Published in the September 2011 Australian Longwall Magazine

Now we all know that coal miners are the true heroes, because without coal, everyone would freeze in the dark!

So to redress the balance and indulge in some homegrown self-gratification for our own industry, I thought I would announce my list of longwall awards for 2011.

The Wills on Walls Awards are inrecognition of significant longwall achievements made possible by people in our industry at all levels, from OEMs to mine management to coal face operators.

Of course, mining conditions vary considerably, and some coal seams are easier to mine than others. It is also a fact that I don’t get to visit every longwall every year, but there are not too many longwall operations around the world that I have not seen over the last 30-plus years.

So here are the Wills on Walls Awards (including one or two overseas specials).

The 2011 Wills on Walls Awards

(Conceived, reviewed, judged and awarded by Nick Wills)

The Fattest Longwall Award goes to Ulan. At 405 metres it really has no competition. Superbly designed equipment, well maintained with good standards. Has not reached its full potential yet, but should be a coal factory.

The winner of Most Challenging Longwall Award is Carborough Downs. While it does not necessarily have the worst mining conditions, it has a multitude of serious challenges, which are continuous: changing gradients, faults, igneous intrusions, short blocks – they have it all.

The Vintage Longwall Award is a tough call. Anything pre-1990 falls into this category. There are several mines that could take this award and each mine has its own unique challenges.

Having older equipment means that maintaining high operational standards is more difficult, and maintenance becomes a huge effort. However, I decided on Baal Bone, which is still producing with “old fashioned” four-leg supports AND (old fashioned) two-leg supports.

The Most Improved Longwall in Australia Award goes to Newlands. Only a few years ago, the Newlands longwall was in dire straits, but through the efforts of many people it has been transformed into a spectacularly successful operation.

The Most Improved Longwall in the Southern Hemisphere Award goes to New Denmark in the Republic of South Africa. Until two years ago, New Denmark operated one of the most diabolical longwalls I have ever seen (and I have seen many). Now they operate one of the best in the world.

The Best Newcomer Award goes to Gujarat NRE. The Indian company has stimulated the Illawarra region with a brand new longwall for NRE No1 and by startingup the former Elouera longwall at Wongawilli. Both mines are subject to seam interaction problems, which will require good planning and great attention to detail.

The Highest Grossing and MostProductive Longwall Award must go to Oaky North. One million tonnes a month is phenomenal, and only a few years ago would have been considered fantasy. Oaky North produces more coal in one week than my old Barnsley Seam longwall in Yorkshire (1983) produced in one year!

The Coldest Longwall Award goes to Svea Nord in Spitzbergen. Only 1220 kilometres from the North Pole, the island is 60% covered in glacier ice. It’s cold and there are more polar bears than people on the island. It is the highest producing longwall in Europe.

The Highest Operation Standards Award is a very special award. This is for the best standards seen on a longwall this year and it goes to Angus Place. The equipment is relatively new, but the operational standards are amongst the best I have seen anywhere in the world.

Maybe not as glamorous as the Emmys but far more important and well deserved!

PS the cheques are in the mail.