Understanding of process and techniques

Company BHP Billiton Caroona Coal Project

Author Mick Barker

Date 5 December 2011

 BHP Billiton has committed to:
no longwall mining underneath the floodplain;

no longwall mining underneath the alluvial irrigation aquifers;

no open cut mining anywhere within the EL; and

no mining of any description outside of the target area.

Longwall mining is a type of underground mining used for the

extraction of coal and the information in this presentation will
further explain this type of mining.

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 Section 1 Underground coal mining
Other terminology and methodology associated with underground mining

Overview of underground mining equipment

A comparison to open cut mining techniques

Section 2 Mine design and infrastructure

Process to develop a mine design

Overview of infrastructure associated with underground mining

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 Underground coal mining

Contents
Development mining
Longwall mining
Mining services

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 There are many types of underground mining which have evolved through the
development of technology improving safety, efficiency and level of impact on the
environment:
bord and pillar;

development;

drift longwall;

punch longwall.

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 1. Drift (rail)
2. Ventilation fan
3. Pit top
4. Offices
5. CHPP
6. Coal load out bins
7. Mine services
8. Longwall face
9. Coal seam
10. Development section
11. Coal pillar
12. Underground bin
13. Pit bottom
14. Shaft (elevator)

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 Cordeaux Colliery pit top - 10.75ha

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 Cordeaux Colliery pit top

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 Cordeaux Colliery

Dendrobium

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 Dendrobium

Mandalong

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 Specifically designed
vehicles to transport men in
and around the mine.

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 Continuous miner
Designed to develop roadways for
installation and operation of the
longwall

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 Continuous miner
At work in an
underground
environment.

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 Auxiliary fan
Removes dust and gas from
the working face.

Roof bolters
Installing rock bolts in the roof.

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 Shuttle car
The link between the
continuous miner and
the conveyor belt.

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 Load Haul Dump
(LHD)
Multiple purpose diesel
machine used for
material removal and
lifting and carrying
supplies around the
mine.

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 LHD
Heavy
capacity
lifting.

Grader
Roadway
maintenance.

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Community Consultative Community Presentation Caroona Coal Project 5 December 2011 18
 Longwall shield and face

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 Shields
Weight = 15-25
tonne
Support 90 tonne of
roof pressure

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Community Consultative Community Presentation Caroona Coal Project 5 December 2011 21
 Shearer cutting along coal face

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 Longwall shearer

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 Online Source http://undergroundcoal.com.au/fundamentals/07_advance-retreat_2ret.aspx Double click middle of
page to run graphic

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 Double click middle of
Online source - http://undergroundcoal.com.au/fundamentals/07_caving.aspx page to run graphic

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 Pumping water management.

Compressed air energy source for tools/equipment.

Ventilation removes stale air.

High voltage electricity used to power plant.

Communication systems day to day and emergency.

Monitoring systems atmospheric levels.

Coal clearance movement of coal from underground to

surface.

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 Mine design and infrastructure

Contents
Developing mine plans/design
Other associated mine infrastructure

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 Resource factors Mine factors Other factors
Deposit shape Ventilation Development/
capital costs
Deposit type Spontaneous
combustion Production costs
Surface features/
constraints Geological/ Resource recovery
geotechnical factors
Environmental Assessment and
impacts/constraints Subsidence selection of layout
management options
Socio economic
issues

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 Power lines

Telecommunications

Gas lines

Water supply facilities

Roads

Bridges

Natural surface features

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 Development of a number of options which are tested, refined
and optimised the essence of mine planning.
Outputs from successive iterations are examined and often form
the basis of developing a new suite of inputs for the next
iteration.
The iterative process is optimised through:
improved quality of input data;
modelling tools and capacity of model user;
experience in evaluating successive outputs;
reduce the options to a go forward case for implementation.

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 Structures have some of the largest impacts on mine layouts.
These include:
faults;
dykes;
intrusions;
variable grades.

Other geological geotechnical factors affecting layout include:

stress orientation;
strata strength;
lineament zones;
water make.

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 CH&PP (coal handling and preparation plants)

Stockpile areas and management

Rail load out facilities

Ship loading facilities

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 Mt Arthur Coal

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 Mt Arthur Coal

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 Mt Arthur
rail load out
facility

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 Loading ships at Newcastle

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 The February 2012 presentation to the Community
Consultative Committee aims to address issues that have
been raised by stakeholders about subsidence such as:
what is subsidence?;

what causes subsidence?;

what are the potential impacts of subsidence on the natural and

built environment?;

how are these impacts managed?;

regulatory controls;

case studies.
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 Questions

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