International Journal of Mining Science and Technology 28 (2018) 917–923

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International Journal of Mining Science and Technology

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/ijmst

Modern experience of low-coal seams underground mining in Ukraine

Mykhailo V. Petlovanyi, Vasyl H. Lozynskyi ⇑, Pavlo B. Saik, Kateryna S. Sai
Underground Mining Department, National Mining University, Dnipro 49005, Ukraine

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: Coal is the main energy resource in Ukraine. However geotechnological aspects of coal seams develop-
Received 14 January 2018 ment and Ukrainian crisis have a negative influence on the mining industry. This article analyzes the
Received in revised form 23 March 2018 experience in the development of very low and low-coal seams with 0.7–1.0 m thickness, as well as
Accepted 15 May 2018
advanced technological solutions that allowed private coal enterprises, despite the difficult situation in
Available online 21 May 2018
the country, to maintain sufficient (more than 75% of all production) level of steam coal extraction for
Ukrainian society. Given that Ukrainian’s mining sector development is a huge task, we hope this review
Keywords:
will add some discussions into the ongoing conversation.
Coal
Mining
Ó 2018 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of China University of Mining & Technology. This is an open
Mine access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Ukraine

1. Introduction
Hard coal is the main strategic fuel and energy resource of
Ukraine, which is able to ensure the development of the leading
economic sectors, in particular the production of electrical power
and metallurgy for the next 300–400 years [1,2]. Ukraine ranks
7th in the world for hard coal reserves (Fig. 1).
Coal is the most abundant energy resource and will continue to
be the dominant energy source for decades [3–5]. To maintain a
sustainable development of mining areas, the extraction of thin
coal seam, which is usually less than 1.3 m in thickness, becomes
increasingly important [6,7].
During the years of independence, Ukraine has accumulated
tremendous mining experience in working out very low and low-
coal seams within 0.7–1.2 m thickness (according to Ukrainian coal
classification), and with that other countries practically have no
such experience in the mining industry [8–10]. In Ukraine, accord-
ing to the estimates, 75% of coal is used as fuel, and 25% as a tech-
nological raw material for ferrous metallurgy, chemical and other
industries [11]. More than 40% of the generated electric power in
Ukraine falls on thermal power stations that operate on gas and
anthracite coal (Fig. 2).
Despite the intensive development of alternative energy in the
world, the share of thermal power in Ukraine in the next decade
is still one of the priorities. However, despite the strategic focus
of hard coal, its extraction is becoming increasingly complex and
challenging. This is primarily due to the low seams thickness
⇑ Corresponding author.
E-mail address: lvg.nmu@gmail.com (V.H. Lozynskyi).
(80% of the total reserves), their high gas content, low stability of
the enclosing rocks, and the increasing field development depth
[12]. But in spite of these aspects in Ukraine, a number of mining
enterprises have accumulated sufficient experience in the develop-
ment of seams in the specified conditions, and the introduced pro-
gressive technological solutions allow producing coal with
satisfactory technical and economic indicators.
2. The current condition of Ukrainian’s coal production
2.1. The production and reserves
The dynamics of coal production (Fig. 3) over the last ten years
(2006–2016) shows that from 2006 to 2013 the production level
was stable and was within 75–85 million tons, and for 2013–
2016 period a sharp decline in coal production at 20–50% was
marked [0], due to the current political and military situation in
the eastern Ukraine.
Significant production capacities for coal extraction remained
on the temporarily uncontrolled eastern territories of the country
(more than 60%). At the same time, coke-coal accounted 20–40%,
and steam coal 60–80% of the total coal production, respectively.
Since 2015, the government has refused to supply anthracite coal
from temporarily uncontrolled areas, replacing it with import from
Republic of South Africa, and from the United States according to
plans.
Nevertheless, the existing production level in 2017 still allows
supplying important sectors of industry and energetics with coal,
even if a significant part of the mine fund is lost. The coal mining

