COAL MINE FIELD TRIP REPORT

Group members:
◦ Inti Gowtham Sri Vardhan (17MI33004)
◦ Kanupuru Sandeep Kumar (17MI33006)
◦ Md. Shahbaz Ansari (17MI33007)

Mines visited(under ECL):

Jhanjra coal field (UG Mine)
Sonepur bazari (OC mine)
Rescue Station
 Jhanjhra Coal Field
Location:-The Jhanjra coal block is located on the north-eastern side of Raniganj coalfield, 15 km north of
NH-19 (old numbering NH 2)/ G.T Road and about the same distance by road from Durgapur.

Jhanjhra Project:
◦ The Jhanjra Area of Eastern Coalfields consists of only one colliery, the underground mechanized Jhanjra
mine.
◦ The Jhanjra coal block covering a surface area of 11.50 km2, spread across 8 extractable seems, has a total
reserve of about 200 million tonnes of coal.
◦ While open-cast mining is cheaper and less labour-intensive , it is much less environment friendly compared
to underground mining.
◦ With the deployment of continuous miner mass production technology has been introduced in the Jhanjra
mines. Longwall mining has also been introduced. Man riding system and free steered vehicle are already
functional.
◦ Jhanjra Project Colliery produced 3.376 MTe of Coal which out of 9.06 Mte of Total UG Production of
Eastern Coalfields Ltd. in FY 18-19.
 Sonepur Bazari Coal Mine(open cast)
Location: The mine is located in Eastern Part of Raniganj Coalfields in the district of Burdwan, West
Bengal, Mine Location 14 km away from G. T. Road, 30 km away from Asansol Railway Station, 35 km
away from Durgapur Railway Station.

Sonepur Bazari Project :

◦ Existing workable coal seams are R-VII, R-VI, R-V, R-IV & R-III/II.
◦ The mine is worked by shovel-dumper, dragline, surface miner, drill and blasting.
◦ Control blast technique is adopted and Mostly Site Mixed / Emulsion Explosive is used. Excel
(Noiseless Trunkline Delay) detonator is used.
◦ Average Stripping Ratio is (1:5.7).
◦ Annual Mine Capacity for the year 2015-16 is 9.6 Million Cubic Meter and mineable reserve
(as on 01/04/2015) is 179.60 M.Te.
 Rescue Station
◦ Mine rescue or mines rescue is the specialized job of rescuing miners and others who have become
trapped or injured in underground mines because of mining accidents, roof falls or floods and disasters
such as explosions caused by firedamp.
◦ Rescue Services have been rendered to all collieries of ECL, Chanch Victoria Area of BCCL, Ramnagar
Colliery of IISCO as well as to Civil Administration and Public Authorities (as and when required)
through Mines Rescue Station, Sitarampur, Rescue Room with Refresher Training (RRRT) Kenda and
Rescue Rooms operating at Jhanjra and Mugma.
◦ Mine rescue teams must know the procedures used to rescue miners trapped by various hazards, including
fire, explosions, cave-ins, toxic gas, smoke inhalation, and water entering the mine.
◦ Local and state governments may have teams on call ready to respond to mine accidents.
◦ Most mine rescue teams are composed of miners who know the mine and are familiar with the mine
machinery they may encounter during the rescue, the layout of workings and geological conditions and
working practices.
Drilling in open cast mines
Drilling is the process of making a hole into a hard surface where the length of the hole is very large
compared to the diameter. In the context of mining engineering drilling refers to making holes into a rock
mass.

Purpose of drilling in open cast/open-pit mines:

1. Production drilling i.e. for making holes for placement of explosives for blasting. The objective of
drilling and blasting is to prepare well-fragmented loose rock amenable to excavation with better
productivity from the excavation machinery. The holes drilled for this purpose are defined as blast hole.
2. Exploration drilling for sample collections to estimate the quality and quantity of a mineral reserve.
The samples are collected as core and the drilling for such purposes are referred as Core drilling. As
diamond bits are used for such drilling, core drilling is often called diamond drilling.
3. Technical drilling during development of a mine for drainage, slope stability and foundation testing
purposes.
Drilling requirements:

1. The drilling bit meant for disintegrating the formation must be sufficiently hard so that it can
disintegrates the formation for a longer period.
2. The cuttings formed in the process of formation disintegration must be taken out of the hole as soon as
possible. One should avoid crushing and grinding of the drilled chips inside the hole.
3. Drilling tool must be advanced in the intended direction of the drilled hole.
4. The hole walls must be competent to avoid collapsing and blinding of the hole.
5. After completing the hole the drilling components and the drill should be removed from the place.
6. The dust and noise generated during the drilling should be contained as far as practicable.
Classification of drilling
methods:
1. Conventional drilling – rotary,
percussive, rotary-percussive
drilling
2. Non-conventional drilling –
thermal and chemical drilling
Principle of Rock tool interaction in drilling :

