Longwall 2009, to be held at the Crowne Plaza in the Hunter Valley on October 12-13, is expected to attract a large crowd despite the global financial crisis.

Event marketing manager Phil McDermott said, in response to feedback from previous years, this year there would be a greater focus on project overviews and technical case studies, presentations from new operators and discounts for group bookings offered so entire teams could attend.

Day one kicks off with a case study from the owner of one of Australia’s newest longwall mines – Gujarat NRE. Head of mining operations Chris Harvey will speak on the miner’s activities in the Illawarra region.

Fellow Illawarra mine, BHP Billiton Illawarra Coal’s Appin colliery will show how it has improved productivity and safety.

The suppliers will then take centre stage with a presentation from Joy Mining Machinery regional safety group leader James Sudworth on zero harm mentality.

Xstrata’s Dave Mellows will also take up the safety cause, looking at ergonomics.

The afternoon session will feature presentations on Centennial Coal’s Newstan and Angus Place collieries before BMA Broadmeadow’s Mick Burgess and Envirocon’s Brian Plush take the floor to speak on a new shearer scrubber system.

The day will close with a look at Mandalong’s rib protection system.

On the morning of day two, Singareni Collieries will present a case study on the status of the Indian coal industry.

This will be followed by case studies from Whitehaven’s Greig Duncan on the new Narrabri development and from BHP on the Dendrobium mine.

Further case studies will follow with a look at Peabody’s North Wambo, and BMA’s Broadmeadow mine and its use of longwall automation.

Gary Gibson’s presentation on the roadway development improvement project and a review of ventilation and gas management strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by CSIRO’s Rao Balusu will round out the conference.

Registrations are being taken right up until the first day of the conference.