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmst.2018.05.014
2095-2686/Ó 2018 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of China University of Mining & Technology.
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
918 M.V. Petlovanyi et al. / International Journal of Mining Science and Technology 28 (2018) 917–923
Fig. 1. Distribution of hard coal reserves among the world’s leading countries.
Fig. 2. Structure of electric power production according to the power stations types
in 2016.
Fig. 3. Dynamics of hard coal extraction for 2006–2016.
distribution (without taking into account uncontrolled territories)
is shown on the contour sketching (Fig. 4).
The contribution of the regions into coal production due to the
results of 2016 is as follows: Dnipropetrovsk–44.8% (18.4 bln.
tons), Donetsk–38.0% (15.6 bln. tons), Luhansk–12.9% (5.3 bln.
tons); Lviv–3.85% (1.59 bln. tons); Volyn–0.45% (0.185 bln. tons).
The main coal mining regions of strategic importance are the
Dnipropetrovsk region (Western Donbas) and the Donetsk region
(Central Donbas). This was achieved due to the predominant share
of private mines in coal mining, the main privatization of which
was carried out in the period of 2000–2010 and the implementa-
tion of significant technical reforms for their re-equipment. One
of such companies is DTEK, which privatized 10 mines the
‘‘Pavlogradvuhillia” (Dnipropetrovsk region) in 2008, and in future,
the ‘‘Dobropilliavuhillia” (Donetsk region), brought them to a new
improved level. For 8 years from 2008 to 2016, the production of
Fig. 4. Distribution of coal production according to the regions of Ukraine.
DTEK the ‘‘Pavlohradvuhillia” incorporation has increased from
10.0 to 18.5 million tons of coal, and amount to 44.8% of the entire
production of the country, which indicates a significant investment
in new technologies. The mining share of state-owned mines
according to the results of 2016 remains extremely insignificant
(18%) [13–15].
2.2. Current state of the Ukrainian mine fund
As a result of the current political and military situation in the
east, Ukraine lost 60% of the mine fund in the Donetsk and Lugansk
regions. In 2016, 40.8 million tons of coal were mined by 32 state
mines and 28 privately owned mines (mainly DTEK), which pro-
duced 40.8 million tons of coal in 2016, and in 2013, before the
conducting warfare, 83.7 million tons of coal were mined at 150
operating mines. In terms of specific indicators in 2013, on average,
1 mine produced 0.56 million tons, and in 2016 – 0.7 million tons,
which is undoubtedly a positive aspect. These data indicate that
until 2013 in the coal industry there was a systemic issue of coal
mines unprofitability, a significant part of which was subsidized
by the state budget. As the production dynamics in 2014–2016
show, more efficient coal mining with a smaller number of mines
is possible in Ukraine.
Privatized mines, even in difficult political and military and eco-
nomic conditions, continue investment programs in major con-
struction and modernization of their production, compared to the
state-owned mines. From 1991 till the present moment, no new
mine has been set to work. At present, the main type of new con-
struction in the mining enterprises of Ukraine is exposing of new
horizons at the productive mines mainly by shaft extension and
carrying out additional openings, as well as reserves development
of new blocks. Nevertheless, in 1989 the construction of the ‘‘Novo-
volynska #10” mine in the Volyn region started with 0.9 million
tons designed horse-power and the readiness level of mine putting
into operation is 90% as of 2016. The main reason is insufficient
and non-systematic investment by the state [16]. The design insti-
tutes developed projects of new mines construction, such as Lubel-
ska (Lviv region) with 4.5 million tons designed horse-power,
Novoannovska (Lugansk region) –3.0 million tons, expansion of
the Pokrovsk mine management according to the scheme ‘‘block-
module” and increase from 8.0 to 12 million tons designed
horse-power.
It is possible to estimate the level of technical and economic
condition of coal mines, which develop very low and low-coal
seams in 80% of cases, according to their main quantitative param-
eter–annual production capacity. The distribution of the average
level of mine production by associations of different ownership
patterns is shown in Fig. 5.
Analysis of the data in Fig. 5 shows that the mines of private
ownership, such as PJSC ‘‘MM Pokrovske”, LLC ‘‘DTEK Komsomolets
Donbasu”, and PJSC ‘‘DTEK Pavlohradvuhillia” are more prominent
in terms of production level. Among the state mines only LLC
‘‘Krasnolymanska” can be identified. All these companies, except
PJSC ‘‘DTEK Pavlohradvuhillia”, are developing medium-thickness
seams, more than 1.2 m. It follows that the only enterprise in
Ukraine developing very low and low-coal seams of 0.7–1.0 m with
positive technical and economic indicators is PJSC ‘‘DTEK
Pavlohradvuhillia” incorporation, which includes 10 coal mines.
3. Geotechnological aspects of low coal seams development
3.1. Reserves and main coal fields
Coal reserves are represented in Ukraine in two types: hard coal
and brown coal.
 M.V. Petlovanyi et al. / International Journal of Mining Science and Technology 28 (2018) 917–923 919

Fig. 7. Bar graph of coal reserves distribution according to seams thickness.

