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Chapter II <br /> Mining is underground, and coal is transported from the faces to the surface <br /> through the Adit/Rock Tunnel. (Or through the #3,#4 and #5 Main Entries, pending <br /> completion of the Adit/Rock Tunnel lateral extensions). Underground support <br /> activities include ventilation, roof control, rock dusting and maintenance. <br /> Surface activities include transport of the coal to raw coal storage, storage, <br /> transport to the wash plant for processing, processing, clean coal storage, blending <br /> and loading of the coal for transport; transport of the coal to the load-out facility, <br /> loading of the coal for transport to the customer; and, at the processing stage, <br /> transport and disposal of coal refuse, disposal of non-coal waste, maintenance of <br /> surface facilities, and environmental programs to minimize the effect of operations <br /> on the affected land, air and water resources of the area. <br /> In addition, surface activity includes the movement of men and materiel as <br /> necessary for mining, transport of the coal, disposal of refuse, etc. <br /> a. Production Methods. <br /> (1) Longwall Mining. <br /> The longwall method mines a block of coal up to 900 feet wide, and 2,000 to 6,000 <br /> feet long. The coal is cut along the entire width of the face by a shearer. The coal <br /> falls onto an armored chain conveyor that carries it to the headgate and then <br /> discharges it to a stageloader. The stageloader feeds the coal onto a conveyor belt <br /> to be carried out of the mine to the surface coal handling facilities. <br /> The roof along the face of the longwall is supported by shields which advance as <br /> the face advances. The roof caves behind the shields. <br /> (2) Room and Pillar Mining. <br /> Mid-Continent uses a standard room-and-pillar mining system, although with <br /> necessary innovations dictated by the particular properties and geology of the coal <br /> beds in Coal Basin. The coal is mined by driving sets of entries in the seam on an <br /> established pattern. The number of entries in a set is determined by the <br /> requirements of law, ventilation, haulage corridors, roadways, escapeways, power <br /> requirements and water drainage. <br /> A set of main entries or headings (usually 5 to 7) are driven from the outcrop to <br /> provide for adequate, long term mine ventilation requirements. The pillars or blocks <br /> of coal formed by the entries must be of sufficient size to support the weight of the <br /> overburden. <br /> The entry work is done by a continuous mining machine, which cuts the coal and <br /> loads it into shuttle cars. The shuttle cars haul the coal to the feederbreaker, which <br /> in turn sizes the coal and feeds it onto a conveyor belt to be carried out of the mine. <br /> 9 <br />