The principle of rock drilling involves the rock tool interactions to make a penetration in rock. In the
normal drilling process mechanical energy is dissipated through a bit to a rock. Based on the behaviors of
drilling system and rocks the bit responds differently. The principle of rock drilling is concerned with
providing a scientific basis of such responses, so that for a given job the right method can be selected.
Formation disintegration in drilling is mainly due to mechanical energy. However, there are drilling
techniques in which heat energy or chemical energy is used. Water jet energy is also used in certain cases
for rock disintegration.
The mechanical energy can disintegrate rock mass by crushing, impact crushing or scratching. Crushing
takes place when heavy and steady force is exerted on the rock mass through hard drilling bit. The
resistance to penetration of rock is called drilling strength or drillability of rock. This is different from
other rock properties as it is related to number of controllable and uncontrollable parameters.
Figure showing the drilling operation for surface blasting
Fig. ICM Drill and its components(used for vertical,
horizontal and angular drilling)
Components of the above ICM drill are:
1. Rotary Head: Comprises of a hydraulic motor and a suck assembly to hold the drill pipes.
2. Feed motor: To apply an axial thrust on the bit through the drill rod by having a chain feed mechanism.
3. Drill guide to position the drill rod and bit at proper angle to make vertical or angular hole.
4. Drill pipe or drill rod: A tubular rod with a central hole to send compressed air and male and female
ends for connecting to the next rod and to the suck of the rotary head.
5. Hammer: It is a pneumatically acting hammer. When the compressed air is entered in this valve
released pressure energy to a piston to blow the bit connected to it provide the impact on the rock mass.
6. Drill bit: It is tungsten carbide button insert bit connected to the hammer.
7. Undercarriage or crawler unit which allows the drill to be propelled.
8. Propel control valve for releasing the hydraulic to power the hydraulic motor to drive the crawler.
9. Propulsion Motor is the hydraulic motor that provides the power to propel the machine. 10. Hydraulic
control unit having pressure regulator for rotation of the drive head, pressure regulator for the control
of the feed motor, blow valves, hydraulic control, rotation control and feed control
 Factors Affecting Drilling:
Sl. Category Factors
no
1 Operating variables Drill – Drill power, thrust, torque, rotary speed, blow energy,
Rod - Rod dimensions, geometry, materials properties
Bit - Bit dimensions, geometry, material properties
Circulation Fluid – Fluid flow rate, fluid properties
2. Drill Hole Factor Hole specifications – Hole size
Hole depth
Hole inclination

3. Rock Factors Material Properties – resistance to penetration, porosity, moisture

Geological conditions – Fractures, folds, fault, joints
State of stress – In-situ pressure, pore pressure

4. Service Factor Operational variables – Labour quality, power availability

Site factors – working condition, equipment defects and hazard
General Recommendation for better drilling performance:

1. Drill at minimum bailing velocity of 1524 m/min.

2. After each hole, the bit should be inspected to ensure that all the cones are at the same
temperature. One excessively hot cone usually indicates obstruction of air passage to the
bearing.
3. Air valve should be fully opened before rotating bit and are kept on while the bit is rotating.
4. The bit and the drill steel should not be dropped to avoid damage of cones or bearings.
5. The bit should never be forced into soft, loose formations faster than the cleaning of the hole
by the circulating air. Operating the bit while buried under formation cuttings to lock when
cuttings can cause bearings to lock when cuttings may be fixed inside the cone.
Performance Measurement:
Drilling performance is normally measured in terms of:
1. Energy or power requirement.
2. Rate of penetration achieved.
3. Bit wear per meter drilled.
4. Cost of drilling

Safety at Drilling Operations:

1. Noise (hearing): the drilling operations normally produce higher level of noise. The operator and helper
must use personnel protective equipment as prescribed by the manufacturer of the drill or the mine
management.
2. Explosives material: Drilling is followed by blasting and the drilling personnel must be aware of
explosive risks.
3. Burst hoses: the machine comprises of hydraulic and pneumatic hose ppes. They must be properly
maintained and replaced after prescribed use. Accidental bursting may cause accident.
4. Air and hoses: The drilling personnel must be aware f the high pressure lines and the risks to work with
them