Table 1
Limits of mining and geological characteristics changes and qualitative indices of
industrially significant coal seams of the Western Donbas.

Symbol of working seams C1, C3, C4, C5, C6, C7, CTop Low
8 , C8 , C10, C11

Seam thickness (m) 0.20–1.5

Fig. 5. The average coal mining by association of 1 mine over 2016. Angle of incidence, a (°) 2–5
Gas content (%) 2.3–14.9
Coal grade Long flaming and gas coal
Coal reserves in Ukraine are concentrated in Donetskyi (95.95%) Natural and operational ash content 9.0–19.4
Ad (%) 42.4–56.1
and Lvivsko-Volynskyi hard coal basin (4.05%), and brown coal Total sulfur, Sd (%) 1,3–2,0
reserves in Dniprovskyi brown coal basin (100%) (Fig. 6). Brown Humidity, Wrt (%) 8.0–9.3
coal deposits in Dniprovskyi brown coal region were developed Volatile content, Vdaf (%) 40–42
in an open-cut mining until the mid-1990s. Currently, only hard Calorific value (MJ) 33.2–34.19
Density (t/m3) 1.23–1.31
coal and anthracite are mined using only underground mining
Stratification depth (m) 210–570
method. Coal resistance (kN/m) 240–500
The hard coal reserves are estimated at 41.9 billion tons, and
off-balance reserves 17.3 billion tons [17]. In addition, reserves
remained also within the mine fields of closed mining enterprises
and amount to more than 1.0 billion tons. About 90% of all coal fracturing; presence of unstable roof rocks, as well as ‘‘immediate
reserves occur in seams with up to 18 angles of incidence. The roof”; presence of swelling and distending ground; presence of
main part of the seams (more than 65%) in the coal basins has up thinning, splitting and withering of seams and fault wash; sand-
to 1.2 m thickness (Fig. 7). stone withering in main roof rocks, accompanied with unstable
Underground development of such seams is rather difficult, as it zones with sharply reduced properties of coal stiffness and enclos-
leads to an increase in the operating ash content of coal caused by ing rocks of crumb formation; and roof rock spalling.
the need of lateral rocks cutting with excavating equipment. A distinctive feature of the rock massif structure of the Western
Donbas is the presence of strong tough coal and comparatively soft,
semi-stabled enclosing rocks. There is a significant water inflow,
3.2. Mining and geological conditions of low coal seams development varying within 150–900 m3/h. Argillaceous rocks such as siltstones
and claystones taking up water are prone to swelling and distend-
The total number of seams and sheds in the Western Donbas ing. Coal seams are broken with a dense network of fractures, and
reach 60 with the limits of thickness fluctuation from 0.1 to 1.8 in most cases complex seam hypsometry prevails. A fairly high gas
m, 21 coal seams are of industrial importance, and only 10 seams content of the rock massif is noted, which is in the range of 10–20
are in development, which is due to the carrying out and proof of m3 per ton of daily coal production. The generalization of the rock
the feasibility of their development. The limits of changeability of massif structure of the Western Donbas are given in Table 2.
qualitatively-quantitative indices of working seams are given in In the above-mentioned mining and geological conditions, there
Table 1. are problematic aspects associated with the technology of pure
The environmental conditions of the Western Donbas are also coal excavating, the tightness of the working space and the venti-
complex. The complicating factors affecting the management of lation of the long productive workings, the increase in the exploita-
mining are: tectonic fault, accompanied with zones of increased tion of coal ash content, the intensive rock pressure, and rock
heaving of the working areas. Therefore, for rhythmic, productive
work in such mining and geological conditions, it is necessary to
implement progressive technological solutions.

