The communication systems used in undergound mining generally consist of the following: Telephone Systems: The telelphone has become an integral part of mine communication and is mainly used to locate and inform key personnel. The telephones used in underground coal mines are intrisically safe due to the hazardous mine atmosphere. […]

When the coal is transported by the AFC along the longwall face it reaches the beam stage loader at the end of the face. The beam stage loader is simply a chain conveyor that transport coal from the AFC to the main belt conveyor. Also incorporated into the beam stage […]

A pantechnicon is a train of sleds carrying the services to the longwall face. It is generally located on the maingate road, along the belt conveyor. It is usually pulled or dragged along the roadway in concert with the advance of the face. The dragging of the system is achieved […]

The coal plough is no longer used in Australian coal mines but the first Australian longwall installation in 1963 used a coal plough in the Illawarra Coalfields. However, the coal plough is still used in Germany and other European coal producing countries but in diminishing numbers. In Germany the coal […]

To maintain a safe working environment powered supports have to be advanced sequentially. This is achieved by utilising an articulating Armoured Face Conveyor(AFC) which runs along the face with the shearer mounted on it. The AFC is made up of short sections, called pans,which allows it to “snake” along the […]