For clickable links to each article see below.
The edition featured mine reports on:
Svea Nord longwall mine in Spitsbergen, Norway;
and an update on progress at the Glennies Creek mine in NSW.
Annual production statistics for Australian longwall mines:
See Production table and
analysis .
Check out The Longwall IQ Test , devised by consultant Nick Wills. (Since publication of the magazine Wills has heard from several readers of the magazine. He claims no-one has yet got all the answers right to the 20 questions.)
The latest R&D news featured an update on the landmark ACARP-funded Longwall automation project, being undertaken by CSIRO and the CMTE. Work on an innovative new mines escape rescue vehicle (the MERV), also being undertaken by CSIRO, was reviewed.
Safety-related articles
The growing use of CABA and its emerging role as “a powerful weapon to the armory of the self-escape philosophy.” See article .
An overview on statutory certificates for mine managers, contributed by Queensland inspector, Greg Rowan, republished this week on ILN.
Contracting survey
A survey of contractors and mine operators by Australia’s Longwalls and Business Improvement Australia, is currently online as a Special Report.
Industry News and briefs
Walter Construction Group’s continuing success winning major contracts, including the recently won $40 million Dendrobium project.
Update on DBT Diesel’s plans for its range of range of diesel vehicles. See article .
Allied Mining completes its first longwall recovery at the Kenmare mine in Queensland.
BHP Billiton’s plans to expand its West Cliff and Appin mines in the Illawarra. See update. Vice president operations Bruce Allen spoke in detail at the Yeppoon longwall conference in May about the company’s plans for the Illawarra mines. This paper to be reviewed on ILN on April 29.
Management
Consultant Denis Porter questions what lies ahead for management in the coal mining industry if another wave of reforms sweeps the industry. See article.
Conveyor feature
The conveyor feature included articles on:
Voith turbo couplings, used at the new BHP Billiton San Juan mine in New Mexico.
A technical review by conveyor system group, Gulf Group on the benefits of Tracking output costs in e-procurement. Gulf describes some of the systems it has developed to aid in this process.
The inroads being made by Nepean Conveyors innovative conveyor technologies, including variable frequency drives and belt optimum soft slave (BOSS) transmission.
The consolidation of Unipoly Enerka and Fenner into Apex Fenner, the biggest conveyor belt manufacturer in the world.
Product briefs include:
the Engineering Services and Supplies (ESS) new 2000 Series conveyor Skirting ;
Austdac’s two-wire transmission system;
Razer Industries belt cleaner technology;
and Nepean’s BOSS transmission.
Computer Power
The wide-ranging application of computing power to longwall mining, from equipment engineering to mine planning to day-to-day mining operations. See article.
The application of Maptek Group’s MineSuite software in the Illawarra mines of BHP Billiton for production monitoring and reporting. See article.
Strata management
PUR at the ‘crossroads’ looks at developments in the use of polyurethane injection.
Crinum’s strata management plan.
Hire
Mark Kingshott of Waratah Hire looked at the economics of the Hire business from a longwall mine’s point of view.