4. Progressive technological solutions for very low and low coal

seams effective development

4.1. Upgrading the long-pillar work system

Coal mining from the flat and pitching seams provides 90% of
the total coal mining of Ukraine. At present, the development of
the flat coal seams of Ukraine is carried out by progressive pillar
Fig. 6. Distribution of reserves in coal basins of Ukraine. development systems for the rising, inclination of seam and bed
920 M.V. Petlovanyi et al. / International Journal of Mining Science and Technology 28 (2018) 917–923
Table 2
Generalization of the rock massif structure of the Western Donbas.
Payable seam Composition, thickness and strength characteristics of rocks
Immediate main roof Main roof
C1, C3, C4, C5, C6, C7, Claystones, siltstones (fractured, Claystones, siltstones
CTop
8 , C8
Low
, C10, C11 slightly resistant, prone to swelling) (unstable), sandstone
rc = 15–35 MPa rc = 0.7–25 MPa rc = 2.5–38.0 MPam =
m = 0.2–1.5 m m = 0.0–2.7 m 1.2–8.0 m
extension. The specific weight of the board-and-pillar method is
60%, the rest is for the continuous and combined ones. Using
board-and-pillar method, the productive and preparatory works
are separated in time, firstly the mining extracted area margins
are contoured with working areas, a face entry is carried out, and
only after the cleaning equipment is installed they start the stop-
ing. The coal seams development of the Western Donbas is carried
out in most cases by rising or extension, which is caused by signif-
icant water inflow into the mines (more than 150 m3/h).
In comparison with 1991–2005 period and beginning from
2005, while coal seams developing in the Western Donbas, mining
extracted area method in the board-and-pillar method was
improved. Instead of pillar extraction of working area, following
the productive workings advance and specific pattern of working
area ventilation, the repeated use of the site development and
the creation of a straight-through ventilation with the outflow of
the outgoing jet were redistributed. This made it possible to
improve the efficiency of the site ventilation and to enable to
increase the load on the productive workings according to the
gas factor from 800–1200 to 2000–2500 tons per day, and when
using planers to 3500–4500 tons per day.
The board-and-pillar method parameters after mines privatiza-
tion also underwent changes in connection with the need to inten-
sify the stoping and achieve high technical and economic
indicators. Thus, the length of the extraction pillars has increased
from 800–1200 m to 2000–3000 m, which made it possible to con-
tour significant reserves of the working area and reduce the speci-
fic length of the preparatory excavations (m/1000 tons of reserves).
In Fig. 8 the excavation from the mining plan is shown, where
2500 m extraction pillars have been prepared, although the length
of the extraction pillar should not exceed 1500 m at the seam
thickness up to 1.2 m according to the Ukrainian standards. Due
to the branch tunnel under the declining coalfield and its connec-
tion with the extraction gallery by auxiliary winzes, it became pos-
sible to supply an additional amount of air and separate the
extraction pillar by ventilation into two parts. In addition, the issue
Fig. 8. Preparation of 2500–3000 m long extraction pillar in the CLow
8 seam at the
Western Donbas mines.
Immediate main bottom Main bottom
Claystones, siltstones (fractured, Claystones, siltstones (unstable,
slightly resistant, prone to distending) medium-resistant), sandstone
rc = 1.2–15.0 MPa rc = 1.9–40.0 MPa
m = 0.2–2.5 m m = 5.0–12 m
of additional emergency openings (through winzes) is solved in
case of emergency situations on the excavation site.
There is a tendency to increase the average length of long face in
1.3 times. In the early 2000s, the extraction pillars were worked
out with long faces of medium length 180–200 m, and during the
last 5–7 years the length of long faces reached a wide 220–300 m
range at a medium dynamic length 250 m. This was made possible
by the introduction of Czech highly productive face conveyors CZK-
228/800, CZK-225/642, CZK-190/800, PF3/822 (working with a pla-
ner), with powerful electrical drive, high current capacity and the
ability to move the rock mass over considerable distances, and
improve the ventilation of the long face. The increase in the long
face length also allowed to reduce the unit costs for the site work-
ings, since, with a longer face length, more coal reserves are pre-
pared and contoured with smaller amounts of preliminary
developments.
4.2. Implementation of foreign and Ukrainian highly reliable
equipment for stopings and drivages
Most of the productive workings of Ukrainian coal mines are
equipped with old Ukrainian mechanised complexes MKD-90,
