues on. There are four different forms of underground mining and coal mining equipment used for each, these include. Longwall mining, Continuous mining, Blast mining, and Shortwall mining. Surface or open cut mining is done in cases when the coal seam is reasonably close to the surface and therefore able to recover a higher amount of coal than doing so through the underground method. The coal mining equipment that are utilized for surface mining includes the use of draglines, power shovels, big trucks, bucket wheel excavators, high capacity conveyors amongst others. Some of the additional coal mining equipment utilized is remote controlled equipment, hydraulic mobile roof supports (in the case of underground mining), sensors, and rotating steel drums, dynamite, including others.