Embodiments of this invention relate to highwall mining, and more particularly to a launch vehicle adapted for use in highwall mining of downward angled seams of mineable material, such as coal. More specifically, the provided launch vehicle includes a lower deck, an upper deck disposed above the lower deck, a launch deck pivotally attached to the upper deck, a first conveyor belt carried on the lower deck and a second conveyor belt carried on the launch deck. A conveyor car is positioned on the launch deck while the launch deck is in a substantially horizontal orientation, then the launch deck is tilted in a vertical place relative to the upper deck to substantially match a dip angle of the seam to be mined. The conveyor car is attached to a conveyor train extending into the seam as the rearmost car in the train. As the conveyor train advances into the seam, the launch deck is returned to a horizontal orientation, an additional conveyor car is added to the launch deck, and the launch deck is again tilted to substantially match the dip angle of the seam to add the additional conveyor car as the new rearmost car in the conveyor train.

A well system comprising at least one gas well extending from a ground surface into the ground, a water production well extending from a surface into the ground and a water drainage well fluidly connecting the at least one gas well to the water production well.

A well system comprising at least one gas well extending from a ground surface into the ground, a water production well extending from a surface into the ground and a water drainage well fluidly connecting the at least one gas well to the water production well.

A synergistic mining method for underground mining, separation and filling for a close distance coal seam group is applicable to the mining engineering field. Full-mechanized caving mining is carried out for a close distance coal seam group, an underground coal gangue separation system and a filling face are designed according to the yield of gangue in the production process; the gangue produced in the mining process is transported centrally into an underground coal gangue separation chamber, and the separated gangue is transported to the filling face for filling and mining; the gangue produced at the filling face is transported back to the filling face for backfilling after underground washing separation. The method separates nearby and filling at selected locations, reduces the damage and disturbance to the underground rock mass that may be caused by a conventional mining method, and solves problems in treatment of strong dynamic pressure in advance.

A synergistic mining method for underground mining, separation and filling for a close distance coal seam group is applicable to the mining engineering field. Full-mechanized caving mining is carried out for a close distance coal seam group, an underground coal gangue separation system and a filling face are designed according to the yield of gangue in the production process; the gangue produced in the mining process is transported centrally into an underground coal gangue separation chamber, and the separated gangue is transported to the filling face for filling and mining; the gangue produced at the filling face is transported back to the filling face for backfilling after underground washing separation. The method separates nearby and filling at selected locations, reduces the damage and disturbance to the underground rock mass that may be caused by a conventional mining method, and solves problems in treatment of strong dynamic pressure in advance.

Provided is a method for recovering room-type coal pillars by cemented filling of reserved roadways, which is especially suitable for safe and efficient recovery of left coal pillars in room-type mining faces in mining areas where the ecological system is fragile, such as in western China. In the method, by constructing reserved roadways in two adjacent rows of room-type goafs, excavating coal pillar roadways in room-type coal pillars, and finally interconnecting the reserved roadways with the coal pillar roadways to form a U-shaped working face, room-type left coal pillars are recovered. Thus, not only the workload of roadway excavation is reduced, but also the recovery ratio of the coal resources is maximized. The method provides a novel technical model for the recovery of room-type left coal pillars in mining areas, such as in western China.

Provided is a method for recovering room-type coal pillars by cemented filling of reserved roadways, which is especially suitable for safe and efficient recovery of left coal pillars in room-type mining faces in mining areas where the ecological system is fragile, such as in western China. In the method, by constructing reserved roadways in two adjacent rows of room-type goafs, excavating coal pillar roadways in room-type coal pillars, and finally interconnecting the reserved roadways with the coal pillar roadways to form a U-shaped working face, room-type left coal pillars are recovered. Thus, not only the workload of roadway excavation is reduced, but also the recovery ratio of the coal resources is maximized. The method provides a novel technical model for the recovery of room-type left coal pillars in mining areas, such as in western China.

The present invention relates to a mining system. The system includes a continuous miner for forming plunge tunnels from a roadway. A flexible conveyor system is coupled to the continuous miner for conveying mined material from the plunge tunnels. A controller is provided for controlling the continuous miner and the flexible conveyor system to travel along a predetermined path. Advantageously, the controller may control the drive and steering (including turning maneuvers) of the continuous miner and each conveyor module of the flexible conveyor system along the predetermined path to avoid striking either any adjacent equipment (e.g., another conveyor), or the “ribs” of a plunge tunnel being mined.

The present invention relates to a mining system. The system includes a continuous miner for forming plunge tunnels from a roadway. A flexible conveyor system is coupled to the continuous miner for conveying mined material from the plunge tunnels. A controller is provided for controlling the continuous miner and the flexible conveyor system to travel along a predetermined path. Advantageously, the controller may control the drive and steering (including turning maneuvers) of the continuous miner and each conveyor module of the flexible conveyor system along the predetermined path to avoid striking either any adjacent equipment (e.g., another conveyor), or the “ribs” of a plunge tunnel being mined.

A cutting assembly for a mining machine includes a mount configured to move about a first axis relative to a chassis of the mining machine and a ranging arm coupled to the mount. The ranging arm is moveable relative to the mount. The cutting assembly includes a cutting head having a housing coupled to the ranging arm. The housing is moveable relative to the ranging arm. The cutting head includes a drum supported for rotation relative to the housing about a rotational axis, a plurality of cutting bits coupled to the drum, and at least one motor supported by the housing to drive the drum about the rotational axis.