KD-99, MKD-80, KM87, KM88, KM103, KMS98, equipped with
cutter-loaders RKU-10, RKU-13, 1K-101U, KA-200, KA-80, KA-90,
2GSh-68B, KSh1KGU. While using Ukrainian complexes, the load
on the productive working does not exceed 1200 tons per day on
average.
Recently, the leading Ukrainian scientific and design institu-
tions have developed new mechanised complexes DM, KDD, DT,
DTS and cutter-loaders UKD 300, UKD 200–400, UKD 400, KDK
500, KDK 700, which are slowly implemented into the productive
workings of individual potential mines. Thanks to these complexes
it was possible to increase the load at the level of 1500–2000 tons
per day even on 0.7–1.2 m seams. The complexes of the new tech-
nical level are more expensive than the old ones, but they are much
less than production costs, and most of them are operated in two
or three faces without single-stage hoisting for overhaul [18].
Over the past 5–7 years there has been a tendency to foreign
highly productive machinery implementation, especially in coal
mines of private property. In complex mining and geological con-
ditions of coal seams occurrence, increase of energy effectiveness
of coal mining is a major priority. At the mines of the Western Don-
bas today, both Ukrainian and foreign equipment are operated. The
use of foreign mechanised complexes made it possible to increase
the load on the productive workings from 1000–1500 tons per day
to 3000–3500 tons per day.
At several DTEK ‘‘Pavlohradvuhillia” mines, Czech mechanised
complexes of the new generation OSTROJ with cutter-loaders
MB-410E, MB-444P and DBT with GH-800 planer setting for coal
extraction from the 0.8–1.2 m seams are introduced and continue
to be introduced. Also new Ukrainian cutter-loaders KA-200,
UKD-300, UKD 200–400 are implemented. To identify the advan-
tages of foreign equipment, it is enough to compare, for example,
the annual extraction of 10 productive workings at SC
‘‘Lvivvuhillia” mine 1.0 million tons, equipped mainly with old
 M.V. Petlovanyi et al. / International Journal of Mining Science and Technology 28 (2018) 917–923
mechanised complexes MKD-80 and 1K103 cutter-loaders, with
extraction of the 1st productive working ‘‘Stepova” DTEK
‘‘Pavlohradvuhillia” (equipped with a mechanised complex OSTROJ
and MB-410E cutter-loader), which makes up 0.8–1.0 million tons.
It can be argued that the efficiency of reliable, highly productive
equipment of a significant energy intensity exceeds the old mech-
anization samples of productive workings in 9–10 times, whereas
in contrast for servicing the productive workings fewer people
are needed.
The analysis of highly working area mining experience showed
that one of the ways to increase the efficiency and reliability of coal
production processes is to increase the power-to-weight ratio of
mining equipment. Machines with increased power-to-weight
ratio require a minimum costs on overhaul per 1 ton of produced
coal. The expansion in the power-to-weight ratio of technological
equipment improves, first of all, the dynamics of machine opera-
tion, increases their reliability and durability. In some cases the
power of the cutter-loader does not satisfy the efficiency of the
technological process. This disbalance is the main reason that in
real conditions the engineering productivity of the complex as a
whole is not achieved, the coefficient of machine time is reduced,
the dynamics of productive workings is changing [19].
From this it follows that the power-to-weight ratio of the pro-
ductive workings is an important parameter, due to which it is pos-
sible to improve the technical and economic criteria of the
productive workings and the mine as a whole. For 27 mechanized
mining long faces of DTEK ‘‘Pavlohradvuhillia”, the dependency of
load change on the productive workings from the power-to-weight
ratio of the stoping equipment has been established (Fig. 9). As a
part of the stoping equipment, the total power of the cutter-
loader electrical drive and the chain-and-flight armoured face con-
veyor was considered.
In the diagram Fig. 9 the test values range of the power-to-
weight ratio of productive workings within 400–600 kW is charac-
teristic for old and new Ukrainian equipment samples, and 1200–
1400 kW is typical for foreign equipment samples. Analysis of the
diagram in Fig. 9 shows that the load magnitude on the productive
workings changes due to the power-to-weight ratio of stoping
equipment according to the multinominal dependence with a sat-
isfactory value of the approximation reliability R2 = 0.69. In the
range of reliability of power-to-weight ratio of stoping equipment
400–600 kW, the daily load is increased in 300–350 tons, and at
800–1400 kW in 1000 tons or in 3 times. The power-to-weight
ratio of stoping equipment enlargement makes it possible to
