PME 363
Assignment
• What is the importance of geology for underground mining?
• How rock structure influences the selection of a mining method?
• How improvements in drilling and blasting techniques have helped to improve rock strength in
underground mining?
• What are the functions of backfill in underground mining?
• What is NCB approach? Explain in detail.
Mathematical Exercise
➢ Exercise: 10.2, 10.4,10.8,10.10 (Reference 1)
➢ Exercise (Reference 2)
1. A 16 ft wide entry is driven by a full-face boring type continuous miner in a 6 ft seam at a depth
of 1000 ft. What is the maximum compressive stress created around the opening?
2. A circular tunnel is to be driven through a competent, homogeneous deposit of sandstone (µ = 1).
Assume that the vertical stress gradient in the rock mass 2.5 psi/ ft of cover, the design requires
long term safety factors, and the rock has the following in-situ properties:
Compressive strength, Co= 25000 psi, Tensile strength, To = 1500 psi
What is the maximum depth possible?
3. A 6 ft coal seam at a depth of 1000 ft is to be mined by room-and-pillar mining system
incorporating 15 ft entries and pillars that are 40 ft in square. The K value for the seam is 4000.
Determine if these dimensions provide adequate stability.
4. Suppose that a mine in Pennsylvania owns the rights under a building that must be protected. The
calculated support area is 400 * 450 ft. Mine management has a choice of buying the structure for
$ 30,000, which will enable an extraction ratio of 0.9, or not purchasing the structure and mining
only 40% of the 5 ft coal seam. If the company averages a profit of $ 4.1 per ton of coal and the
coal has an average density of 80 lb per ft3, should the company buy the building?
5. A 900 ft wide, 20,000 ft long longwall panel, at an average depth of 1500 ft, is to be driven in a 8
ft coal seam. The surface terrain is fairly flat, but there is considerable concern for subsidence
damage to a 50*100 ft structure located approximately midpanel directly over the edge of the
projected opening. The 50 ft dimension of the structure is parallel to the direction of mining.
Using the NCB approach, determine the maximum subsidence anticipated and the transverse
strain profile.
References
1. Introductory Mining Engineering, Howard L Hartman, 2nd edition
2. Mining Engineering Analysis, Christopher J. Bise, 2nd edition.
Group 1 (2007002-2007006, 1907025)
Marks 20 ( 5+4+11)
• What is the importance of geology for underground mining?
• A 6 ft coal seam at a depth of 1000 ft is to be mined by room-and-pillar mining system
incorporating 15 ft entries and pillars that are 40 ft in square. The K value for the seam is
4000. Determine if these dimensions provide adequate stability.
• Exercise 10.2 [1]
Group 2 ( 2007007-2007012,1807004)
Marks 20 (5+4+11)
• How rock structure influences the selection of a mining method?
• A 16 ft wide entry is driven by a full-face boring type continuous miner in a 6 ft seam at a
depth of 1000 ft. What is the maximum compressive stress created around the opening?
• Exercise: 10.49 [1]
Group 3 ( 2007013-2007018)
Marks 20 ( 5+4+11)
• How have improvements in drilling and blasting techniques helped to improve rock
strength in underground mining?
• A circular tunnel is to be driven through a competent, homogeneous deposit of sandstone
(µ = 1). Assume that the vertical stress gradient in the rock mass 2.5 psi/ ft of cover, the
design requires long term safety factors, and the rock has the following in-situ properties:
Compressive strength, Co= 25000 psi, Tensile strength, To = 1500 psi
What is the maximum depth possible?
• Exercise: 10.6 [1]
Group 4 (2007019-2007024)
Marks (5+4+11)
• What are the functions of backfill in underground mining?
• Suppose that a mine in Pennsylvania owns the rights under a building that must be
protected. The calculated support area is 400 * 450 ft. Mine management has a choice of
buying the structure for $ 30,000, which will enable an extraction ratio of 0.9, or not
purchasing the structure and mining only 40% of the 5 ft coal seam. If the company
averages a profit of $ 4.1 per ton of coal and the coal has an average density of 80 lb per
ft3, should the company buy the building?
• Exercise: 10.8 [1]
Group 5 (2007025-2007030)
Marks 20 (4+6+10)
• What is NCB approach? Explain in detail.
• A 900 ft wide, 20,000 ft long longwall panel, at an average depth of 1500 ft, is to be driven
in a 8 ft coal seam. The surface terrain is fairly flat, but there is considerable concern for
subsidence damage to a 50*100 ft structure located approximately midpanel directly over
the edge of the projected opening. The 50 ft dimension of the structure is parallel to the
direction of mining.
Using the NCB approach, determine the maximum subsidence anticipated and the
transverse strain profile.
• Exercise 10.10 [1]