Pennsylvania-based Target Drilling is taking on the Bluefield Coal Show and this year has brought a new product.
Target president Steve Kravits said industry will be introduced to the company’s new, reformulated polymer gel for mining. The substance, Target said, can plug in-mine horizontal boreholes as well as surface coalbed methane (CBM) well horizontal laterals prior to mining, using its new gel mixing and pumping unit.
Kravits said company staff, including drilling experts John Wood and Gary DuBois, will be on hand to answer questions from attendees. The company will also be speaking with mining guests about its in-house, in-mine and surface directional drilling compacts.
Terex
This year, Terex will again take on the Bluefield Coal Show, bringing along the latest information on its highwall mining systems.
The company’s systems are capable of producing coal in seams as low as 30 inches and up to a 1000-foot penetration depth, and producing both metallurgical and bituminous-grade coal.
Once in place, mining operations typically average 30-40 tons per man hour with Terex solutions based on a standard crew of 4-5 workers, company officials said.
United Mining Equipment
Pennsylvania-based supplier United Mining Equipment, known to the industry as UME, will be returning for a second time to southern West Virginia for the Bluefield show, this time with the cost-efficient PittLite cap lamp.
Developed through a joint venture with Chinese firm Wisdom, the lithium ion-powered and LED-based lamp received federal approval earlier this year and is now commercially available to operations throughout the US.
According to company owner Don Simms, the PittLite is a much lighter alternative to other cap lamps, weighing in at just over 1 pound. The battery, which is guaranteed to provide at least 16 hours of illumination, features a 30,000-hour LED that is clear and bright, shining 7000-10,000 lux at a distance of 1m.
The unit has a built-in overcharge protection circuit and the battery’s life cycle lasts more than 1200 charges and discharges. Simms also noted that the PittLite had received state approval from Pennsylvania, currently one US state that mandates separate evaluation of the technology.
The 16-year-old UME, historically known for its hydraulics product line, will be bringing the lamp to the show along with a display of charging units so that all in attendance can “see the light”. Sales and service personnel will be on hand all three days to answer questions.
Veyance Technologies
Exhibiting at Bluefield this year for the first time as a manufacturer, Veyance Technologies has big plans – namely pulling back the curtain on its new Shield conveyor belt compound released to the industry earlier this year.
The Shield technology was launched to help conveyor belts meet the flame-resistance outlines of new Belt Evaluation Laboratory Test regulations dictated by the US Mine Safety and Health Administration.
“The compound meets MSHA's new regulations while surpassing requirements with the additional features of low smoke density and low smoke toxicity,” conveyor belt marketing manager David Tersigni said, noting that smoke is one of the largest obstacles to overcome in the event of a fire.
“Our belt compound is designed to give off clear smoke, which is virtually devoid of harmful halogens – toxic gases that are breathing irritants. If Shield belting were to catch fire, the fire is extinguished without emitting halogens.”
In addition to its new product, Veyance will have a full line of Goodyear Engineered Products conveyor belt products on display as well as a large collection of its mining-specific products for hydraulics, industrial hose and power transmission belting. It will be appearing alongside its service companies, National Belt and Monk Mine Supply.
Tersigni noted the company would have a full staff, including design engineers, ready to take questions at Bluefield and felt the strong concentration of coal mining in the region made the show ideal.