increase the load on the productive workings and allows to reduce
the number of operating productive workings in the mine as a
whole.
Modern highly productive tunnelling machines KSP-32, KSP-33,
KSP-42, EBZ-160 are used for extraction pillar preparation timely
due to which a new long face is introduced at the moment of the
adjacent extraction pillar mining without temporary work stop-
pages. The speed of the mine workings reached a record mark of
350 m per month. The preparation of long extraction pillars
2000–3000 m is carried out by rapid penetration with counter
Fig. 9. Dependency of the load on the productive workings (per face output) from
the power-to-weight ratio of stoping equipment.
921
Fig. 10. Front stable hole machine complex CNF.
faces from different horizons. In addition, experimental research
has been carried out in the technology of high-speed face entry
conducting for new productive workings. As a result of the ‘‘Corum
group” company a front stable hole machine complex CNF inven-
tion implementation (Fig. 10), instead of the outdated KN-78 com-
plex, the time of face entry conducting was cut short by 30–35% in
conditions of the Western Donbas mines, the advanced resource
and reliability of the equipment were noted.
Modernization of seams development technological schemes,
introduction of the long productive workings modern equipment
and new models of manufacturing management has allowed to
reduce a share of muscle labour and to optimize staff. As a result,
the number of productive workings for the association decreased
by almost 30%, and these aspects did not influence the increase
in production dynamics, the considerable dispersion of the mining
operations over the layers and horizons was eliminated. So, with 2
productive workings ‘‘Stepova”, ‘‘Blahodatna” and ‘‘Yuvileina”
mines perform coal extraction successfully at their annual produc-
tion level of 1.5–2 million tons.
4.3. Development of support systems of working roadways
In mining practice, there is a tendency to reduce preliminary
developments for the working areas preparation, which is achieved
by retaining one of the roadways for reuse. But for this, it is neces-
sary to ensure the reliability of the working roadway support sys-
tem, which is currently, achieved using a frame rock anchor. On
average, the coal industry of Ukraine reused up to 20% of the road-
ways [20]. And in conditions of the Western Donbas mines this fig-
ure reached 70–80% [21].
Using a frame rock anchor combination has significantly
increased the stability of the roadways and save them for reuse
[22]. So, thanks to the use of a frame rock anchor, it was possible
in some working roadways to change the frame support setting
increment from 0.6 to 0.8 m, which in turn allowed to reduce the
metal intensity of the more expensive frame fastening. The length
of the applied anchors is 2.0–2.4 m, the distance between the rows
of anchors is equal to the setting increment of frame support (0.5,
0.65, 0.8 m), the distance between the anchors in the row, depend-
ing on the rocks stability, varies within 600–800 mm, the anchors
inclination angle to the horizontal plane is 60–75. The amount of
applied anchors in the row is 2–7 pieces, depending on the geolog-
ical conditions and conditions of production maintaining. Opti-
mum is the anchor setting density of at least 1 ank./m2. With the
indicated parameters of roadway props, the rock heaving of the
working roadways does not exceed 0.5 m, as a result, a single
mechanical rock blasting is sufficient. To reduce the roof and soil
roadways displacement in front of and behind the productive
workings (at 20–40 m distance), 1–2 rows of reinforcement legs
are installed under the top of each frame with 18–20 cm diameter.
It is also important to protect the mine roadways in order to pre-
vent the roofs from descending and working roadways frame sup-
port from deformation after the coal seam extraction.
922 M.V. Petlovanyi et al. / International Journal of Mining Science and Technology 28 (2018) 917–923
Fig. 11. Most common way of protecting working roadways with breaker props in
the Western Donbas mines.
Fig. 12. Combined two-level setting scheme of working roadways from rope and
resin-grouted roof bolts in the Western Donbas mines.
At DTEK ‘‘Pavlohradvuhillia” mines, the most widely used
method is breaker row protection (1–2 rows) of 10 cm diameter
legs and of height equal to the thickness of the seam, as well as
the installation of wooden legs from the soil roadways to the roof
seam along the long face, which are constructed immediately after
the strip coal extraction (Fig. 11). To increase the loadability of the
support system at long face and extraction gallery roadhead, 6.0 m
rope bolts of deep laying with 2–3 m increment, which fasten the
