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known methods, including room and pillar or longwall <br />methods. <br />o Productivity levels are extremely high which means fewer <br />people are required to go underground to produce the coal <br />than with other systems and sup~ivision can be far more <br />effective. <br />o Surface disturbances are minimal when compared to open <br />pit mining methods. <br />o Dust levels, both on tl~e surface and underground, are <br />negligible due to the immersion of the coal in water as <br />it is mined. <br />o Noise levels are generally lower. <br />o Problems with methane gas underground are reduced as coal <br />cutting is carried out at some distance from either <br />• personnel or equipment, particularly electrical powered <br />equipment. In addition, immersion of the coal in water <br />after it is mined generally tends to reduce and slow down <br />methane release during transportation C`,rough tLe mine <br />which reduces the volume of methane that is actually <br />released into the mine atmosphere. <br />o Sparks, and similar hazards associated with electrical <br />equipment and mechanical coal cutting, are almost elimi- <br />nated as the bulk of the coal is produced using water. <br />In the hydraulic mining face area the only electricity <br />used is to drive the electric motor powering the feeder- <br />breaker and the low voltage used for the telephone <br />communication system, and instrumentation. <br /> o The lack of dry coal dust throughout the mine greatly <br />• NCIG - Coal Ridge #1 4-19 ABC/1145/910509 <br />%R-~ <br />