Using of Wide Stopes in Coalless Zones Mined by Shovels and Backhoes

The examples of mining rock panels by different types of equipment are given in this paper. In such conditions, it is most expedient to use wide stopes to improve the productivity of equipment by reducing the time for auxiliary works. Also technological schemes of equipment operation in different conditions for several quarries of the Kuzbass are proposed. The coal-bearing zone is worked “layer by layer” with one or two benches or subbenches. The bottom of the quarry in this case is flat, without leaving “peak” of overburden rocks in the pillars. Cutting of the benches is carried out by trench with a wide bottom on the side of the roof of the coal bed and simultaneously working it with the same excavator or with setting up a additional excavator for coal mining operations. Interbeds are mined out with the use of wide stopes, often to the theirs entire horizontal width. Complex rock-and-coal blocks, including one-three coal beds, are also worked out by wide stopes.