destroyed rock sheets of the immediate roof with the main one,
were successfully tested and introduced in the mines. The frame
support through the metal crown runner is fixed by two resin-
grouted roof bolts, which contributes to the dense contact of the
‘‘frame props-massif” system (Fig. 12) This allows, in some cases,
to abandon the wooden reinforcement support in front of the long
face and shorten the time for the final operations and accordingly
increase the net time of coal extraction.
Thus, development of working roadways support systems
allowed to reduce the number of repair works for retimbering
and rock blasting, significantly save material resources by reusing
the roadways, ensure sufficient ventilation by the factor of the
roadways section and improve the quality of mining.
5. Conclusions and argumentative aspects
As a result of the advanced technological solutions introduction
such as development parameters of mining methods, intensifica-
tion of stoping using highly productive machinery, reuse of mine
roadways, implementation of frame rock anchor with the support
of permanent and systematic capital investments in private mines,
allow to reach record volumes of production (77%) from very low
and low coal seams and to reduce the cost price of coal mining
by 35% in comparison with state mines.
Nevertheless, the issues of stable and efficient coal mining in
Ukraine remain rather complicated, and the concept of its long-
term development requires a deep scientific and technical analysis
in the context of replacing part of the existing coal mining volume
with unconventional technologies. The excavation depth increase
along with the complexity of the mine working conditions bring
challenge the competitiveness of traditional underground mining
technologies.
The final product of handling coal is the production of electric-
ity for society and industry. If coal is considered in the process of
integrated electricity production at the thermal power station,
then this process is quite complex and expensive. The complexity
of the process lies in the fact that for the production of 1 kWh it
is necessary first to extract coal, then to enrich it to the necessary
conditions and burn at the thermal power station and each process
requires costs. In addition, it is also necessary to take into account
transport costs for transferring of coal between the objects (mine-
coal-preparation plant, coal-preparation plant-thermal power sta-
tion). A complex chain of electricity production at the thermal
power station in a complex is not only a costly process, but also
causes significant damage to the environment. Coal mining churns
up the earth surface and leads to flooding the territories and
changes in the hydrogeological regime of groundwater, pollutes
the atmosphere with methane emissions from mine shafts, con-
tributes to the accumulation of industrial waste and land areas dis-
possession; coal enrichment leads to the formation of sludge
reservoirs of large area and soil contamination; coal burning leads
to air pollution and the accumulation of greenhouse gases.
All these aspects indicate that an essentially new approach is
needed for the energy resources development technologies and
production of electricity directly in the place of their occurrence
in a closed environmentally safe cycle. One approach may be
unpromising mining site closure and redistribution of public funds
to finance new projects of unconventional hydrocarbon production
technologies.
An underground gasification of substandard coal seams (less
than 0.6 m), as well as balance reserves of minefields in closed
mines, which experience and scientific research has been accumu-
lated in Ukraine [23,24] can become effective technologies to com-
pete with traditional methods of production. At the stage of
successful theoretical studies there is a selective technology for
working out very low coal seams with the rock abandonment in
the worked-out area [25]. In addition to it hardening of rocks with
harden mixtures is more promising than just storage of them [26].
The processing of waste heaps containing from 0–20% coal and
rare earth metals of industrial importance which, for example, in
the Western Donbas has accumulated more than 100 million tons,
should also be take into account.
Acknowledgments
The work was carried out in the context of scientific project
financed by the State Budget of Ukraine ‘‘Scientific Substantiation
and Energy-Efficient Low-Waste Technologies Development of
the Hydrocarbon and Mineral Raw Materials Extraction” (State
Registration No. 016U008041). Authors would like to thank associ-
ate professor of the translation department from National Mining
University Yana Boiko for language editing of the article.
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