JOURNAL PAPERS

Coal clearance system at Zondagsfontein Colliery

P. Mogodi

University of Witwatersrand, South Africa

SYNOPSIS

The purpose of the project was to propose a coal clearance system (coal transportation system from the mining face to the plant) that could be used for the planned underground operations at Zondagsfontein Colliery. Components of the current coal clearance system were overlooked during feasibility studies. Subsequent studies of the coal clearance system revealed that the combined capacity of the two trunk belts does not match that of the shaft (main) belt. As a result production downtimes will be encountered due to bottlenecks in the system. Ways of addressing this challenge were analysed by weighing both advantages and disadvantages and ultimately a surge bin option was selected. Belt conveyor simulations were conducted in order to determine the optimum capacity of the surge bin. The configuration of the surge bin in relation to the two trunk belts was chosen by considering development cost, advantages, and disadvantages of each option. It was concluded and recommended that a 500 tonnes capacity surge bin is required to remove the bottleneck from the system.

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References

1. Oryx Environmental Project Management and Specialist Expertise. Scoping Report for the Proposed Zondagsfontein Coal Mining Expansion, Status: Draft for External Review, Republic of South Africa, March 2008, pp. 3-42.         [ Links ]

2. Mazibuko, P., Tollemache, W., and Mlangeni, N. Personal communication with the author's, December 2008.         [ Links ]

3. Anglo Coal. Simulation of coal clearance system; Mining Department; Zondagsfontein Colliery. Anglo Inyosi Coal, Internal and Unpublished Article, Anglo Coal. Republic of South Africa, pp. 8-15.         [ Links ]

4. N12 Projects (Pty) Ltd. Zondagsfontein Trunk and Section Conveyor, Mining Projects, Internal and unpublished article, Republic of South Africa, October 2007, pp. 1-6.         [ Links ]

5. Anglo American Technical Division. Zondagsfontein Simulation Report. Anglo America, Internal and unpublished article, Republic of South Africa, April 2008, pp. 2-9.         [ Links ]

6. Anglo Coal. Underground surge capacity for Zondagsfontein mine, Internal and unpublished article, October 2008, pp. 1-5.         [ Links ]

Paper written on project work carried out in partial fulfilment of Bachelor of Science in Engineering (Min.)